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Headlights Intermittent


chicagodude

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 2, 2007
Messages
51
Vehicle Year
1994
Transmission
Automatic
Greetings to One and All,
I am here in need of help. I have a 94 Ranger. After I drive at night about 20 to 30 minutes, the headlights will intermittently go off and on. Sometimes stay off up to about 3 seconds.

They will then work okay for a while and then more off and on flicker. The dash lights remain on and don't flicker. I am thinking the Multifunction switch in the steering column is bad.

Can you tell me how to get at the switch so I can replace it? How much of a PITA to change it? How much does that switch cost?

Also do you agree that the MF switch is probably bad?

Thanks in advance for your help.
 
I would look at the headlight relay first. Cheaper and easier to change. I don't think the MF switch is bad, because I believe that the dash lights would have problems if it was. I am unsure of your exact wiring paths, though.

If you have a wiring diagram, follow it to find out where the headlights and the dash lights are separate. That is section is where you should concentrate.

I believe you have to pull the steering wheel and steering column covers to get at the MF switch.

Be VERY careful that you are not in the airbag inflation path when you unplug the airbag, it does contain on explosive charge. There are two small plugs that cover the airbag screws on the side of the steering wheel. Disconnect the battery, wait 20 minutes to drain stored energy, touch bare metal (with bare hands) to equalize static charge and then unplug the airbag. Even a small static charge can set off the airbag. Move and set the airbag with the horn side away from you / up.
 
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I had the same problem with my 93 a couple years ago. My pigtail that the headlight switch plugs into was crumbling to pieces and gave me flashing headlights. I replaced the pigtail and the problem disappeared. I was amazed how much the pigtail had crumbled. It was being held together by the switch. As soon as I tried to unplug it, it just fell apart. Makes me wonder what other switches and plugs are on the verge of falling apart.
 
Thanks to you guys for jumping in.

Thanks for the heads up on the airbag. I hadn't even thought about that. Near as I can tell from the diagram I have, there is no relay for the headlamps.

From schematic I have, power path is:
fuse panel --> main light switch --> multifunction switch --> headlamps.

Pigtail? What do you mean by " pigtail"? The only pigtail I'm familiar with is a pigtail splice such as in a receptacle outlet box in house wiring.
 
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I checked the main headlight switch. The connector has cracked and had hot spots from loose connections. I took a couple of the wires out and tightened up the tension on the terminals and stuck them back into the connector and plugged it into the new headlight switch.

At this point, all functions of the lighting are working. Time will tell if the switch was causing the intermittent in the headlights. I will update the status of the intermittent when I come to a conclusion.
 
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Update: I bought a new switch and a new plastic connector that houses the wires that plug into the switch.

The Brown wire that feed headlights caused a hot spot that turned the plastic connector brown. The Red/Yellow wire cause a hot spot also. I spliced and replaced the terminals on these two wires.

1. I unplugged all the original wires from the old connector.

2. I spliced the Brown wire and the Red/Yellow wire that plug into the connector with two new wires and terminals.

3. I then inserted all the wires into the new connector and then plugged the new connector into the new switch and then installed the switch.

I have not seen any problems with the lights since this repair so I am concluding that it is fixed, hoorah!
 
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