No headlights

[Ranger Sport Honduras]

I just realized my headlights quit working. they did fine when i was coming home.
i just went outside to get the truck inside the garage and i tunr em on, and nothing.

Checked the fuses on the dash, everything is fine.
checked the fuse in the engine box and i found the headlights fuse melted.

I must confess, ive seen that fuse melted since i got the truck, or atleast since a long time ago, i didnt mess with it, idk why( not smart to leave it as it was)

I removed it and the slots look a bit burnt too, i put a new fuse and still the lights wont work.
Ill take the box apart and inspect if the contacts are burnt and fix it.

What could make the fuse overheat and melt?
I have some fake xenon bulbs on there, but besides that, the headlights and the wiring are stock.
Im using the same bulb number the truck has stock, just with those blue lens bulbs instead of the regular ones.

 

[Ranger Sport Honduras]

Guys?

 

[4.0B2]

How's your dimmer switch looking? I've seen a lot of rangers with melted dimmer switches

Get a test light out and start with the switch and figure out where you're power stops. Switch? Fuse? Relay?
If nothing else start at the headlight size and work your way backwards to find out the where the power is and ain't.

 

[killj0y]

Yea follow it backwards and see where the damage started. A continuity tester wouldn't hurt either.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

Maybe check the wires to the lights for shorts is all I can think of maybe a wire has rubbed through for an intermittent short go through and inspect the wires good. Also check for resistence in the wires connector to connector. A bad switch will create resistence and the lights will want to use the same amp draw if there is resistence in the circuit it will take more amps to power the lights. clean all the connectors the light switch and the multifunction switch any related parts to the lights.

 

[Ranger Sport Honduras]

the dimmer switch looks fine, the bulb sockets too, al the wiring looks ok, its just the fuse that melted and now the slot seems to be burnt.
ill check it tomorrow, since all my tools are at the farm and im at home

 

[Ranger Sport Honduras]

Blown fuse is number 12, 30A on the engine fuse box.
its for the main light switch and multi functon switch.

Could it be because im taking power to my relays from a line that goes on with the running lamps on the switch?
its just to power up the relays.

 

[bn6339]

Blown fuse is number 12, 30A on the engine fuse box.
its for the main light switch and multi functon switch.

Could it be because im taking power to my relays from a line that goes on with the running lamps on the switch?
its just to power up the relays.

Might be....what are those relays for? Usually a periodically blown fuse is from way too much load, or an intermittent short mentioned before. Many moons ago I owned a 65 Malibu SS which would blow the tailights fuse, and I would just replace the fuse, not bothering to find the issue, UNTIL it blew on a dirt road at 10pm.....when I returned home I discovered that the radio 12+ was somehow wired into the tailight circuit, thus overloading the circuit. Rewired correctly, didnt have any issues....Im not enough an electrical expert to know what load those relays consume, but it might be enough to tip the balance, esp given most electrical is as cheaply designed as possible (dont get me started on XJ's)

 

[adsm08]

If you are just powering the relay coils, and not their gate side, I'd say you probably aren't blowing the fuse with the relays, unless this started right after you installed those relays and whatever they run.

What else is on that fuse?

 

[Ranger Sport Honduras]

its the first time the fuse is blown.
it was melted since long time ago, like constant overheatings, almost since i got the truck, and it was stock.
then i added the blue bulbs, and later 2 relays activated by a line that gets power when i activate the running lamps.

i have the switches that activate the relay coils on that line.
nothing else.

no extra loads or nothing.
the fuse slots are deff burnt, because if i put a new fuse it just sits loose.
maybe i ruined em when i pulled the remains of the old fuse, idk.

The 10A fuse from the AC relay is melted too. and i dont use the AC that often.
Ill take a good look tomorrow, but im thinking ill take it t0o an electrician to get it fixed properly.

My brother suggested it could be the lights switch thats going bad, and maybe thats why it over heats the line.

 

[Ranger Sport Honduras]

 

[4.0B2]

so.... its fixed? something simply stupid right?
light the dimmer switch was unplugged... or you were messing w/ the wrong fuse.. or you just forgot to turn them on??? lol

 

[Ranger Sport Honduras]

The was to bump this up. the truck still has no headlights.

 

[4.0B2]

then fix it dangit

 

[Ranger Sport Honduras]

UR very useful 4.0...