Headlights don't work.. what to check?

J

jmir018

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Jul 27, 2002

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foster city, san mateo, san francisco, CA

Sep 10, 2005

#1

• Sep 10, 2005

• #1

so.. the lights were working but they stopped a couple of days ago.
I've checked the bulbs.. but that's as far as i can get since i don't have any tools.
what fuse should i check? i'll have to check everysingle one unless someone knows already.
I'll be replacing the headlights tomorrow. anything else i should check?

I know it's a stupid question but be patient.. no flaming please..
View attachment 504257

 

HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?

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Sep 10, 2005

#2

• Sep 10, 2005

• #2

You dont have your headlights circled. Which lights are not working?

Good luck.

 

old_blue

15 Year Member

Nov 3, 2003

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Sep 10, 2005

#3

• Sep 10, 2005

• #3

possible switch, If you have done anything to the dash or under the hood I would check the wiring related to those areas. But, go with your first instinct, check the fuses. Sometimes the easiest answer is the correct one

 

sunil6784

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Boston, MA

Sep 10, 2005

#4

• Sep 10, 2005

• #4

Do the turn signals work? how bout the high beams? I had that problem, signals worked, highs worked, but headlights wouldn't work. It ended up being the headlight switch went bad. I hear its fairly common. Like said above, easiest thing to check would be the fuses.

 

J

jmir018

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foster city, san mateo, san francisco, CA

Sep 11, 2005

#5

• Sep 11, 2005

• #5

the turn signals don't work..meaning.. the ones in the circle don't work. the big ones in the middle are working fine. i guess i'll have to pull every single fuse out.
If it's not the fuse, how could i tell if the switch took a dump?
Thanks

 

old_blue

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Sep 11, 2005

#6

• Sep 11, 2005

• #6

touch one of the wires from the parking lights (the circled ones) to a hot wire. if it lights up it could be the switch

 

old_blue

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Sep 11, 2005

#7

• Sep 11, 2005

• #7

this could also blow a fuse at the same time but the light should kick on for a second or 2 anyways. I doubt it will blow a fuse though

 

HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?

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Nov 29, 1999

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Sep 11, 2005

#8

• Sep 11, 2005

• #8

Do your taillights work? As asked, do the TS's work?

The switch can be checked by referencing your repair manual's schematic. The wire for parking lights is brown at the switch on my '88 IIRC.

Fuse 4 is for the parking lights, IIRC.

This is a very simple thing to fix.

Good luck.

 

J

jmir018

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Jul 27, 2002

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foster city, san mateo, san francisco, CA

Sep 11, 2005

#9

• Sep 11, 2005

• #9

ok..
The inside lights don't come on when i turn on the switch, but they work when i work the turn signals...
The ones in the middle work fine..
The ones on the outside don't work at all.

All my rear tail lights work.

Anymore tips? thanks a lot.
I need to get this fixed before wednesday. if i don't get it fixed i'll miss out on my last oportunity to take this baby to the track for these season and maybe even get a 12 N/A.
thanks guys

 

A

Allforspeed

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Oct 25, 2004

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Sep 11, 2005

#10

• Sep 11, 2005

• #10

i've had the headlight switch go out on me on two different stangs, and after 30K miles the second one is starting to get sketchy on my stang now, i would certainly check that

 

HISSIN50

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Sep 11, 2005

#11

• Sep 11, 2005

• #11

I would be lookin for an open parking light wire to the front end. We know the parking position of the light switch works or you would have no tails.

The parking light wire should go up the driver side engine harness IIRC. If you need to get this workable real quick, I would just splice from the headlight switch (parking position) to the parking light wire in the engine bay. It might be quicker than finding an open.

Good luck.

 

J

jmir018

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foster city, san mateo, san francisco, CA

Sep 13, 2005

#12

• Sep 13, 2005

• #12

well.. is not a fuse.. i checked them all.
Dont know how to tell if it is the switch.
i'll keep you guys posted

 

HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?

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Sep 13, 2005

#13

• Sep 13, 2005

• #13

jmir018 said:

Dont know how to tell if it is the switch.

Click to expand...

If it was the switch, you would have no parking lights. you said you have tail lights, so the switch is closing the parking light circuit like it should.

Good luck.

 

SVT32VDOHC

waiting for the next hack atta

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Nov 22, 2001

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Motor City

Sep 13, 2005

#14

• Sep 13, 2005

• #14

Usually the switch goes bad. Pull it out and even check the harness plug that plugs into the switch...it melts down due to age and heat. Even wiggle the turn signal switch around on the column. The turn signal switch was the culpurate on 2 of my old 94-95 GTs.

 

J

jmir018

Founding Member

Jul 27, 2002

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foster city, san mateo, san francisco, CA

Sep 13, 2005

#15

• Sep 13, 2005

• #15

it's not the swtich either.. i'm off to checking the ground points now..

 

aaros

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Dec 3, 2004

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Sep 13, 2005

#16

• Sep 13, 2005

• #16

have you checked the multiswitch

 

HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?

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Sep 13, 2005

#17

• Sep 13, 2005

• #17

Last time I checked the parking lights dont go through the MF switch.

 

Saleen0679

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Apr 14, 2005

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Yakima, WA

Sep 14, 2005

#18

• Sep 14, 2005

• #18

HISSIN50 said:

Last time I checked the parking lights dont go through the MF switch.

Click to expand...

Correct. The parking lamps are on a totally different circuit than the turn signals. The only commonality I could see between the two circuits is from the bulbs to the grounds. Even the filaments aren't shared between turn signals and park lamps.

It's sounding more and more like a wiring problem. If you have the rear lamps but not the front then there must be a break along the brown wire that HISSIN50 mentioned earlier. The circuit separates to front and rear at a splice somewhere in the harness. The break must be somewhere at or after the splice going to the front lamps. There is also a connector after the splice that you should check out. It is below the ignition coil in that mess of wires. The connector has eight wires. I believe it is the largest one down there. Check out the condition of the connector as well as the brown wire in that connector.