Headlight problems - 88 Ranger

[ltbenji]

Hey guys

Monday night I shut my headlights off and then they never came back on. Running and dash lights didn't work either. Before hand they would occasionally refuse to come on or would only come on after flicking the dimmer switch or headlight switch.

When I picked the truck up Tuesday the running lights and dash lights were and have been working.

Since then, I have tried a new headlight switch which didn't change anything.
Replaced the connectors going into the head light switch.
Checked fuses.
There is a melted spot on the plastic connector going to the headlight switch and one on the plastic connector that plugs into the dimmer switch. The wires responsible for the melting are the constant hot for the dome light on the headlight switch and a runner that goes from the headlight switch to the dimmer switch.

My next step is to go dig out another multifunction switch from the junk yard.

Any ideas why these wires would short other than a bare spot on the wire?
I have replaced the headlights, headunit and speakers; would these cause any of my problems?

Any suggestion or comments would be great.

Thanks

 

[rtg143]

Do you have power at the black/orange, tan/white, and light green/yellow wires at the headlight switch? Then when you turn the switch on, is there power at the brown and red/yellow wires there?

 

[ltbenji]

Yes to all of those.....and i now have running lights most of the time

 

[stegomon]

light switch it self could be bad

 

[ltbenji]

Already tried a new switch and it behaved the same. I've gotten them working by removing the plastic connectors and directly wiring everything to the headlight and dimmer switch. I'm hoping this is the permanent fix.