I have been experiencing three different electrical issues with my 02SD. Until this evening, I thought they were unrelated.

1) The key in ignition/door open chime sounded when the drivers door was open, with or without the key

2) The headlight on/key off chime didn't work

3) The low beams and high beams would stop working on occasion

#1 and #2 I was living with. #3 was irritating me. Driving at night with the DRL in the country sucks. So this afternoon I started tracking that one down.

I had power to the light switch, and out the switch, like it should. But there was no power at the fuses. So I took the column apart and checked the multifunction switch. It also had power in and out just as it should. The wires at the base of the column all tested good. Next step - pull the fuse box.

As I was putting the column back together, the chimes and the headlights started going nuts. I found a hanging wire under the ignition switch still connected to a blade style connector. When I touched it to ground, the headlights went out.

The mystery wire is now outside the column and taped off. #2 and #3 above are now fixed. The key in ignition/door open chime doesn't sound at all.

I stared at the wiring diagram for an hour after that. I can't see how those chime circuits interract with the low and high beams. Finding this was divine intervention or luck, or both.

Anyways, I just wanted to share my victory here in case someone out there is fighting the same symptoms.

 

Do all of us a favor --- give us a pic of the mystery wire and I will add it to my electrical fix it thread.

Thanks

 

Had to be one of those "previous owner" wires, eh?

 

[quote=gearloose1;8833377]Do all of us a favor --- give us a pic of the mystery wire and I will add it to my electrical fix it thread.

I will try to get a pic next time I have the column apart, which will be soon.

 

I'd like to meet the previous owner of this truck. There is clay dust in every nook and cranny. This guy either worked in or lived near an open pit clay mine.

 

Don't panic, but I have seen that before and it was a vehicle that was in a flood. It was muddy water that had settled and dried out.

 

I don't think this is flood damage. I've seen flood damaged cars before. This is different. Good observation, though.

 

Driving in dry dust roads e.g. Arizona desert, will do exactly that without flood damage...

Bet you that is where it was registered before.... New Mexico, Arizona...