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Porsche 997: Why Won't My Interior Lights Turn On/Off?

If your interior lights won't shut off, you risk running down the battery and having a car that won't start. Similarly, if your lights seem otherwise inoperable, you may have an electrical issue that needs to be addressed. This article will help to decipher the often complicated nature of electrical problems.

By Brett Foote - April 29, 2015

This article applies to the Porsche 997 (2005-2012).

Interior lights are one of those things that we often take for granted, until they stop working. Trying to fumble around in the dark isn't much fun, and neither is a dead battery caused from lights that refuse to turn off. Like most cars, the 997 has interior lights that are designed to come on when a door is open and go off when it is closed. If that isn't happening, here are some steps you can take to correct the problem.

Step 1 – Check interior light switch settings

It is quite possible that you have inadvertently set the interior lights to stay on automatically, so check this first. Make sure your interior lights and reading lights are set to switch on and off automatically by ensuring the switches are in the center position. In this setting, the interior and footwell lights will be switched on when a door is unlocked or opened, or when the key is removed from the ignition. The lights will turn off automatically two minutes after the door is closed, when the ignition is switched off, or when the doors are locked.

Figure 1. Instructions for 997 interior lights.

Step 2 – Check PCM settings

If you have the Sport Chrono option, your personal settings may have changed. This typically happens when the battery is disconnected. You can go into your PCM, select settings, and reset the options for DRL, door locks, and other lighting.

Figure 2. Check your PCM settings to make sure they are set correctly.

Step 3 – Check door contact switches

Door contact switches tell your car that the door is opened or closed. If the switch is bad, corroded, or you have a blown fuse, your interior lights might fail to come on. Alternatively, a bad ground can cause your lights to stay on. Inspect the switch for corrosion as well as the wiring to make sure it isn't damaged.

Figure 3. A door contact switch and wiring.

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