1995 F150 XLT. Lights

As soon as I turn the key, the orange lights around the main headlight glow, and the tail lights glow.
The instrument panel automatically turns on. The headlight **** will be completely pressed in but they will still glow.
when I pull the **** for my running lights they glow brighter.

When I pull the **** all the way out for headlights the headlights turn on as they should.
when I turn the ****, it doesn’t dim the instrument panel. The light is either on or off instead of a gradual bright to dim.

My question is…How do I make it normal again? I want all the orange running lights and taillights off unless I pull out the **** for running lights, or press the brake, or use a blinker. Also, how to I make the dimmer work correctly again?

this is my first time posting so thank y’all for the patience.

 

Certain functions are supplied power when the key is in the on position.
Pretty good chance one of them is allowing that power to cross over to the parking or tail light circuit.
This might be a good time to remove fuses one at a time to see which circuit is causing the problem.
Was anything added to the vehicle like remote start anything the vehicle did not have that was installed recently?

 

I just bought the pickup. I know the guy before me took the steering wheel off. When he put it back on he didn’t put it on straight and I think he didn’t plug in the cruise control button back. It had two holes in the dash where switches where at one point but nothing is connected. I just put switches on to cover up the holes.
ive had three of these trucks (1992-1996 Ford F Series). I’m not a mechanic or electrician but I kinda know my way around these pickups.
I just need to figure out how to keep the day lights off unless I pull the **** for em to come on.

 

Its good that you have some background with these vehicles.
Maybe I might be able to come up with some things to check. What doesn't help is , the guy before you, we have no idea what he did and it will take some detailed checking to determine what if anything he changed.
I may have some info that I need to locate and will get back after I find it and look it over. Hopefully someone else may be able to come up with a possible solution, we never know.

 

I pulled the fuse for Exterior Lamps and instrument lamps. The fuse was good. And even with the fuse pulled out, the lamps still came on automatically

 

Okay gang…I feel dumb, Idk how this happened. But my dimmer switch doesn't work for my instrument panel. It works for my running lights instead. When I turn my **** to dim the instrument panel lights the running lights will dim until the go completely out. But my instrument panel stays lit until the **** is all the way turned then finally it goes out. Idk why or how it got like that but as long as I can keep the running lights off then I’m okay.