Ceiling light comes back on after parking

2004 CHEVROLET CAVALIER
100,000 MILES • 2WD • AUTOMATIC
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DOUGLAS WOODS
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
when car is parked engine off car locked. Shut door and ceiling light fades out okay. then come out and the ceiling light is on. battery weak or drained?
Feb 10, 2018 at 8:35 AM
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CARADIODOC
  • ASE Certified Mechanic
  • 34,321 POSTS
  • ASE Certified Mechanic
Lights that fade out slowly is a gimmick that requires a computer, and computers cause more problems than they solve. They do weird things when supply voltage is low, including turning various circuits on, pulsing them, or failing to turn them on when they should. The first thing I would do is measure the battery's voltage a few minutes after stopping the engine. It should be 12.6 volts. If you find less than that, we will need to look at the charging system and if testing the battery is warranted.
Feb 10, 2018 at 2:16 PM
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