headlights shutting off

[GhettoPop]

Occasional my headlights turn off, they just lose power. The original foglights are working but I dont use them. If I play with the turn signal lever, I can get them to come on. Sometimes when I use the high beams the highs won't work, so I go back to the low. Sometimes the high works but when u go back to low they dont work. It seems to be related to the turn signal level, seems to have a lot of play in it. I have replaced a headlight bulb harness w/ one from 5.0 resto since mine was a little warped from using 80w bulbs, I quickly switched back to 55w, but that was 1 or 2 yrs ago. Is it the turn signal lever and how difficult to change?

[nastyn8]

I had the same problem or similar. If I was on low beams I could hold it on the high beam flash to make it work. The first time I had mine go out on me one night when I was passing an 18 wheeler. Talking about scared shitless. Then I figured out if you give the dash a little slap they would behave. I never really figured out a permanent fix but I guessed it was in the switch. Good luck

[GhettoPop]

UPDATE:
now they dont work at all unless you pull the turn signal level towards you to hold the high beams on, other than that, the regular low and high beams are not coming on anymore. i need some help fast......daily driver

[~The Jester~]

It IS the turn signal/dimmer switch in the column. Not too bad to change, just takes some time is all, nothing major.

DISCONNECT the air bag fuses if your car has air bags. Make sure the wheels are straight before you take anything off. Check with Autozone/Advance first, they may have the switch. If not head to the Ford dealer. Should be around $40 or so last time I bought one.

[GhettoPop]

It IS the turn signal/dimmer switch in the column. Not too bad to change, just takes some time is all, nothing major.

DISCONNECT the air bag fuses if your car has air bags. Make sure the wheels are straight before you take anything off. Check with Autozone/Advance first, they may have the switch. If not head to the Ford dealer. Should be around $40 or so last time I bought one.
your talking about a switch in the column, not the dimmer switch(wheel) on the dash right?

why do the wheels whave to be straight? i will figure out which is the airbag fuse and pull it.

[GhettoPop]

i found this at 50resto.com.

This kit includes:

-headlight switch
-dimmer switch
-headlight and dimmer switch connectors
-2 wire terminals
-instructions

so i need the dimmer switch (with turn signal lever) and dimmer switch connectors?

[mustangII460]

Just unhook the battery.

Replace the column switch with the wiper arm. Get a Ford part unless you want to do it again soon.

[~The Jester~]

Yeah, what they said above. It's definitely the switch in the column. I also recommend the Ford part, but if you're in a hurry and need to save a few bucks, check with the usual parts stores. Heck, AZ and those guys might not even carry that one.

The connectors somtimes get "welded" to the switch from the heat of the malfunctioning switch. Old Ford blower speed controllers were good for that. I've seen it on a few HL/Dimmer switches too. That kit sounds like a great deal, all the parts you'll need, then you know you'll have it fixed. I'm 99.9999% positive that it's the switch in the column though.

Wheels have to be striaght, so when you put the steering wheel back on, all you have to do is line it up straight. That way you don't end up driving down the road with a crooked steering wheel. :D

!!!ALSO!!! Even after you disconnect the battery, REMOVE the air bag fuse(s) too! There's a few capacitors in the system that'll still hold a charge and set them off! :eek: Another trick is to disconnect BOTH cables, then touch the CABLES together, that'll discharge the capacitors, but I always always always yank the airbag fuse too!
Let us know!

[GhettoPop]

damn i didnt know u have to take the steering wheel off, i hope i can do it, no experience ever taking a wheel off. i guess i will look for the ford part from the dealer.

jester, your saying disconnect both batt cables then touch them together? this will discharge the capacitors immediately? kinda lik disconnecting the neg batt cable and leaving the lights on for 20 min i think..........lemme know thanks everyone

[Ieatcamaros]

Ghetto, rent a steering wheel puller from the local parts store. You'll have the wheel off in 5 minutes.

[crazypete]

If you SLAP the console above the light switch HARD, do that lights come back on? If so, it could be the headlight switch. Just take it out for good measure and look at the back and at the connector. These tend to melt after a while for no reason (or if the previous owner of the car put cheap fogs on and tied that to the HL's). My HL's died in the middle of the night (1 am) in vermont going 75 mph, so there was NO ambient light at all. That was scary as hell:luckily the corner lights gave me just enough light to see the reflective dividers.

Pullin the wheel is easy. The puller is about 10-15 bucks at autozone and the wheel pops off surprisingly easily. MATCHMARK IT! Or you will have a crooked steering wheel that will drive you _crazy_ :p

Good luck!

[~The Jester~]

Yeppers, isolate the battery, and touch the CABLES together. That discharges the system. You MAY see a tiny spark, prolly not, but if you do don't be concerned. Yank the fuse for insurance.

Crazy Pete had some pointers too, mark the splines on the steering wheel, and shaft. No guess work that way. Although I'm opposed to smaking my dashboard (She's faaaaaast, but she's a show car too! LOL) checking the HL switch first is faster and easier than the column switch.

[GhettoPop]

will check out the headlight switch during my lunchbreak and report back...stupid work

[GhettoPop]

well i pulled out the HL switch. the connector and switch did not have any visible warping/melting/heat damage. see the pics i attached. so i guess i gotta change the multi switch? is that 100% my problem?

and is it necessary to pull the steering wheel of in my 90 GT? thanks.

[GhettoPop]

well i pulled out the HL switch. the connector and switch did not have any visible warping/melting/heat damage. see the pics i attached. so i guess i gotta change the multi switch? is that 100% my problem?

and is it necessary to pull the steering wheel of in my 90 GT? thanks.
A fellow local stang owner said he changed the multifunction switch on his 93 several times, and the steering wheel does NOT need to be removed. I need some help fast, I need to drive at night

[~The Jester~]

You're in good shape dude. In that first pic labeled "Time to change this?" Yep. But now the good news. I was thinking my body style, and not thinking your car is newer. Leave the steering wheel on there. See that little torx head screw? Take that out, and the other one on the bottom of the switch. Check around, not positive if there are any more or not. Should come right off though! :D

[GhettoPop]

Thanks for all the info Jester and everyone else. The new ford part is $80. I just picked a used one up on ebay for $10, we'll see what happened. If it doesnt work I'll buy another for $10. This worked for my mirror switch........$5 on ebay vs. $40+ new. I'll post results when I get it and install it. Thanks.

[GhettoPop]

got therused multifunction switch today in the mail from ebay, after getting those annoying 3 harness connecter off the multifunction switch, i changed it and it worked! I CAN DRIVE AT NIGHT AGAIN W/O BLINDING PEOPLE with my brights! it was fun while it lasted.............

now, i noticed that one of the 3 connectors had a lot of melting/heat damage. i attached 3 pics. i believe this connector is for the headlights. i blame this, as well as the 1 damaged connector that plugs into the headlight bulb (i replaced it), on those stupid 80w/100w bulbs that were in there in the past. i reused this damaged connector since i had no replacement and it still works. should i change this one day or "if it aint broke dont fix it?"

[~The Jester~]

Change is when you get a minute. Put a fire extinguisher in your car until then. ;) That's not something to take a chance on buddy.

[GhettoPop]

Change is when you get a minute. Put a fire extinguisher in your car until then. ;) That's not something to take a chance on buddy.where can i pick it up from? no junkyard around here. ford dealer? autozone? pep boys? some reason i think the stores dont have it.

[crazypete]

Yeah, those "parts" stores dont carry much in the way of factory harnesses. The yard is your best bet OR

What I was forced to do on a failed harness: get a bunch of those blade fittings and hack the harness of altogether. Attach the blade recievers to the individual wires and slide them over the blades on the back of the switch. You will need to wrap the recievers in e-tape so they dont touch eachother and you will need to solidly tape the wires together and tape/ziptie them to a surface near the switch since these little wire connectors dont have resitance to pulling. All that said, it's a quick convenient solution and it does last.

Good luck

[GhettoPop]

does anyone have a spare harness from a parts car or something? i have posted this WANTED item in the classifieds here with no luck. anyone got one? reply or PM me, thanks

[~The Jester~]

I might be able to hook you up. Let me make a phone call tomorrow, and I'll PM ya with the goods. :D

[joe4speed]

You also might want to hook up a relay between your switch and headlights using your battery as the power wire to the relay. The reason the switch overheats is because that switch was poorly designed and the load is too great for the wiring. By using the relay, it takes the load off of the switch. It is a very common problem with '87-'93 Stangs. I had the same problem and after installing the relay, I never had the problem again after 7 years with it installed.
Just a thought for ya.
I'll look around and try to find the wiring diagram if you're interested! :)

Glad you got it working, though! :)