How to keep parking lights on when headlights are on?

JC6715 · Sep 10, 2007

My parking lights go out when I turn my headlights on like they are suppossed to, but I want them to stay on. I've searched wiring diagrams and on the forum here and can't find anything...

I'm guessing it has something to do with the headlight switch (duh) but can anyone give me some specific direction? Is there a relay that turns off the parking lights when the headlights come on? Or could I wire in a relay that trips when the headlights come on to power the parking lights?

Thanks!

BullittStangV8 · Sep 10, 2007

I think if you only pull out the switch one "click", it turns on just the parking lights.

JC6715 · Sep 10, 2007

BullittStangV8 said:
I think if you only pull out the switch one "click", it turns on just the parking lights.

Roger on that, but I want the parking lights to stay on when I pull it out another click (when the headlights come on)...

mustangman70 · Sep 10, 2007

It sounds like a bad switch maybe?

They should stay on....right? Mine did

BullittStangV8 · Sep 10, 2007

ahh i see. yeah sounds like a bad swith.

5.0ina66 · Sep 10, 2007

mustangman70 said:
It sounds like a bad switch maybe?

They should stay on....right? Mine did

That's becuase yours is a 70. In 1968 the federal govt required marker lamps and running lights as well as other saftey items, so what's been mentioned is normal for our early cars. It's fairly easy to 'fix', just run a jumper wire across the switch.

bnickel · Sep 10, 2007

69 parking lights don't stay on with the headlights either, just 70-up. you might be able to use a 70-up headlight switch but i won't swear to it.

Tim65GT · Sep 10, 2007

mustangman70
It sounds like a bad switch maybe?

They should stay on....right? Mine did

BullittStangV8
ahh i see. yeah sounds like a bad swith.

I can't beleive you guys didn't know it supposed to operate like that.

My parking lights go out when I turn my headlights on like they are suppossed to, but I want them to stay on. I've searched wiring diagrams and on the forum here and can't find anything...QUOTE]

It's normal... at least on our earlier 'stangs. There is nothing wrong with your switch. Sometime '68 - '69 the wiring in the switch changed so that the parking lights stay on with the headlights.

If you want the front park lights to stay on with the headlights, find the black/yellow stripe wire and the black wire coming out of the headlight switch. The black one feeds the rear tail lamps and the Black yellow one feeds the front park lamps. You could cut the blk/yel and hook it to the blk wire. It'd be a good idea to solder instead of crimping and use good heatshrink and/or tape.

JC6715 · Sep 10, 2007

Tim65GT said:
If you want the front park lights to stay on with the headlights, find the black/yellow stripe wire and the black wire coming out of the headlight switch. The black one feeds the rear tail lamps and the Black yellow one feeds the front park lamps. You could cut the blk/yel and hook it to the blk wire. It'd be a good idea to solder instead of crimping and use good heatshrink and/or tape.QUOTE]

Right on, good idear. Do you suppose I'll still be able to to turn on just the parking lights with out the headlights? I know I'm a pain in the a$$ huh... Thanks a lot man!

Tim65GT · Sep 11, 2007

Right on, good idear. Do you suppose I'll still be able to to turn on just the parking lights with out the headlights? I know I'm a pain in the a$$ huh... Thanks a lot man!

Yes, the headlights will still operate the same.

Michael Bryce Winnick · Jul 15, 2013

Tim65GT said:
Yes, the headlights will still operate the same.

Will the markers still act as directionals if they are jumped to the tailight?

66Coupe289POWER · Jul 15, 2013

Yeah there is a separate filament in the bulb for turn signals.

Michael Bryce Winnick · Jul 15, 2013

66Coupe289POWER said:
Yeah there is a separate filament in the bulb for turn signals.

I understand that there is an 1157 in the marker, but if I wire it to the tail light, will it still get the "call" from the flasher? I am worried that the marker will stay on like a tail light and not flash like a directional. My car is a '69 Marauder, but they all have blue valve covers, can't we all just get along.

65fastbackresto · Jul 15, 2013

No offense to anyone here, but I been lurking here for years, if Tim65GT tells you something, you can take it to the bank, it`ll work. He has probably forgotten more than I`ll ever know....LOL

66Coupe289POWER · Jul 15, 2013

A 1157 is like 2 bulbs in one. One of the filaments is wired to the parking lights and the other is wired to the turn signals. Just as long as you don't cross the parking light with the turn signal circuits the park lights will come on with the tail lights and the turn signals will work as they always have.

Michael Bryce Winnick · Jul 15, 2013

66Coupe289POWER said:
A 1157 is like 2 bulbs in one. One of the filaments is wired to the parking lights and the other is wired to the turn signals. Just as long as you don't cross the parking light with the turn signal circuits the park lights will come on with the tail lights and the turn signals will work as they always have.

The front marker IS my directional up front. It always works as a directional, but only stays on when the switch is pulled hald way out for markers. Yes I have side directionals that always stay on as markers.

I think you are telling me to just jump the parking light to the tail and all will be well.

Now if you really want to impress the new guy...answer this:

This weekend I wired Painless Wiring courtesy lights into the Marauder under the dash. I spliced them into the door switches and they work fine in conjunction with the 2 lights in the sail panel and the map light that is switched to work as an interior light also. I just like the "warmpth" of underdash courtesy lights. All works well except...when I put the interior lights on through my headlight switch, my "lights on" light flashes like I got out of the car with the lights on and the buzzer goes off. What did I do?

66Coupe289POWER · Jul 15, 2013

Not sure on that one, a wiring diagram of the painless system and the factory lights will help a lot.

How to keep parking lights on when headlights are on?

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