You might have noticed that your car’s parking lights are still on even when the engine is off.
This can be a bit confusing, but you can fix the issue easily by finding the fault location and solving that.
In most cases, Parking lights stay on when your car is off due to parking light switch malfunction, auto on-off feature got deactivated, or a stuck turn signal relay.
Whatever may be the reason, we’ll go over it one by one and discuss the ways to fix it so that the problem goes away for good. Stay with us!
Why Parking Lights Stay On When Car is Off?
As we have already said, there can be many reasons why the parking light is not turning off despite the engine getting turned off. Here are the details-
Fuse Malfunction
Parking lights can stay on unintentionally if there is any fuse malfunction in the car. Fuses are for the safety of your components if any electrical surge or problem occurs.
Fuses are designed in such a way that when the electric current passing through them is more than their limit, they automatically cut off the power supply to protect the entire circuit.
If there’s any fuse malfunction and if it fails to recognize electrical overload or problem, then your car parking lights may stay on even after you turn off the engine.
Parking Light Switch Gone Bad
Parking light switch malfunctions often cause the light to stay on despite turning the engine off. It’s the switch that is responsible for turning on and off your parking light.
However, you may not have a bad switch rather a parking light switch turned on. People often don’t bother about parking light switch as it’s not required to be used frequently. If the switch is somehow engaged, it will turn the light on, no matter whether the engine is on or off.
So, make sure it’s on the off position. If that also does not turn the light off, you may need to replace the switch with a new one. Typically costs no more than a couple of bucks, but you need to install it correctly.
Parking Light Auto On-off Feature is Disabled
Malfunction in the automatic on-off feature is another reason why the parking light remains on. This function uses a sensor to turn on and off your car’s lights.
Whenever someone turns off their engine, they also turn off the headlight and other parts that use more power like AC, radio, etc. When you turn off the engine, it triggers a sensor that automatically turns off the parking light.
However, sometimes this feature gets deactivated due to some reason- old battery replacement, faulty wiring, or dust accumulation on the sensor, etc., This can be fixed by checking all these things in most cases. On some occasions, it may require you to replace the sensor with a new one as well.
Turn Signal Relay is Stuck on One Position
Another reason why the parking light stays on is that of a stuck turn signal relay. A turn signal relay plays an important role in your vehicle’s electrical system as it controls all the signals, turns them off, and also makes sure they are working fine for safe driving.
When you take your car to an auto shop, they will test the turn signal relay to check if it’s working fine. A faulty or stuck relay can cause your parking lights not to turn off after you shut down the engine.
This problem needs the replacement of the affected part and some electrical testing for safety precautions before driving again.
Power Feedback From Different System
Sometimes, the power feedback from other systems can also keep your parking lights on. To find out whether this is actually causing the issue, you need to go under the hood and remove fuses one at a time until you find the one that turns off the light.
After you find the culprit, you’ll be able to solve the issue by correcting the wiring or faulty connectors causing the power feedback.
Short Circuit or Wiring Malfunction
Last but not the least, a short circuit or wiring malfunction can also be responsible for this behavior. It’s often hard to detect as there are so many components in your car that have wires running from one place to another and it may come out of nowhere! But if you suspect anything like broken wire etc., check it out thoroughly.
This is more of an advanced problem; it may require the help of a professional auto electrician to fix this issue before you can use your car again without any worries.
How to Fix the Parking Light Issue
Before you attempt any of the fixes, make sure that it’s actually an issue. Sometimes, the light not turning off might be because you have engaged the parking light switch unintentionally, and you don’t even know that.
After you check that switch, follow these steps one by one to see if the problem gets solved or not-
Reboot the System
Turn on the car and wait for a minute before turning it off. Repeat the process a couple of times.
It often clears minor glitches and issues that might be responsible for unusual light or sensor behavior. This trick is the first thing you should try as even a small glitch can cause such problems to show up.
Unplug the Battery
If that didn’t help, the next step is to unplug the battery and let it sit for about 20 minutes. This will completely cut off all power from your car, including any electrical feedback responsible for keeping the lights on.
After you plug in again, make sure that everything works fine by checking if they turn on/off or not when they’re supposed to be doing so. If it’s working fine, you can safely assume that the problem was just a small glitch and nothing serious.
Disconnect the Fuse
If that doesn’t help either, move on to more advanced tips- check wiring or connectors for any visible damage or loose connections.
Also, try testing all fuses one by one to see if they are actually working! You might have to replace a faulty fuse if that’s the case.
Replace the Sensors or Wiring
If nothing else works, then it might be time for you to bring your car in and get help from an auto electrician! It is also possible that there are bad sensors responsible for malfunctioning parking lights. Replacing the sensor should work.
Also, if the wiring is faulty or damaged in some places, it might be creating a short circuit and keeping your light on when it shouldn’t. You need to get that fixed quickly before driving again to prevent further damage to the system!
Conclusion
Parking lights can sometimes stay on when the car is off if there are problems with the electrical system. This can be solved by either rebooting, unplugging, or replacing parts of the electrical system.
If you were having trouble figuring out what’s causing your parking lights not to turn off after you shut down your engine, this article should guide you on the right path!
We hope these tips helped answer any questions about why the parking light stays on after turning the car off- but don’t hesitate to reach out again if something isn’t working as expected.