Blinkers, brakelights, running lights are gone.

[Sunk]

OK a few months ago my blinkers and reverse lights stopped working. I have checked all the bulbs, they are good. As well as the blinker fuse, switch, and relay. Up until last night, my brake/running lights and dash lights worked flawlessly. Now however, they don't work either. I can hold the head light switch in slightly, somewhere between the running lights and headlight position to get the dash lights to work, but all lights are dim, then start flickering constantly. I know the problem with the blinkers must be some connection in the wiring, because all other parts are good, but I'm wondering what the other problem is. Could it be my headlight switch? Cops are everywhere this weekend, and I'm always out past dark, so I'd like to fix this as soon as possible. Thanks.

 

[RobbieD]

I can hold the head light switch in slightly, somewhere between the running lights and headlight position to get the dash lights to work, but all lights are dim, then start flickering constantly.

Based on that, I'd start troubleshooting by checking the headlight switch. If power is going in, you want to see power going out to parking lights, then to headlights as you pull the switch through both of these positions.

 

[Sunk]

Well I checked the headlight fuse, because I thought it would be a good place to check, and it was blown. So i replaced it and turned the lights on, and it immediately blew again. I found a spot on the license plate light wires where one wire looked like it got pinched between the frame and bumper mount (I've been building a custom bumper, so its been on and off a few times). The bare wire was exposed, could this have been enough to cause a short, or is that even the came circuit?

 

[RobbieD]

Is this the '88, in your sig? Headlights are covered by a fusible link in an '88. If the fuse that blew was #4, that's for your running (parking) lights. That would be the same circuit as the license plate light and rear running lights.

 

[Sunk]

Yes its the '88. Thanks. I'll check it out.

 

[Sunk]

Ok, I pulled the headlight switch out and found a couple terminals on the plug had melted slightly.. Mostly the one labeled B2 on the switch. So I'm thinking the bare wire touched the frame, blew the switch and the fuse. So when i put the second fuse in and it immediately blew, its because the switch was blown...Im gonna test the switch now.

 

[skippy]

Ok, I pulled the headlight switch out and found a couple terminals on the plug had melted slightly.. Mostly the one labeled B2 on the switch. So I'm thinking the bare wire touched the frame, blew the switch and the fuse. So when i put the second fuse in and it immediately blew, its because the switch was blown...Im gonna test the switch now.

think i would change the switch anyway,just to be safe.fwiw.

 

[Sunk]

i changed the switch, and since i had to remove the fuse panel to get the switch out, I saw the emergency flasher an the back and replaced that with one lying around. I also put a new fuse in for the headlights and they worked, so did the flashers. I decided to check the the blinker fuse since I was right there. It was bad so I replaced that too. And now everything works! So I'm finally road legal again.

 

[dtworocks]

88 ranger no headlights yes runnin lights, yes the blinkers work too .. . ?