No Head Lights

[rx1242]

Wanted to say hello to everyone. Joined today because I can use a little help! 1998 Explorer, headlights & foglights not turning on! Parking lights turn on ok. Replaced lamps, checked fuses, relay, and switch proved ok. Any ideas would be appreciated.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! Do you have a wiring diagram? It might be a module. Check Autozone's website for a schematic diagram for more information.

 

[puzzell]

i had the same problem will you lights come on when you pull back for hi beams mine ended up beeing the muilt function switich the switich that you wipers and indercators and hi beam is on if you search muilt function switich you should find what you need i ened up bypassing it pop off the steering wheel cover and you can jump some of the wires back there you just need a test light and so time

 

[budwich]

check the power coming into the fuses for those lights.... if there is none then your MFS switch is your problem. If there is some, then either your "look" at the fuses is not so good or your LOM module is bust assuming you have one.

 

[rx1242]

Thanks-I need to get that wiring diagram-Yes, hi beams work w/pull back-Checked fuses w/VOM but I will replace w/new. With switch on dash turnd on getting 12v to input of fuse panel w/fuse pulled but lose voltage w/fuse in. Question-what is LOM??? I think your onto something w/the MFS. Thanks for the good info, I will post back w/fix

 

[budwich]

not sure what you are saying.... but let's "replay" to get on even terms. You checked the fuse with a VOM... you pulled the fuse and measured its resistance... right???? Your "lose voltage w/ fuse in" is somewhat confusing????? Which fuse are we talking about ... actually there are two fuses for lows so which one in the fuse box are you referring to... and hopefully not the power distribution box under the hood... right???? If you search, you will find that a LOM is a lights out module... if you don't know what it is, you probably don't have one.

 

[rx1242]

Sorry about that! Not the fuse under hood. Checking voltage at fuse panel on side of dash. 2 fuses #4 & 8(10amp each). Both fuses where tested with a VOM and show good continuity. If I pull the fuse and test for volts on the contact in the panel itself(right side looking head on) I get 12v when the main switch is turned on and 0v with switch turned off.(tells me my switch is good but I could be wrong). The fuses have 2 metal tips on top for a test point. With switch on, and fuses in, no volts on the test points of the fuses. Did I mention electrical problems are the worst??? Went out and bought new fuses, test light, Haynes manual for the electrical diagram. As for LOM module,(thank you) I have no idea if this vehicle has one!!! It is a 1998 AWD 5.0 XLT. No DRL. Yes auto lamps on rear view mirror. Thanks again for all the input!!!!

 

[budwich]

thanks for the clarification.... and the extra info on autolamps as that changes the system a bit as there is a headlight relay plus other things that aren't in the "manual" system. However, it is still weird that installing the fuse causes a loss of voltage.... you might want to peek closer at the fuse block / tangs / back connector area to see if seating the fuses causes a break in terminal block somewhere. If you are getting voltage to the block, then I think that rules out an MFS problem as the voltage goes thru the MFS to get to the fuses.

the R/BK wire delivers the voltage from the MFS to the fuse(s) on the panel.... it might be lose.

 

[puzzell]

no the way the wires run is headlight switch fuse pannel then the mfs i rang for and they looked it up for me when i had the same prob

 

[budwich]

you could be right BUT all the stuff that I see and use shows it as power distribution box, headlight switch, MFS, then fuse 4/8 in the interior fuse box.... reference source truck CD, and on-line autozone diagrams (which are chilton based)... of course they aren't official....and it always makes sense to fuse things first before distributing... probably the reason for the "famous" ford steering wheel fire recall in the past... ....
but then again, there won't be enough pins / connections on the input of the switch????

Anyways, it is somewhat irrelevant since placement of the fuse appears to be causing a loss of voltage.

 

[rx1242]

Good info guys. I havent had a chance to fix this thing yet.(Too much work at my real job!!) Lucky for me I have a spare car w/working lights.(Dont laugh-its an escort-but its american). I will get into it again ths weekend and be sure to post back w/fix for sure!!

 

[rx1242]

Hey guys, good news, head&fog lights are back on! Many thanks to Puzzell & Budwich, you guys hit it right on w/the mfs(multi-function switch). I opened up the mfs and found the contacts were burnt/corroded from arcing across the contacts. I cleaned them up w/sandpaper, put it back together and it all works again!! We(I enlisted the help of my dad) prvd the mfs to be bad because we ended up losing volts to the fuse pannel(dash#4&8 fuses).Always had good volts thru main distribution block(http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=180814&highlight=power+layout) (fuse #12) to & thru main switch on dash. The autozone wiring diagram prvd accurate(http://www.autozone.com/az/cds/en_us/0900823d/80/0b/a9/c7/0900823d800ba9c7/repairInfoPages.htm). With the main switch on, we had volts to what is called the dimmer switch portion of the mfs(the dimmer is really the switch that turns on/off the hi/low beams). The flash-to-pass switch portion of the mfs by-passes the main & dimmer switch-runs thru fuse #33(dash) to the hi-beams and that always worked ok! We jumped the red/yel to red/blk wires, by-passing the dimmer portion of the mfs, and the head&fog lights turned on!! thus prving somthing wrkng w/the mfs. Also if we jumped dk blu/org to gry/org wires, by-passing the flash-to-pass switch portion of the mfs, the high beams turned on!!(This step not really needed but it prvd the wiring diagram is accurate).OK, I know I'm being long winded but I wantd to explain the process to try and help out the next guy w/this type of trouble!!!!(electrical problems are the worst) We also determined the volts flow 1st thru main distribution block(under hood), 2nd to main & mfs switches, 3rd to fuses(dash) and 4th to relays and lights. The 98 model year(as far as I can tell) does not have a LOM module. OK, in a nut shell mfs went bad, opened up & cleaned contacts inside, put back together and it works!!! Once again many thanks to Puzzell & Budwich!!! Hope this helps someone else!!!

 

[someeh]

Hello,

I'm new to this site, my gf just purchased a 98 explorer. She is having the same problem as described by RX. I find the information very useful, however where is the MFS actually located?

 

[martin123]

It controls your windshield wipers, turn signals, high beams, and washer fluid. That whole piece connected to you steer wheel column.

 

[Chuco89]

my 96 has the same problem, the only difference is that my right low beam does not turn on. Hi beams work. my light switch is located on my dash though, do u think it might still be the MFS? or can it be electrical?

 

[BrooklynBay]

It might be the bulb if only one headlight doesn't work.

 

[ajax33]

If your switch is mounted on the dash it could have broken. Mine melted in the switch and at the wire harness, so I had to replace the switch and the harness.