continued headlight problem, any input?

nutopia

Registered User
hello,

i've made a couple posts regarding my headlights not working correctly on my '93 lx, the low beams used to work occasionally and the high beams would work all the time, then the low beams stopped altogether, now the high beams stopped altogether, and all that works right now is the 'flash' (pull the MFS toward you) function.
i just replaced the headlight switch, didn't help, i swapped the MFS from my junked '90 SC to test, seemed to work ?better? (lights would come on more frequently when i flicked the MFS lever back and forth a couple times, but still wasn't working properly). when i first dissected the steering column, one of the plugs that goes into the MFS looked like it had been melting or something, so i (bad idea) did a little surgery with the wiring and transplanted that plug from the '90 SC into the LX, still no dice, and the transplanted plug looks like it has started to do the same thing, one night when i was stuck at work with no headlights and i was flipping the MFS lever it actually started to smoke..

i don't know anything about the electrical aspects of cars, other than this is bad. if it's not the MFS or the headlight switch, what is it? an electrical short? i read a posting that mentioned something about an upgraded wiring harness (competition lighting) - should i check into that? how difficult is that to install; being as how i'm not that electrical-savvy?

i appreciate any help...
-chris
 
A common problem on these vehicles is that the headlight wiring is insufficient to supply power for both the headlamps & stock foglights at the same time. Thus, when headlights & foglights are run for long periods, things would tend to melt. For most people, it seemed the multifuntion switch was the first point of failure. From there, the headlamp switch would die. If you have had wiring harness plugs melt, there has probably been quite a bit of current moving through the lines, and there may now be a short to ground somewhere. Replacing the melted plug for the MFS was a good idea, just make sure your connections are good & the new MFS plug is good. Also, be sure the MFS from your '90 was also good.

Then I would check your fuses, sometimes they only open part way. Unfortunatley I would also check your new headlight switch, as it may have fried in your troubleshooting. And try to determine where that smoke is coming from.

See if you can follow as many of the wires for the headlight system as possible; in the steering wheel column, under the dash, under the console, and underhood to look for a short if all else fails.

Goodluck, and you may also want to try this one over @ the tccoa
 
I checked the fuses, they seem okay. I wasn't really messing around w/ the car too much after I put the new headlight switch in, so that SHOULD be okay. The smoke (we're not talking a lot of smoke, it was a very little bit) was coming from the area where the harness plug is melting, even on the transplanted plug it's starting to melt.

I was trying to follow the wires after the headlight switch replacement failed, but the thing is, I don't really know what I'm looking for. If there was a short in a wire, what would it look like?

I'm going to re-wire my transplanted harness plug tomorrow morning .. just to make sure that's not causing problems, when I initially did it I didn't have any sort of connectors so I just twisted-and-taped with this heavy-duty electrical tape.

I'm coming down to two main directions: I'm either going to try this upgraded wiring harness and cross my fingers, or bring it to a mechanic, try and explain where the car is at and what i've tried already (even though I know the easiest way to piss a mechanic off is for customers to tell them what to do) and pray that I don't go somewhere that will just try and change the headlight switch and MFS switch, realize it wasn't that, and charge me for them anyway.

Well.. I guess we'll see what happens..

Thanks guys,
-Chris


Digitalchaos said:
Then I would check your fuses, sometimes they only open part way. Unfortunatley I would also check your new headlight switch, as it may have fried in your troubleshooting. And try to determine where that smoke is coming from.

See if you can follow as many of the wires for the headlight system as possible; in the steering wheel column, under the dash, under the console, and underhood to look for a short if all else fails.

Goodluck, and you may also want to try this one over @ the tccoa
 
Interesting.. something must be wrong somewhere. Do your foglights work? And if so, does this happen when they are on, off or both?

As for a short in the wiring, essentially this means that somewhere a wire is damaged and has made contact with a metal surface. Either the outer colored insulation can be cut and touching a piece of metal, an end connection somewhere can be melted and either fusing two connectors inside of itself together or touching a surrounding metal piece, or insulation on the wires somwhere could even be melted, and bare wire could be making contact with something. Basically there will be some obvious damage involving the insulation of the wire.

As far as your twisted & taped connection goes, this should really be ok so long as you taped all exposed bare metal wire. That MFS could still be at fault. See if you can find a way to open it up and look at it w/o damaging.

If you do take it to a mechanic, definately let them know what you have done the symptoms you have experienced, and ask what they will do. Because you are paying them for a service they will perform to your property they have an obligation to tell you this information, and even let you watch from a distance. If they act aggresively in response, find another mechanic.

If you have a Haynes, Chiltons, or Ford Shop manual you may be able to find a headlight wiring diagram. You can acquire these things online at http://www.helminc.com/

Goodluck.. & I hope you find the problem.
 
Both my 93s did this with the smoke and all. The mf switch was cooked and when I replaced them It still had a problem. Next I found that the connectors to the mf switch were loose and barely making a connection. That was the sorce of the smoke. Clean all the terminals and close up the connectors a little on the plug in and you should be fine. Find a new sorce of power for the fog lights. Mine are hooked up so I can run them during the day with the key on only.
 
update

All right..

my original MFS is definitely cooked. i can see below where the melting connector was where the switch started to melt itself. i put the MFS from the 1990 SC in there, and the BRIGHTS work, not the regular headlights. i'm thinking this is possibly because of the auto-headlights, and the switch and the connector are having a hard time figuring each other out. well, that's what i'm hoping, anyway. i'm going to plunk down the cash for a brand spankin' new MFS, and pray that i get my headlights back, stop at the junkyard and hope i can pull a used connector off of a car..

actually, i'm going to go to the junkyard today, but in case i don't locate a connector, does anyone have a parts car they wouldn't mind me snagging the connector out of? i'll pay a couple bucks, especially if it's the right year/model (the connector that i transplanted from the '90 SC has the wrong color wires on the connector.. makes things confusing) and i'll obviously pay shipping...

anyway, the connector that i transplanted is melted.. too melted to be able to tighten the connectors, plus if i get a brand new MFS there's no way i'm keeping a half-melted connector plugged into it. freaking expensive parts.

HOPEFULLY after all this goes down, i'll have some !@#$@* headlights back. after that, i'm going to go purchase an upgraded headlight harness, cuz there's no WAY i'm going through this again..

thanks guys, i'll keep updating, cuz i know i'm not the only one who's facing, or will face, this problem.. someone please let me know if they have a connector off a parts car they will part with..

thanks,
-chris

scbird1 said:
Both my 93s did this with the smoke and all. The mf switch was cooked and when I replaced them It still had a problem. Next I found that the connectors to the mf switch were loose and barely making a connection. That was the sorce of the smoke. Clean all the terminals and close up the connectors a little on the plug in and you should be fine. Find a new sorce of power for the fog lights. Mine are hooked up so I can run them during the day with the key on only.
 
My 94 Ford Ranger did this last week. I took a look at the MFS connections and there was a burnt wire just like you described. I took the MFS apart(yes it comes apart...at least the Rangers does) and cleaned and tightened up all the internal contacts then I worked on the harness connectors by tightening them up and everything works just fine now.:)
 
Your best bet would be to go to the bone yard and get one from a lx without fog lights. just cut the connector and slide a small screwdriver into the terminals and they pop out. all you need is the plastic plug. My 98 E150 is now having problems so this has gone on for alot of years. Maybe ford needs a better idea?
 
Anyone that has installed stereo equipment in there trunk can do this Freddie. All you have to do is get the relay and wire it up just like you would all those stereo components except you dont have to use those super heavy gauge cables for wire.
 
I TRIUMPH

hooray..

headlights are now fully operational, i bought a brand new MFS switch from ford ($95.40 - not bad.. list price on it was $128 and when I called, they gave me a price of $117, i showed up and they charged me $95, i think perhaps it was refurbished or a return..) and i scalped a new adapter out of a 1991 cougar at the junkyard (details below).. hooked it all up, used butt connectors instead of my questionable twist and tape method, made sure everything was secure, reconnected negative terminal, and bingo!

now, for my ridiculous junkyard experience.. the local junkyard has become ridiculously anal about people pulling parts, they didn't want me to pull parts off a steering column that they could sell as a whole steering column.. i understand the logic from a business standpoint, and semi-agree with it, but you shouldn't turn away a customer because you MIGHT be able to find someone who needs an entire steering column for a 89-93 tbird/cougar..

first i called them up, asked if they had a used multifunction switch for a '93 thunderbird. without checking the computer, the guy said no and hungup. nice. so i went there. i walked into the yard, found the cougar w/ the adapter just kind of hanging out (MFS switch was gone), then there were a few more tbirds w/ complete steering columns (not disassembled at all), then i found a tbird with the column trim taken off, and the MFS switch clearly visible. i grab the melted MFS out of my car, and explain to the junkyard people that i need another one of these, i saw one in the yard, how much would it be, they gave me the whole load of crap about the steering columns, they would have to find one with a bad column yada yada.. so they gave me the car ID of a car that should have had a switch and a bad column. i go out to the car, the switch is gone, and all the adapters are chopped off. i go back to the office, explain, and give them the ID of the tbird w/ the switch, ask if there's any way i can take that one since the column had been started on already. he grumbles for a bit, then says yeah, $75, including the adapter that i had melted. i grudgingly agree, cuz i just wanted to get back home, i go out to the car, take the switch off... and the adapter is missed, the connectors are connected DIRECTLY onto the MFS switch (not a bad idea, certainly won't come loose this way..).. but i didn't want to take it, especially for $75, it might have just been more problems, so i go BACK to the office, say, that one's a little too messy for me, can i just clip the adapter out of this other car, the MFS switch is gone already, it's not a complete column, etc etc..

"yeah, $15."

so i paid the ridiculous amount of fifteen dollars for the !@$# adapter. i know he overcharged me, and was probably doing it because i was being so annoying, but in the end, it all turned out ok, cuz i've got headlights again. now, as soon as i recover from the $100 MFS switch, i'm going to invest in an upgraded harness to make sure this fiasco never happens again.

thanks for all your help everyone, you guys rarely fail me when i need sound advice. double props if you actually read the junkyard rant above; i know it was long but i needed to get it out of my system...

later
-chris
 
isnt that the culprit for so many MN12s burnin to the ground??? I heard that they had quite a few catch fire because of an arc in the dashboard.
 
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Glad you were able to diagnose & solve your problem nutopia! Sound like that Junkyard is a real reputable business :rolleyes: lol.

Rewiring the foglights & acquiring the wiring harness should be the end to your concerns, plus you will then be able to upgrade your headlights!
 
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