2004 XLS low beams not working - please help

[abcducati]

Hi All,
So I have a 2004 Explorer XLS 4.0L. My wife drove home last week from work later then usual (dusk), and as she pulled up to the house I noticed that only the parking lights were on (had driven it two nights earlier with no issues). I started investigating the issue. The parking and high beams work fine, but the low beams are both out (the left bulb was a newer one I replaced when I got it back in February on this year). Other things I checked with the following results:
The low-beam relay (#22) in the engine compartment fuse box was not blown
Bulbs themselves (also not blown).
I also got a replacement headlight switch, as I read online that it could also be the problem, but the low beams still do not work.
Any ideas where else to check?
Thanks in advance for any help/direction to resolving this issue.

Chris
2004 Ford Explorer XLS 4.0

 

[MrPulldown]

Just did some reading in this. Seems like you hit the likely culprits. However here are some things I might comment on.
There is a mention of both a relay and a fuse. If you have the auto headlight there is a relay. Did you check both. How did you test the relay, not something that will blow. That sounds like the fuse.

Another mention that if one headlight goes out both will not function. Have you made sure that your are good. You can't always tell by just looking at the filament. I get a know good bulb and start swapping around.

Good luck.

 

[abcducati]

Just did some reading in this. Seems like you hit the likely culprits. However here are some things I might comment on.
There is a mention of both a relay and a fuse. If you have the auto headlight there is a relay. Did you check both. How did you test the relay, not something that will blow. That sounds like the fuse.

Another mention that if one headlight goes out both will not function. Have you made sure that your are good. You can't always tell by just looking at the filament. I get a know good bulb and start swapping around.

Good luck.

#22 in the engine compartment fuse box is a cartridge fuse (square with a clear top when looking strait down at it. I also have since found reference to two low beam fuses (R and L) in slots 42 & 43, but only 42 had a fuse in it, and it was a 15amp (chart says it's supposed to be 10 amp). They were working fine until this happened, but am thinking some things may have been oakied. When I first got the truck back in Feb., the left side headlight wasn't working at all. I replaced the bulb with no change, and when I started looking closer at the issue found the red wire leading from the right headlight to the left was disconnected for some reason. Easy fix and everything had been good until this popped up. Going to replace the #42 and #43 with the right amp fuses as well as the bulbs, just to be on the safe side and see what happens. I have also read that the MFS has a connection to could be compromised? I have never heard of this for the low beam. Is that a possible culprit as well?
Thanks for replying.

 

[abcducati]

UPDATE: So turns out that the fuse on #42 was blown. Replaced it with a 10 amp fuse and lights are back (never remember any of my old cars having a seperate fuse for right and left low beams). Since BOTH low beams are working, my new task is to figure out if they are both running off of the single fuse slot (#42) or if the other slot (#43, empty) is set up as a backup fuse.
Thanks for mentioning the fuse vs. relay point, as I hadn't really known there are SOOO many sizes of fuses nowadays (anyone remember the old glass tube ones? lol).
Have a great weekend everyone!

Chris
'04 XLS 4.0L.

 

[MrPulldown]

Awesome buddy.