1988 Ford Bronco Headlights

Tiny
SPITFIRE178
  • MEMBER
  • 1988 FORD BRONCO
  • 6 CYL
  • 4WD
  • MANUAL
  • 35,000 MILES
About 6 months ago both my headlights go out. My truck has no relay for the headlights but I check all my underdash fuses which are all fine. I replace the the headlight switch and the harness because I found there was some damage to the harness. Nothing helped. What I ended up doing just to give my truck working lights, was I spiced into my running lights. Now the same problem has occured. Im not sure If my truck is giving to much power or if I have a bad ground (which I cant find) and advice will do
Monday, January 11th, 2010 AT 6:34 PM

11 Replies

Tiny
BLACKOP555
  • MECHANIC
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Well what you should do is take out the light switch and verify the switch is properly working. From there for saving trouble shooting I would run all new wires for the headlights and running lights and add my own grounds. I can tell you how to diagnose all this but it would take quite a bit of testing on your part.
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Monday, January 11th, 2010 AT 7:33 PM
Tiny
SPITFIRE178
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What I was told is check the power off my battery to see if its givin off too much. But changing all my wiring is another story. I dont have the slightest clue how to do that
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Monday, January 11th, 2010 AT 7:51 PM
Tiny
BLACKOP555
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If the battery gave off too much power then you will blow the bulbs but that would take a HELL of alot of voltage to be put off by a battery to do that. I can throw you up a wiring diagram all you have to do is get some wire, electrical tape and a switch and a relay and you can control your high and low beams with a toggle switch. Off low and high beams with a 3 position swithc.

Or we can figure out how to do it with the wiring in the car.
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Monday, January 11th, 2010 AT 10:47 PM
Tiny
SPITFIRE178
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Just took out my headlight switch and the harness and the B2 socket of the switch and the harness is burned out. It was the same problem the occured the first time. Im Lost
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+1
Sunday, January 17th, 2010 AT 2:14 PM
Tiny
BLACKOP555
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Whats it like? Melted? Burnt? What
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Sunday, January 17th, 2010 AT 8:47 PM
Tiny
SPITFIRE178
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The Harness where the wire is is melted and the prong of the headlight switch the corrisponds to the wire is slightly burned
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Monday, January 18th, 2010 AT 4:29 PM
Tiny
BLACKOP555
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Are you using the proper size guage of wire? Also is there a continuity between the live wire and the ground wire? Sounds like it may be drawing a high amperage. The fuse isnt blowing tho. Is it the proper sized amperage. You should try to replace the whole wire from the switch out because it might be damaged causing a high amp draw
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Monday, January 18th, 2010 AT 4:47 PM
Tiny
SPITFIRE178
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I checked and its the proper wire. The fuse doesnt blow out either. I would have a real hard time trying to find the wire through the firewall and so on.
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Monday, January 18th, 2010 AT 9:04 PM
Tiny
BLACKOP555
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You have a floor dImmer right? CHECK that to make sure that the vehicles dimmer switch isnt all corroded up ths coudl cause the vehicles light switch to go out if its arcing
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Monday, January 18th, 2010 AT 10:55 PM
Tiny
SPITFIRE178
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No floor dimmer
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Tuesday, January 19th, 2010 AT 3:02 PM
Tiny
BLACKOP555
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Ok. Your going to have to start checking the voltage drops then. Are you handy with a multimeter?
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Tuesday, January 19th, 2010 AT 5:37 PM

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