Headlight Switch
Thread Starter
|
Junior User
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 51
Likes: 0
Headlight Switch
Here is the deal. Finally finished a complete body restoration on my 94' F150. After I got everything together, my interior, taillights, and marker lights didn't work. Also ABS light is now on. After troubleshooting every wire in the truck related to lights, I found no problem. All continuity was good, but no power. I started messing with the headlight switch and all of sudden they would work......If I bumb the switch to go back out. I'm assuming the switch is bad. How much of a pain in the a$$ is this to replace???
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 6,214
Likes: 13
From: New Jersey
Replacing the switch is a matter of undoing two screws, then one nut that holds the switch to the bracket you just unscrewed. Remove connector and attach to new switch, and put nut on and screw bracket into place.
You do have to remove the black shroud in order to get at the switch however. It's a fairly easy task actually.
Might not be the switch however, sometimes the spades in the wiring harness connector work loose and push out a bit when plugging it into the headlight switch. There are little keeper tabs as part of the spade to keep them in place, but over the years they wear out and sometimes bend a little, then work loose.
You do have to remove the black shroud in order to get at the switch however. It's a fairly easy task actually.
Might not be the switch however, sometimes the spades in the wiring harness connector work loose and push out a bit when plugging it into the headlight switch. There are little keeper tabs as part of the spade to keep them in place, but over the years they wear out and sometimes bend a little, then work loose.
Thread Starter
|
Junior User
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 51
Likes: 0
Your right, it was a pretty simple task took all of about 15 min. When I unplugged the old switch I seen some discoloration on the harness where it looks like the switch may have been shorting. It was black and looked like it may have been pretty hot at one point. Glad I replaced this when I did could have caused a pretty nasty mess if it caught fire.
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 6,214
Likes: 13
From: New Jersey
Inside the headlight switch is a wire-wound variable resistor, which controls the brightness of the dash lights as you rotate the ****. At lower brightness settings, this wire-round resistor gets VERY hot and it's not uncommon for the connectors and wires to look a bit cooked.
When I replaced my headlight switch, I mounted it on the bracket upside down and turned the **** around, so that the connector is on the bottom, facing down. This prevents it from being baked to "medium rare" since heat rises.
When I replaced my headlight switch, I mounted it on the bracket upside down and turned the **** around, so that the connector is on the bottom, facing down. This prevents it from being baked to "medium rare" since heat rises.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
ghunt
Electrical Systems/Wiring
4
Jan 31, 2009 09:54 AM
