Hi everyone,

We have a 2003 Venture that was purchased (new) without a dome light or any overhead console of any sort. I have searched these forums and cannot find anyone with a similar issue.

My issue is, I cannot find any control to turn off the interior lights if a door is open. As stated, we have no factory installed dome light or console. I did, however, take an old dome light from my Dodge Caravan before I scrapped it and installed that where an overhead console would normally be installed. But of course, this does nothing to aid in turning off the vans interior lights; it only gives us the ability to utilize a dome light when needed.

We travel cross-country pretty regularly, and in some very desolate places. Usually one of us is asleep mid-route during these times. Whenever one of us finds the need for fuel or a restroom break, opening the door(s) will activate the interior lights. I'd like an option to turn off the interior lights (or more particularly, prevent them from coming on at all) in these instances.

On my 1990 Dodge Caravan and 1999 Plymouth Voyager (and I suspect most every other car in the world), moving the slide dimmer to the fully left position (near the headlight multi-switch) where it clicks and "parks" deactivates the interior lights (as well as dims the cluster display). This is not the case with our van. The dimmer does not affect the interior lights at all. It neither dims them, nor shuts them off.

I suspect this has something to do with the alarm (which auto-activates), but I'm not sure of where to begin if so.

So... if anyone has any suggestions, I'd love to hear them.

Thanks,
Jeff