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I have an old camper Ford 1987 E-350 and i m looking for some advice.
Few months ago my dash light suddenly stop working.. So I begin to check fuse and headlight switch and I found a strange behavior
when i pull out the headlight switch on first and second position and i rotate the button for change the intensity of dash light my fuse for tail light burn (TL LPS)...
If i don t rotate and stay to the right (i suppose low intensity dashlight position), the tail ligh fuse (TL LPS) doesnt burn and everithing works except dashlight
So after that, i bought a new headlight switch and i replaced it but same problem..
I have also check the socket of the headlight switch and it seems correct.
Do you have some troubleshooting idea to find this problem ?
Thanks a lot
The fuse for Dashlight (Inst PNL) is not present on the photo but in reality well in place
when you say dash lights, do you mean all of the dash lights or just the lights that light up the main area?
Have you changed the bulbs on the dash?
Have they ever worked since then.
When you rotate the switch all the way to the left, do the cargo lights come on?
I am asking questions to that when I look at the diagrams maybe I can understand where the problem might be.
IF you pull out the headlight to the first position (parking lights), and rotate the intensity switch to the left, the fuse blows?
IF you pull out the headlight to the second position (headlights), and rotate the intensity switch to the left, the fuse blows?
Although the connector looks Okay I'd see if a new light switch might do the trick first, then move on to wiring if not by process of elimination. What's that toggle next to your light switch?
when you say dash lights, do you mean all of the dash lights or just the lights that light up the main area?
Yes light for see the instument panel, speed and other gauge (the blue light for indicate the full headlight works and also turn signal green works)
Have you changed the bulbs on the dash?
No... Actually i have some trouble to remove the connector of the instument panel... But i will retry for reach bulbs and see also the connector of the instrument panel
Have they ever worked since then.
Yes clearly
When you rotate the switch all the way to the left, do the cargo lights come on?
Yes, i mean the dome light turn on in this position
IF you pull out the headlight to the first position (parking lights), and rotate the intensity switch to the left, the fuse blows?
yes
IF you pull out the headlight to the second position (headlights), and rotate the intensity switch to the left, the fuse blows?
yes also, actually the only way to don t blow the fuse is to avoid to rotate.. except in off position, in off position i can rotate and the fuse doesn t blow.
So if I pull out in the first and second position and i don t rotate, the fuse doesnt blow.
Although the connector looks Okay I'd see if a new light switch might do the trick first, then move on to wiring if not by process of elimination. What's that toggle next to your light switch?
I have already change the headlight switch, it s a new one and the problem is the same.. The small switch just near the headlight switch was installed by the old, it was for backup alarm but disconnect now.
When you say "tail lights", do you mean brake lights? Do you mean park lights? Do you mean turn signal lights?
The brake and emergency lights are on one fuse. The turn signal lights are on a separate fuse. The park lights are on a separate fuse. The park lights include the side marker lights.
What kind of camper do you have? Does it look like a van or is it a van front end with a camper built on the the frame, (cut away).
I show different electrical diagrams for each one.
I am thinking something similar bold1. I have a EVTM for a 82 and my 88 and they both show a fused circuit going into the headlight switch for the park lights. That same fused park light circuit also runs through the dimmer which is for the instrument panel lights (the ones that dim). BUT after the dimmer circuit leaves the headlight switch, it goes to that 3 amp fuse I marked in red before heading to the instrument panel. By taking the 3 amp fuse out, there should be no load on the dimmer part of the switch. That should eliminate a crossed filament issue on that side of the circuit.
But bold1, as you said, the OP should "check the bulbs", I agree he should check all of the bulbs. One of the park light or side marker bulbs could have a crossed filament and the added load of the instrument panel lamps could cause the fuse to blow.
it's very nice of you Annaleigh and Bold1 ! I don t expect so much helps and advices.
So I m happy to show you a picture of Gege in Montreal ! Like you can see, it s not easy to work inside with a temperature of 1,4 °F ;-)
I guess it s in the category "van front end with a camper built on the the frame, (cut away)", it s a E-350 Ford 1987 Glendale Sterling edition.
I did the test Annaleigh and without the 3A inst pnl fuse, it s the same the TL LPS blows when i turn the dimmer in ON position...
And I notice a voltage around 0.5 - 1,2V on one of the connector of the inst pnl fuse (always without fuse) when i turn the dimmer.
But like you said I will check the bulb as soon as possible, I just need patience to remove instrument panel..
update : all bulbs of my instrument panel works perfectly.. i checked one by one with 12v, everything fine.
So i don t know what is the problem when I turn the dimmer...
I forgot to answer to your comment Annaleigh :
You said that a few months ago your dash lights quit working. Did you or anyone else do any work at all on the van around that time?
I changed the radio but it s on the auxiliary battery
I changed several parking light with led
I change the dome light with led
I change headlight with led
you said the back up alarm is disconnected. did you have this problem before or after the alarm was disconnected?
No the problem happen before I disconnected the backup alarm
When you say "tail lights", do you mean brake lights? Do you mean park lights? Do you mean turn signal lights? The brake and emergency lights are on one fuse. The turn signal lights are on a separate fuse. The park lights are on a separate fuse. The park lights include the side marker lights.
I talk about the fuse TL LPS. But yes; If i put a new fuse on TL LPS and if I don t turn the dimmer; everything works except bulbs of my instrumet panel : headlight, park light, side marker light, dome light; turn light; brake light
and when i turn the dimmer, the TL LPS blow and after that park light and side marker light don t work.
Thank you for the picture. That looks like a very nice camper. Is that extra storage on top? I have visited southern Quebec but in the summer when the weather was warm. The land is very beautiful and the people I met were very kind and helpful. I live in North Georgia and the temperature right now is 61F.
I have a manual for my 1988 van but your fuse block configuration is different from mine. Your 1987 uses glass type fuses and my 1988 uses blade type fuses.
The fuse blocks are different but the headlight switch is the same in the 1987 and 1988.
Do you have experience reading electrical diagrams?
I have a EVTM (electrical, vacuum troubleshooting manual) for my 1988 and will post a couple of diagrams of the headlight switch from this manual. Since our headlight switches are the same, I would think these diagrams should be the same but I am not positive. The fuse i ask you to leave out is a 3 amp fuse on your fuse block and a 5 amp on mine.
This is the EVTM for your van. It is a very good book to have. There are others on ebay for a few dollars more but this one is only $10 with free shipping in the USA but I have no idea about to Quebec. https://www.ebay.com/itm/1987-Ford-E...QAAOSw3v1f1S58
I want to study these diagrams a little more and will get add some comments after I do.
You replaced the headlight switch so you know there is no short in the switch. When you removed the 3 amp fuse, that should have eliminated all of the dash lights from the dimmer circuit of the switch. The original factory radio has a light circuit in it that dims through the headlight switch. I know you said it is powered from a separate battery but maybe you should try and unplug the radio to see if it makes any difference. Maybe the feedback with the 3 amp fuse taken out is coming through the radio
There are several other pages that are connected to these diagrams but it is too many for me to post here. The terminal locations diagram is of the switch itslef, not the connector.
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After looking at the diagrams a bit more, here is something else to try.
Have you ever de-pined a electrical connector?
You can remove the 3 wires from the connector by releasing the plastic locking tab that holds the female terminal in place.
The small green circle shows the locking tab inside the connector. Very gently push the locking tab away from the metal female connector and then pull out on the wire while holding the locking tab back.
Once the wires are out of the connector, plug the connector back into the headlight switch and test it again to see if a fuse blows. Once those 3 wires are disconnected there is nothing else connected to the dimmer side of the headlight switch and no reason I can see for it to blow a fuse.
Be very careful removing the wires from the connector so that you do not break the locking tab. To replace the wire in the connector you just push it back in and it will lock back in place.
Rereading your posts. Only blows when dimmer turned. So, Dimmer circuit must have dead short. Dimmer circuit should control dash/radio and dome light. Work done on that circuit around time of problem/ dome light and radio replacement. Radio not on Main Battery- Is Radio dimmer lamp controlled thru Aux. Battery or main dimmer? If main check for cross feed to Aux. Battery or Ground. Check Dome light install for pinched wire or miswired LED. Usually when you have a problem crop up after a circuit is worked on I've found that a wire is, cross wired, pinched, or rubbed.
Hello Bold1, Annaleigh !
Thank you very much for your help : I found the problem :-)
So it was radio light.... when I changed the radio, I connected this cable to negative.....lol stupid...
I didn t realize immediately because I didn t drive during the night for few months...
Annaleigh, your diagram was very helpfull, thank you again, I bought Haynes documentation for my camper but electical diagram are not so usefull for this part.
I m happy because I notice light behind fan switch and PRNDL lol i didn t notice that before
Next task : installation of a dashcam and back up camera, I hope I will find a path for the backup camera cable
Have a good week :-)
