The problem described below has been solved, the cause turned out to be a bad battery. The battery had an internal short and was messing with the electrical system. A new battery brought everything back to normal.

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Our car is a 2001 A4 Quattro Avant. The symptom is that the interior lights, both front and rear seats (but not the liftgate) stay on all of the time in the automatic position. If we switch them off manually with the toggle, they go off, but otherwise they do not (Yes I checked to make sure the light buttons were in the off position, the center "dome" light in the front is on too.)

When the front doors are opened, the footwell lights go on, when they close, the footwell lights go out. There are no floor lights in the rear so I don't have a reference for back there, but the instrument panel shows all doors closed when they are.

The car was in for work at our local mechanic's just before this started (it began when we picked up the car). He replaced the alternator, timing belt, idlers, front cam and crank seals, water pump, and thermostat. I can't think of anything in those repairs that would have anything to do with the interior lights except possibly the alternator, but I really can't see how. The battery was low (due to the alternator issue) so I charged it at 2 amps for several hours until it now reads 12.6 volts. The lights are still acting up.

Does anyone know what could be doing this before I have to spend a ton of money at the Audi dealer to have them try to figure it out?

Thanks in advance.