in the dark

[RCC]

Hey folks,

Got a question about headlights. '85 B2 in particular.
Lights started going off at random about a month ago.
Only headlamps. Running lights, dash, etc are fine.
When off, working the switch, dimmer, wiggling harness,
has no effect. After a minute, they come back.
Seems to get more frequent the longer light are on.

Is there a built in breaker in the light switch on generation
1 Rangers and Broncos? Seem to remember a problem like this
long ago with an old Econoline I had. Replaced switch and never
had any more trouble.

 

[baddis]

i had an old fairmont that would do this and it ended up being the switch itself was getting hot and shutting the headlights off

 

[team_insanity]

Yeah...replace the switch.

 

[RCC]

Hey TRS'ers.

Thanks for the input.
Pretty much figured it to be an old tired light switch.
Just needed group consensus.

Now, to git one for cheap. Favorite bone yard crushed
all the early Rangers & Broncs they used to have.

RCC

 

[armyets2003]

i just replaced mine for the same problem, it was 15 bucks at autozone.

Shawn

 

[dogboy]

I need to replace the light switch in my Ranger too. But in mine, the dash lights are very touchy, have to get the switch in just the right place for them to come on at all. My dad says that Ford light switchs are not very good (there is a better way to say that, but I can't think of it), he has had to replace a few in various Fords he has had.

 

[RCC]

Hey dogboy,

I wouldn't want any "bowtie boyz" to feel left out.
Used to drive an old '89 Suburban 2500 4x4 on my job that
had the same touchy-feely dash light thing you described.
Hit a bump, no dash lights. When I would try to ease them
back on, they would jump dim/bright/dim/out/etc no matter
how much(or little)I twisted.

So, FoMoCo doesn't have that feature all to themselves....

RCC

 

[RCC]

Hey TRS'ers,

You all know that ol' Murphy is a prick and he NEVER sleeps.
But I dodged him this time.

Was going to buy a new light switch for my headlight
problem and figured it best to take the old one with me.
(can't tell you how many times I have been sold the "replacement"
part from some counter jockey and it wasn't right)
When got things apart, I could see someone had been there before.
The light switch looked brand spanking new!
Only whoever changed it last muscle f__ked the connector and three
contacts were pushed out. Just barely making connection.
I cleaned everything throughly, re-tensioned the loose contacts, locked
them back in the shell. While I was at it, checked the other connectors
for dimmer/turn signal/etc and put it back together.

Well whatayaknow? Got headlights that stay on at night when
I need them. And it didn't cost a thing! Well, except some time...

RCC