Mystery Switch

[Timthom62]

Hi folks. Longtime lurker, first-time poster. Bought a 2012 Sonic Blue SE Hatch (203A with sport package) for Mrs. Timthom last October (Sept 2011 build). Liked it so much that I bought a 2012 Red Candy SEL Hatch (303A with winter package) for myself a few weeks ago (Feb 2012 build).

Loving the cars, and the education I got here at the FF forum made making an informed choice easy. Still learning all the features of the car, and ran across this switch on the right side of the dome light controls the other day.



"OFF"?

Mostly the graphics Ford uses are pretty easy to figure out, but this one looked like it could mean anything up to and including "Roof Eject". Turns out that it's just the control for whether the dome light comes on when the doors are opened.

Since it wasn't covered in the owners manual, and I hadn't found anything about it here, I thought I'd post it so the next newbie would know that they could safely press it without turning their Focus into a convertible.

[Sponsor]

[Rat Fink]

Its a picture of the car with the doors open, and the word "off". Since it's on a dome light switch, it really seemed self explanitory to me???

[Sparky12]

I puzzled over that same button last night while sitting in my driveway. I would have never visualized that image as a car with the door open. Thank you for helping out this newbie!

Although I think "roof eject" would be a much cooler function!

[cacophonous]

Originally Posted by Rat Fink

Its a picture of the car with the doors open, and the word "off". Since it's on a dome light switch, it really seemed self explanitory to me???

Actually it looks like half a car with the doors open.
Terrible icon.

However as you point out it says Off and it is on a dome light, it is very obvious what it does.
No picture needed.

[Text12]

On my titanium it witches from dome lights + led accents to led only.

[Timthom62]

Originally Posted by Sparky12

Although I think "roof eject" would be a much cooler function!

I'll admit, I was a little disappointed myself when I confirmed its more mundane purpose.

I just thought it was funny that the symbol on the switch to the left is covered in the manual - presumably so we won't think it's the switch that makes the sun come up - but the less-intuitive one to the right isn't.

[Dick W]

Originally Posted by Timthom62

I just thought it was funny that the symbol on the switch to the left is covered in the manual - presumably so we won't think it's the switch that makes the sun come up - but the less-intuitive one to the right isn't.

Agreed here. Ford really should document it.

[feta_mgp]

My June 2011 built Focus doesn't have that button to my knowledge. My method to turn off the dome lights is to hold down my dome light button while the door is open until it flashes or something, I don't remember exactly but I definitely don't have an off button for mine!

[Timthom62]

Originally Posted by feta_mgp

My June 2011 built Focus doesn't have that button to my knowledge. My method to turn off the dome lights is to hold down my dome light button while the door is open until it flashes or something, I don't remember exactly but I definitely don't have an off button for mine!

Now that's interesting - and might help explain why it's not in the manual.

Question: does yours have the moonroof option?

Mine doesn't, so the dome light and controls are mounted in what would be the center of the moonroof. I didn't test drive any that had the moonroof option, so I'm not sure how the lights/controls are mounted on them.

[thelongone13]

Huh, I don't think my car has that switch. I think my options for that are in the DIC in the cluster.