Just purchased a new 2018 Transit Connect XLT and it had the lights on while door open problem. Thanks to info posted here I was able to convince the dealer that this could be turned off in their software. They didn't charge for it but it did take a little convincing. I gave them a copy of the sequence posted in the forum for a 2017 Transit Connect. I asked later if it was correct and the service manager told me it was a little different for the 2018 BCM module. The service invoice said " Hooked up scan tool and turned off parking lamp function for when doors are open".
As for the bright led cargo light, there was no way to turn it off. I had to pull it out and unplug the contacts. I taped over the contact ends with electrical tape and secured it with a zip tie to the rear squirter hose just above. I didn't want to lose it into the cavity or have it flopping around. The light comes out by pressing in on either side to unsnap a plastic latch. You can press it in with a screw driver too if that's too hard on the fingers. I just snapped it back in after unplugging the contacts.
Thanks to everyone who posted on this problem. Hope Ford notices and makes this a user configurable feature that is off by default.
