Headlight intermittent cut-out
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Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 3,354
Likes: 49
From: Great American SouthWest
Headlight intermittent cut-out
Yellow truck - 79 F350 Ranger 460 C6 4x2
Driving the truck after dark this evening, after about 45 minutes, the headlights momentarily cut out, but came right back on.
A couple minutes later, the headlights flickered off and on again. This happened many times, sometimes only for just a half-second or so, other times perhaps 2 seconds. I tried adjusting all the other stuff in cab, such as the a/c, the flashers, the signals, the brake lights-nothing seemed to make a difference
Whenever the headlights cut out, all the dash lights stayed on
I wiggled the switch, in n out, rotated, but could not re-create or fix the problem. The road was smooth
After a few miles, I turned onto my dirt road. I'm sure it's un-related, but the problem stopped, and the lights stayed on
Before I start throwing money at this problem, any suggestions?
Thank you in advance!
Driving the truck after dark this evening, after about 45 minutes, the headlights momentarily cut out, but came right back on.
A couple minutes later, the headlights flickered off and on again. This happened many times, sometimes only for just a half-second or so, other times perhaps 2 seconds. I tried adjusting all the other stuff in cab, such as the a/c, the flashers, the signals, the brake lights-nothing seemed to make a difference
Whenever the headlights cut out, all the dash lights stayed on
I wiggled the switch, in n out, rotated, but could not re-create or fix the problem. The road was smooth
After a few miles, I turned onto my dirt road. I'm sure it's un-related, but the problem stopped, and the lights stayed on
Before I start throwing money at this problem, any suggestions?
Thank you in advance!
Hotshot
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 14,333
Likes: 247
From: Stanley, VA
Two possibilities. The switch has a built in circuit breaker that resets automatically, these tend to eventually go bad and have the symptoms like you said.
The second possibility is you have a short in the wiring and the circuit breaker is doing its job.
Driving down the bumpy road and the problem going away kinda points to the second possibility.
The second possibility is you have a short in the wiring and the circuit breaker is doing its job.
Driving down the bumpy road and the problem going away kinda points to the second possibility.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 20,678
Likes: 82
From: NorCal
2x on the dimmer switch.. and check all connections where the headlights are in common.
BUT... we all know the headlight switch on these rigs handle the headlight current and the "best" was to remedy that is with a headlight relay harness.
Come on papabear.. do it: Install Headlight Relays for your 1970 Mustang
.
BUT... we all know the headlight switch on these rigs handle the headlight current and the "best" was to remedy that is with a headlight relay harness.
Come on papabear.. do it: Install Headlight Relays for your 1970 Mustang
.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 3,354
Likes: 49
From: Great American SouthWest
That's more project than I want to take on right now, but it does remind me that I changed the headlights a couple years ago to the super-bright version (didn't make any difference)
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Dec 2009
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Likes: 82
From: NorCal
Over time, parasitic losses caused by old connectors and crusty wiring reduces the circuits' efficiency.
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