I wanted to add an OEM cigar lighter to my '73 Bronco Ranger dash. I reviewed the dash set-up with a factory cigar lighter to determine where to place it on the dash. Drilled a 7/8" hole & inserted it with no issues. In order to keep it on continuously I Connected a 14 gauge wire w/a built in fuse & spliced it to the "red" wire going to the lights since it is hot all the time. Now, everything's dead. No lights, hazard, wipers, & won't turn over! Is there something that I could've tripped somewhere? I didn't check the fuse for the lights since nothing's working I would think it's something in the engine bay but need some assistance in trying to run it down. Thanks

 

Cigar lighter should not be tapped into lights. Should be on a separate fuse on the fuse box. Headlights are not fused. Protected by a thermal breaker in the headlight switch. If no electrical at all, check fuse link located at starter solenoid relay first after disconnecting what you have done. The wire for the cigar lighter should have been in place, even if not used.

 

Is it fordamotion dot com that has yr-by-yr schematics 4 da bronk? take out what U done. C if yer yr had the lighter accessory.

 

Ok, so, even though there wasn't a hole on my dash for the cigar lighter there still should have been wiring there for it? If so, where would it have been placed, since it wasn't used behind the dash? "fordamotion" isn't a website & couldn't find any schematics on "fordmotion" either. Does anyone have the fuse box labeling diagram for '73?

 

fordification.com
also
broncohio
could B 2 places w/schematics.

U bought a vehicle over several decades old -
it's a lill different than 2day's... research some & go gentile.
Sometimes it's better to go slow w/info 1st. sometimes not...
All that depends on what U wanna end up with. Have fun, B safe
& keep talkin. We're here. I consider gfw1985 an automotive (& possibly 'other') electrics expert.

 

Thanks. I will check out. First off, everything obviously went dead simultaneously upon splicing the wire so, I think it was immediately. After the splice connection I pushed the lighter in & nothing. Then turned on the dome light (nothing), then wipers (nothing) then tried to start (nothing). I checked the fuses in fuse panel & all were good. Then put my charging box to the battery & it lite up green so, batteries fine. What about what appears to be a relay type box on passenger rear of engine bay which is on the firewall directly in front of the fuse panel (could I have tripped something in there or the solenoid oblong piece attached to the outside driver's side bottom right of the box? Here's a link to the pictures of the two items 1973 Ford Bronco Engine Bay Relay Box pictures, videos, and sounds | SuperMotors.net

 

Well Mom told you not to smoke. So.

 

Nice, but I don't smoke. Only wanted to put one in the factory spot on dash w/keeping it OEM if possible! Sux after purchasing & realizing that the bezel is connected to the pull out "hot" end of the lighter instead of on the dash!

 

LOL, sorry not very helpful.

So that was the problem? I thought lighters were one wire, and body grounded to metal dash. Those Bastids! I guess they had to, because the dashes aren't metal.

 

I checked both sites: 1. Only went up to '72 wiring & schematics, & 2. didn't have any either.

The lighter does just have one place for a "hot" wire on the rear. However, when I spliced it into the "red" wire on the lights (because it is always hot) nothing works now (lights, wipers, ignition, etc...)! TOTALLY DEAD & I have NO idea where to go to track down the problem (i.e., ALL fuses in panel are in good shape so, I don't know if there's a fuseable link somewhere else & if so, where is it located, etc..)

 

I think GFW1985 and others are on the right track. Look for a fusible link that got smoked, I guess. I would start ohming out the various wires to find it if necessary. It's an "interesting" tale though! My 64 didn't have the lighter hooked up when I bought it. Looked brand new. Eventually I hooked it up so I could charge up cell phones and stuff like that. No drama though.

The cigarette lighter receptacles have a sulphur-disc, not a fuse. Headlights have a circuit breaker. Just hooking up a lighter shouldn't do anything at all afaik. Check the fuses real carefully, sometimes they look OK but aren't, especially the glass Buss type. Also use your google-fu wisely, I bet you're not the first to discover this "feature" of Broncos.

It doesn't make sense for everything to be out though.

 

That's the voltage regulator for the alternator; that shouldn't cause a no-start.

 

Do you have a good wiring diagram? There are some links to some in this thread. Also I have a pdf of diagrams that I can send you. If you want them, just PM me you email address.

There should be a fuse link in a black-red wire coming off of the battery side of the starter relay. This is the wire that supplies power to both the ignition and headlight switches.

 

Maybe this will help?

 

seabiscuit68.tripod.com for wiring diagrams. Here is an example showing fuse link. BK/Red 16 gauge wire #38