Overhead Light Switch Not Working

[sgtsandman]

My Illumination dimmer is only 4 wire, well shoot

I did warn you that the wiring could be different. Seven years is a long time in the vehicle industry. 2010 and 2011 got some upgrades to meet vehicle safety standards and some other things. So, even though they look the same on the outside, there are probably a lot of differences under the skin.

 

[sgtsandman]

I’ll probably just check for continuity because those wires run way behind the dash and I’d have to pull everything off to get back there and j really don’t want to do that

Under the dash work is never fun and can be painful.

 

[DeadEye200321]

I may have found the culprit to my issues, maybe. Not sure how to fix this as one of the pins almost looks corroded away at the base maybe some solder down there could kinda reinforce the joint

 

[DeadEye200321]

Also, does anyone know how to take the pins/wires out of this connector? I want to clean the corrosion off of them so I can continue using it, let me know, thanks!

 

[sgtsandman]

Also, does anyone know how to take the pins/wires out of this connector? I want to clean the corrosion off of them so I can continue using it, let me know, thanks!View attachment 138582

You will need someone like @Curious Hound to help on this one. I saw that he just made a video about de-pinning connectors. So, you may have your answer soon.

 

[Curious Hound]

I haven't done one of those yet. It looks like you've already started getting the outer shell off. That is going to be useful. You need to be patient and try to work that shell off to expose the core that all the wire connectors are clipped into.

To clean it, I'm not sure de-pinning will really help because the corroson is inside the individual wire connectors. I would recommemd trying electrical contact cleaner first. It's a product you spray on and it's supposed to break up and dissolve dirt and corrosion. If it were mine, I would spray cleaner into the plug and then connect and disconnect it a bunch of times. That will make the male and female parts physically scrub each other. Then spray it again and dry, preferably with compressed air.

What year is the truck? I have a 96 explorer that I could check those connectors on tomorrow and see if they are similar. I don't want to depin or destroy mine because most of that electrical is going into my Ranger. But i might be able to figure out how to disassemble them.

I saw yoir DM. But I'll answer here so all the info is public where others can read it and learn in the future.

Here is an example of the cleaning product I mentioned. (No sponsorship) other manufacturers make it also.

 

[Curious Hound]

Wow. I just looked at your other picture. Those pins are where you need to put a lot of effort. It will ne tedious work. But that can be cleaned. You can gently scrape the corrosion off the oins using a tiny screwdriver. A flat jeweler's file would help and maybe even some fine sandpaper. You can wrap the sandpaper over the end of a screwdriver to help direct it where you need to rub. Ink pen erasers are also abrasive and can be useful for this job. Then spray with contact cleaner and blow dry.

Someone may end up recommending dielectric grease. I would not put that on any contact pins or female connector parts. Dielectric grease is non-conductive. It does NOT cobduct electricity. So it could make connections worse. HOWEVER, it is useful for the sealing surfaces of electrical connections to keep water from getting into the connections. And, since it does not conduct, it won't hurt anything if you get sloppy with it.

 

[DeadEye200321]

Gotcha. I have a 2004 ford Ranger xlt FX4 and i ended up taking the junction box apart and using a toothbrush with some 90% isopropyl alcohol and some q-tips to clean everything up and then pretty much rinsed the whole thing in isopropyl again when i was finned cleaning and sanding the extra solder off of a heavily corroded pin, fingers crossed this fixes my some light all for a little dome light switch is just crazy

 

[DeadEye200321]

So cleaning the SJB did not fix my issue, I hate this crap, why is it so hard to fix a dang light switch

 

[bobbywalter]

So cleaning the SJB did not fix my issue, I hate this crap, why is it so hard to fix a dang light switch

wiggle the connector with the doors open and watch it.

sorry i missed this, i should have suggested that first about wigglin it.

myself.

i would just wire the damn things manually like the first 17 years they were built. because i am dumb like that.

 

[StrangerRanger]

Glad its all working! I can say from experience that electrical problems can drive you nuts.
Many, many times in my jobs, the problem has been bad grounds. There are quite a few of these under the dash and firewall and any one can build up a bit of corrosion from the moisture that builds up under the dash and especially under the carpets. First thing I do is take my 1/4" socket and a small can of WD-40 and go over all the ground screws loosing them a bit, giving them a shot, and tightening them back down. Usually does the trick!

 

[DeadEye200321]

Glad its all working! I can say from experience that electrical problems can drive you nuts.
Many, many times in my jobs, the problem has been bad grounds. There are quite a few of these under the dash and firewall and any one can build up a bit of corrosion from the moisture that builds up under the dash and especially under the carpets. First thing I do is take my 1/4" socket and a small can of WD-40 and go over all the ground screws loosing them a bit, giving them a shot, and tightening them back down. Usually does the trick!

It’s not all working

 

[DeadEye200321]

wiggle the connector with the doors open and watch it.

sorry i missed this, i should have suggested that first about wigglin it.

myself.

i would just wire the damn things manually like the first 17 years they were built. because i am dumb like that.

Wiggle the SJB connectors? Or wiggle the dimmer switch connector?

 

[DeadEye200321]

Also, since I can’t access the wires because they go way behind the dash, is there anything tutorial or forum on how to remove an entire ford ranger dash so I can look at the wiring harness as a whole? Or is that juice not worth the squeeze?

 

[DeadEye200321]

I FIGURED IT OUT!!!! It was one of the SJB connectors! Wiggling it around with the doors closed and dimmer switch turned on fixed it!!! I just now have to somehow take about the connector and closed the female end a little bit so it’s always making contact!