Headlight Switch Repair: Help *Pics*

[Blakthorn]

Well, I took apart the headlight switch and fog light switch to fix the common problem on our stangs of our headlights going out because of the line burning out or backing out of the socket.

I found the switch burnt so I ordered a new one, great, hooked up, still didnt work, so I followed the red/yellow wire to the Multi Function Switch (aka the signals and flash to pass stick) and I took out the red/yellow switch there to find another burnt connector (pics below) This sucks! Where can I buy this 4 pin connector?

Also, the red/yellow wire that came with the switch was thicker then the one Ford uses (pic below) the new one looks to be 12 guage as the old one is 14 guage, is it ok to connect 12 guage to 14 guage wire or am I looking at more problems by doing this?

The damn red/yellow wire burnt on both sides of the connector, one on the headlight side, and one on the multifunction switch side! So I was going to replace both connectors but still use the ford oem wire, so it would be 12 guage wire, into 14, back into 12...

 

[Blakthorn]

more pics

 

[Blakthorn]

even more

 

[superhuaman]

It shouldn't really hurt anything to do it 12-14-12, but if it bothers you and you want to sleep at night , just run a 12-gauge wire from the headlight switch, along the harness, to the column. BTW, my connector was damaged by the small brown wire, the INTERIOR ILLUMINATION of all things. While you're in the connector-replacing mood, why not check out the A/C heater fan speed selector switch plug (whew that's a big phrase). They go bad easy too. And of course check your ignition switch & plug. If you don't have the revised Ford ignition switch (the one that doesn't catch fire) you should get that too. I have a '90 coupe, but my ignition switch has a '92 part number, so it was replaced sometime.

 

[HISSIN50]

I think I remember your thread and mentioning that red/yellow wire. Glad you got it fixed.

Another option is to install SPDT relays on the lows and highs (like you do the fogs). I did and it helped voltage drop at idle with a 2G.

Nice work!

 

[Blakthorn]

yeah hissin, i almost got it fixed but now its an even bigger headache, is it safe to run the 12 guage into the 14, and back to 12?

im clueless with relays btw...never attempted to work with them

 

[HISSIN50]

yeah hissin, i almost got it fixed but now its an even bigger headache, is it safe to run the 12 guage into the 14, and back to 12?

im clueless with relays btw...never attempted to work with them

I would feel more comfy with 12 guage (when I do headlight rewiring, I use 10 as you can't go too big). This is way overkill but allows for corrosion, voltage drop, etc.

14 AWG is good for 15 amps over 20' IIRC (12 AWG is good for 25 amps over the same distance). So it should be alright. For peace of mind, you can use 12 gauge instead. Do note that I am no Tom Moss, J. Richker, et al (I am not an EE) so I tend to be conservative. If you dont want to redo it (I can understand that), ask one of them. If it is ok, they can provide peace of mind that I cant.

Relays are very easy to wire up. One constant (battery) wire that is fused. One ground. Then you cut the original wire (like the fog light wire, for instance) and put one cut end into the relay and then connect the other cut end into the remaining relay terminal. Very simple to do and very nice.

I did mine because now the battery is supplying all the power to my lights, rather than it going through the stock switchgear (headlight switch, MF switch, etc). This also removes voltage drop as well as removing stress from the switchgear. Now rather than having 15 amps going through my switchgear I have ~250 mA (.25 amps). Cool!

Shoot a PM if you want to do it and want help.

Good luck.

 

[Blakthorn]

I really need to know where to buy that burnt connector that I have in my pics, i found the other one in the headlight switch fine, but the one that plugs into the mf switch i cant find anywhere!

 

[superhuaman]

I really need to know where to buy that burnt connector that I have in my pics, i found the other one in the headlight switch fine, but the one that plugs into the mf switch i cant find anywhere!

I believe you can get it from Motorcraft (read: Ford dealer). They have an online wiring pigtail catalog at www.motorcraft.com/products.do?item=23. I think the one you need is WPT-453. Here's a pic:
View attachment 498265
It's listed as a headlamp dimmer switch plug for 93-95 Ranger. But Ford used a lot of the same plugs on different vehicles.

 

[Blakthorn]

I think that just might be it, thanks!!

BTW someone take a look at the 4th pic, right hand side, the Black female reciever, 3 of the connectors are bronze/gold colored, one is silver, thats where the red/yellow wire connected too, is that burnt??? Do I need to buy a new one of those as well?

 

[bubba-dough]

I would recomend the relay fix like hisson said (I did mine this way) because, in my opinion, changing the plugs and switches is just a temperary fix. The headlights switches and harnessess can't continue to carry the power load over time, if they could you wouldn't have the problem you have now. Just my opinion though.

 

[superhuaman]

I think that just might be it, thanks!!

BTW someone take a look at the 4th pic, right hand side, the Black female reciever, 3 of the connectors are bronze/gold colored, one is silver, thats where the red/yellow wire connected too, is that burnt??? Do I need to buy a new one of those as well?

Yeah, the terminals start out all the same color, and change from being overheated. You need a new mf switch too (about $50-$70 =\)

 

[Blakthorn]

so that silver / metal color connector is shot??? noooooo

 

[superhuaman]

so that silver / metal color connector is shot??? noooooo

lol.. they're supposed to be all the same color. brass-colored or bronze-colored i think. It might still work, but it won't make a real good connection with the new plug, which will lead to..guess what.. heat and another melted plug!