Lights Out!!??
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Elder User
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 556
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From: Ridgeway, Virginia
Lights Out!!??
My 65 has a shocking habbit of the lights going out while driving down my deer infested Virginia rural route. Not fun. It seems like it happens when I am running high beams. The dimmer would be the first thing one would think of causing that problem so I replaced it. The old one had a sloppy click. Just didnt feel right. I was proud of the new install with perfect action till tonight. Lights out again! I guess I need to think about the headlight switch since when this happens my hasty reaction is to franticly push the switch in and out and they pop back on.
Anybody have similar troubles? Repairs?
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Anybody have similar troubles? Repairs?
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Junior User
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 72
Likes: 0
From: Indiana
hey there, yeah, I have had the same problem on a couple of trucks, I too first tried the dimmer switch, my problem turned out to be the headlight switch itself, after it heated up from being on, it cut the lights, and did so mostly when on bright, I would guess maybe it drew more current then and overheated, not sure if this will help, but worth a try, g'luck, Darrell
Last edited by keld; Nov 6, 2004 at 08:47 AM. Reason: ty
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 112
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Yep, sounds like the main light switch could be it. Replacing it may do it. Another thing you can do instead of or in addition to that is to run the lights with relays. So the light switch runs the relays (low current needed) and the relays run the lights where the high current is. Lots of posts on here about doing that with diagrams.
Moderator
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 56,950
Likes: 2,718
From: Virginia
The headlight switch does have a built-in circuit breaker. A new switch will help, but also make sure the connections are ok and tight where the wires plug into the switch. Loose connections cause heat.
Freshman User
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 28
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I had a similiar problem last night on my truck. It turned out that one of the cheap plastic clips that holds the wires tight inside of the plastic connecters in the wiring harness had broken, it was kind of hard to find because the wire only had to move a millimeter or so for the lights to fail, so I couldn't see it. I jiggled the wiring harness untill I found the problem.
Also, like Franklin said, after many years, the connectors on the wires to the swithes can stretch a bit and while it may look like they are contacting perfectly well, they may only be contacting on 5% of the surface area. Sometimes it's nearly impossible to see it.
Good luck.
Also, like Franklin said, after many years, the connectors on the wires to the swithes can stretch a bit and while it may look like they are contacting perfectly well, they may only be contacting on 5% of the surface area. Sometimes it's nearly impossible to see it.
Good luck.
