Check your owner's manual and/or check a electrical wiring diagram if you want to learn how the Auto-Off feature works or if it is included.

 

Thanks

1) (Center interior Lights) On/off
The illuminated entry system is
activated even if the light is
turned off when the personal/inte-
rior light main switch is in door
position.

2) To prevent 12-volt battery discharge
If the lights remain on when the door is not fully closed and the personal/inte-
rior light main switch is in the door position, the lights will go off automatically
after 20 minutes.

3) Customization -> Illumination
Operation after the
“POWER” switch or the
engine switch is turned
OFF
On (default) Off (custom)

Nothing here entirely answers my question, but at best, it looks like maybe I could go to the dealer and inquire about having all lights turn off as soon as I turn the car off.

Not ideal, if I'm even understanding this correctly, because then I'd have none of the convenience of seeing things for a minute before lights shut themselves off.

In any case, I'm still not sure whether I have a malfunction or if this is "normal" behavior, which is what I'm trying to ask.

I'm not going to delve into a wiring diagram, as I'm sure I won't even understand it.

 

If I remember correctly the operates as a map light using the buttons. I think in that operation it doesn't go auto off like the dome light function. Perhaps you could disable the map light switches, install led bulbs so they use less power or just make sure whoever turns them on also turns them off.

 

Just turn them off with another click before you shut the car off. I can't drive with interior lights on at night.

 

It’s normal for them to stay on when you manually turn them on. It would be annoying if they went off on you when trying to read something after you’ve purposely told the car to leave them on.

 

Thank you everyone for your answers. Here's what I understand

1. This is "normal"
2. If you have kids, those lights will be turned on and not turned off, and you won't know that after the fact unless you sit in the car, close the doors, and wait for other lights to go off.

I am leaning toward suggestions to use LEDs as a hedge against this problem, although last car I used them in (an older Sienna), they worked pretty poorly.

I have to say, if I was designing a lighting system, any light that could be engaged manually during driving would still automatically get shut off after a period when the car was off. Heck, given all the tech built into these cars, there could even be a sensor to detect that the car was empty of people.

The low-tech way of making this less of an issue would be to use simple switches for manually controlling lights, rather than a push on the lens. If I get out of the car at night and want to see if the lights are "turned on" I have to get in, close the door, and wait for other lights to go off. Only then do I know whether I'm actually turning off one of those dome lights by pushing on the lens.

This "design" is a recipe for killing your battery.fairly quickly and, in our case, frequently. I bet anyone else who has young kids has had the same issue.

 

Change those culprits to LED bulbs and the current draw will drop considerably!!

 

Any particular brand recommendations welcome. I've been looking at others in the forum.

 

I have replaced them in a number of vehicles and WARM WHITE is the best illumination. EBay has tons and Amazon USA may have as well what will fit. It'll take time to find the right ones. But they're out there. Some newer vehicle they don't work because the polarity is reversed feeding the bulbs. But on you're it way too old for that tech to be in use.

 

Thanks everyone for the bulb tips.

 

Where I got most of my interior LEDs.
https://www.superbrightleds.com/

 

Where I got most of my interior LEDs.
https://www.superbrightleds.com/

Thanks. I found this source in another post and seems to be a good place for all variety of bulbs.