The rear hatch has its own indicator light on the dash so i figured if it was the rear hatch switch that was keeping the lights on then the light on the dash would also be triggered. Yes that lights would come on before this problem when i opened the rear. When I was testing the rear hatch i had it open and the light on the dash indicated so, when i unplugged the switch, the dash indicator light went off but the dome lights did not.

 

Did ya shut the hatch and the were still on...

 

Yup unfortunately

 

I had this same issue on my XJ when I bought it. One of the previous owners had just removed the bulb from the dome light (main one in the middle) because it wouldn't turn off. Instead of fixing it, they just took out the bulb.

I traced the problem back to the switch in the driver's door. When the door was closed it wouldn't push the switch closed. With all the other doors closed, if I pushed the switch in by hand, the dome light went off.

There was kind of a plastic washer that held the switch in place on the door jamb, and a nut that seemed to be there to adjust the depth of the switch, but I couldn't get the nut to budge. My XJ has been hit and repaired on that side, so whoever replaced the door obviously didn't care about adjusting the light switch properly.

My shade tree fix was to put a thick plastic washer between the switch and the door jamb to space it out further. I bought a couple from Home Depot and tried them until I found the depth I needed to make the light turn off. At one point it was close, but not quite spaced right. The light would go off, but every time I accelerated the door would shift back just enough to release the switch and turn the dome light on. I knew I was pulling some mad Gs when I hit the gas and the dome light turned on!

TL;DR: check your door switches again.

 

Ive confirmed that the rear hitch works completely fine with my multimeter, I just took it all the way apart.

Ive checked all the door jamb switches at least 4 times.

 

Unplug all switchs at same time see if it goes out yet ?

 

I did this and theyre all still on.

New information: I used my multimeter to determine the the door jamb switches are normally a closed circuit (when the doors open). When I test the leads on the wire that go to the door jamb, they also indicate a closed circuit as is they're permanently indicating the door is open. This is true of all the doors. This leads me to think that all the switches lead to a relay that may have gone bad. Relays have moving parts, so this theory would be consistent with it malfunctioning while i accelerate. Does anyone know if there is a relay that turns the dome lights on? and if so where is it?

 

Switch grounds the circuit causing light to turn on. Ive unconnected every cars switch ive ever had light don't come on unless it want them to sounds like headlight switch is broken to me bet you disconnect it light goes out.

 

My 98' had same prob and I went thru everything. I found the wiring harness shorted behind the Pass side rear panel after another person I talked to online related the same issue.

 

I have disconnected it, the lights didn't go off. This has to be one of the most frustrating problems I've encountered with my jeep.

 

I have my subwoofer box pushing against some wires behind the right quarter panel. But I took the trim off the trunk door and it looks like the only wires that run down that side are the wiper and tag light wires. Do they all run down that side? I don't remember from when I installed the box. It's very possible the box is pinching them if they are behind it.

Also if that was the case wouldent the dash indicate the trunk was open?