Tail Lights/Interior lights not working

95.0Stang

Member
Feb 20, 2003
538
1
18
Kansas
Ok, just getting ready to buy this car and the guy told me that the interior lights did not work because of a module that controlled them had gone bad and that everytime the module was reconnected it drained the battery down, so the dome, and map lights don't work. As he drove away I noticed the tail lights did not work.

The TURN and BRAKE lights came on, but the normal rear running lights DID NOT! So I am trying to figure out whats wrong with the car, and what would need to be fixed/replaced.

Anybody got a clue? I am electronically dumb!!!

Thanks,
Jared
 
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Sounds kinda light the headlight switch needs to be replaced, my instrument cluster lights wouldn't come nor my running lights, but when I pressed the brake the brake lights would come on, Put in new switch and everything came on like its suppose to.

The switch cost like $18-24$ at the parts store, you could buy it and see if it works if not return it. Good luck. :nice:
 
Sounds kinda light the headlight switch needs to be replaced, my instrument cluster lights wouldn't come nor my running lights, but when I pressed the brake the brake lights would come on, Put in new switch and everything came on like its suppose to.

The switch cost like $18-24$ at the parts store, you could buy it and see if it works if not return it. Good luck. :nice:

Bought the car today anyhow.

The remote keyless was disconnected on the car because "the module it connected to kept draining the battery" Does this shed anymore light on this?

Also the power windows/mirrors/locks/cruise and radio all work, but the guy told me today that at the same time the taillights didnt work last night the interior gauges, and other illumination did not work...????
 
Can't help with the remote keyless entry, I don't have that option, but I might be able to shed some light on your other issue.

I recently bought my Mom's '94 GT and discovered that it had the same problem. When the headlight switch was "on", the parking lights & dash lights would not be, even though the headlights themselves would be on when the switch was in the full on position. I figured it had to be a problem with the headlight switch, so I googled "1994 Mustang headlight switch removal" and found a step-by-step guide (w/ pictures!) on how to gain access to the switch. When I pulled it out of it's mounting spot, I found that one of the wires going INTO the wiring connector from the car was damaged and shorting out.

I was able to replace the bad connector on the car wiring with a female "blade" type wiring connector that fitted the male end of the switch connector perfectly. I tested my repair work before putting the switch and dash back together and it worked like new. The headlights, parking lights and dash lights now work like they are supposed to when the headlight switch is in it's various positions.

Keep in mind that the failure was on the car side of the wiring harness and not in the switch itself, so replacing the switch would have done nothing in my case and it might be that you do have a bad headlight switch, but I hope I have given you some idea of where the failure might be.

Found this topic while browsing the forums, it has a link to a website that sells the wiring harness that plugs into the headlight switch: http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=744114
 
You mean like this
DSC03294.jpg


DSC03296.jpg


My lights worked with the burned up harness for 3 years and I finally replace it last week. I soldered it in.

DSC03293.jpg


DSC03291.jpg
 
Looks exactly like my wiring harness. I beginning to wonder how common this problem is and if it's the same wire in the harness that has the shorting out problem. I'll probably replace the harness in the future, but right now I've got a few other things to spend my cash on, like a less restrictive exhaust system. :)
 
I realize this post is 11 years dormant, but I'd like to say that the burned headlight connector is apparently pretty common. I have a 95 GT convertible (282k miles) and a 94 GT coupe (135k miles). The 94 is a parts car and hasn't been on the road in over a decade. Both connectors are burned in the same place. Looking at the wire, there is a lot of exposed strands on both. I can see why they short and melt. At least my 95's lasted as long as it did.

And AutoZone sells the connector for about $12.

Happy motoring,
Chuck