low beam (headlights)

so ive searched the forum and had a few ideas on what to do and i tried them and nothn. my low beams dont wrk. to my understanding there is no relay just fuses for the headlights.
i have a 97 eddie bouer explorer, i checked under the info center and wiggled the wires around-nothing. i checked fuses-nothing. bulbs are good. the high beams work just the low beams and fog lights dont. any suggetions?

Multi Function Switch (turn signal stalk). Pull it back in the flash to pass position and see if the low beams work. If so you need a new MFS. Probably do anyway as they dont last forever.

so you think its the signal lever? what and where is MFS?

MFS=multi function switch=turn signal stalk. All the same thing.
Not hard to replace. Do a search and there are some good explanations on how to do it. I havent changed one in 6 yrs or so and have forgotten enough that I could steer you wrong.

ty you much bill

You could even try cleaning the connections, I remember a few members on here did away with replacing theirs by just cleaning the contact terminals.

I had the same problem a few weeks ago. If you'd like to test to make sure its the multi-function switch, there are two wires you can jumper in the harness at the switch, and the low beams should then come on when you operate the headlight switch. I can't remember what they were off the top of my head, but with a haynes/chiltons manual it was pretty obvious.

so i replaced the MFS with two differeny ones from the j/y. one was bad the other seemed to work gd except that i still have no low beems, why?

so nobody knows what this could be??? im about to rewire it.

I would have guess MFS also. However, your original post said that there are no headlight relays, only fuses. That does not sound right - I am almost positive that there is a headlight relay. Can't check as my manual is at home.

well IF your "hot" to rewire, you might want to get a multi-meter and actually check things out.... ie. look at the voltage arriving and leaving from the MFS. Having said that, it is "highly unusual" that your eddie doesn't have the lamp out option which is where your problem likely lies (assuming voltage is leaving the MFS). IF you don't have the lamp out option, I suspect some "friend" removed/rewired things for you already.

If you have an Eddie Bauer, you have the message center in the console. The headlight circuit passes through the "Lamp Out Module" or "LOM" This is a module that tells you your headlights are out if a bulb burns out. The solder contacts within this module burn out over time and then no more low beams. The new modules are around $80 if Ford still sells them. You can find a used one at a junk yard or on Ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/95-9...ptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

If the contacts aren't too messed up you can resolder them yourself (repair= zero dollars). The module is under the center console and has a 14 (I think)wire harness going to it. It is about the size of pack of cigarettes.
Go to You Tube and search "replace ford explorer lamp out module". There is an excellent video that takes you through the repair.

i used the multi meter ohmed the swithchs and voltage tested the wires. switch was gd (all of them) im not getting power to the low beam wires. my manual shows nothing for low beam relay only high beam. idk i will check out that module. ty for the help

i would bet money that it is the LOM. i have re-soldered mine twice. first time was one contact. then it happened again but it was a different contact so i just re-soldered all of them. a bit of advice for you, both times i couldn't find the bad solder connection at first, i had to look VERY close at them. if you have a magnifying lens it will come in handy. mine were both very very small hairline cracks in the solder dot. good luck. there is a "how to " on this issue. type LOM in to the search at the top of the page. let us know how it goes.

Here is the link to the repair video:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ry0l9ttrDmM

it is in fact the LOM. I took it apart and it was dark brown on four of the diods i thin they are called. so i dont know if it can be fixed. thanx for all the help and advice

Taking my 98 Explorer SOHC XLT to Ford to have the low beams serviced for not working; $650+ to "check them to see what is wrong and then fix". Local auto electric dealer; $250+. Getting the multi-function switch at Autozone new and doing it myself; $52. Priceless.

My right low beam headlight dont work the fuse and bulb are ok. So i got a relay but cannt find where it goes. The manual says in the center of the dash but where. I replaced the one for the left low beam a few years ago and cannt remember where it was exactly. Can some one help

If your bulbs and fuses are ok, (there is more than one fuse in the low beam circuit) it's either the multi function switch, the lamp out module, or a wiring problem. The relay only comes into play if you use the automatic headlight function on the rearview mirror. See video link above to locate and diagnose the lamp out module.

right headlight relay

thank u but i was wondering if u know where the relay is 4 the right headlight low beam