Disable LED Signature Lights

[lawandorder815]

thanks very much. Looking forward to the knowledge and help

 

[lawandorder815]

well I quess its still a mystery.

 

[AdamWest436]

For the folks that added a switch, was there a way to just take a pin out of a harness to just not have them at all?

 

[EXZimm]

Remove the headlight, remove the controller on the bottom of the headlight and unpin the TAN wire (It's the 5th pin). This will disable the signature lamps entirely.

Edit: Intercepting this wire with a switch won't work exactly as you expect. Once they are turned disabled, they won't turn back on until the vehicle has been shut off for about 10 minutes and the headlight modules reset.

 

[Woah322]

Remove the headlight, remove the controller on the bottom of the headlight and unpin the TAN wire (It's the 5th pin). This will disable the signature lamps entirely.

Edit: Intercepting this wire with a switch won't work exactly as you expect. Once they are turned disabled, they won't turn back on until the vehicle has been shut off for about 10 minutes and the headlight modules reset.

Not sure what wire was tapped but I can switch my signature lights on and off like a regular light switch no delay. It also switches my running lights so when I’m driving during the day no signature or running lights

 

[peterk9]

Not sure what wire was tapped but I can switch my signature lights on and off like a regular light switch no delay. It also switches my running lights so when I’m driving during the day no signature or running lights

Those are 'fog lights'. The Explorer doesn't have "running lights".

Peter

 

[AdamWest436]

Not sure what wire was tapped but I can switch my signature lights on and off like a regular light switch no delay. It also switches my running lights so when I’m driving during the day no signature or running lights

To be clear, added switch not factory switch and running is headlights(DRL) when in drive?

 

[EXZimm]

To be clear, added switch not factory switch and running is headlights(DRL) when in drive?

Your switch is just cutting the positive power lead to the low beam control module, it's pin #3 on the connector going into the back of both headlights. The method I was talking about was to kill the signature LEDs independent of the low beams.

 

[Tyler Hinkley]

Does anyone know if simply swapping the XLT headlight modules with a base model module disable the signature lighting?

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[RhinoQuartz]

Does anyone know if simply swapping the XLT headlight modules with a base model module disable the signature lighting?

2X New OEM 16-19 Ford Explorer Full LED Headlight Ballast Module FB53-13B626-A | eBay

I have a base and no signature lighting.

Wanna swap?

 

[Tyler Hinkley]

I have a base and no signature lighting.

Wanna swap?

I would if I was purchasing, but unfortunately I’m under a lease so I need to keep all my current parts.

 

[NFDAC]

Your switch is just cutting the positive power lead to the low beam control module, it's pin #3 on the connector going into the back of both headlights. The method I was talking about was to kill the signature LEDs independent of the low beams.

Do you have a full wiring diagram of the headlights and harness pinouts?

 

[Whey Cooler]

Do you have a full wiring diagram of the headlights and harness pinouts?

I know this is a few months old...but did you ever get this? I have the wiring diagrams book from Ford that has every single wire, harness, connector, pinout and location...

 

[cplkimsey735]

My agency just purchased a 2016 Ford Explorer which will be used as a police vehicle. It does not have the "police package" as it will be used as an undercover vehicle. It's just an XLT from the dealer. I do a lot of surveillance and the LED Signature Lights make that a little bit tough at night. I have read and read on how to disable these and I can't seem to find an answer. I don't care if I have to cut wires...I just need to know which ones to cut Thanks! JT

I just figured it out! The headlights need to come out, and on the bottom there will be a silver sensor type deal. Take that out, and unplug the pink, light green, red, purple, and light orange wires. Once they’re unplugged, assemble everything, and it should be what you’re trying to do. I just did it with my 2017 XLT, and the signatures are no longer on.

 

[NFDAC]

I know this is a few months old...but did you ever get this? I have the wiring diagrams book from Ford that has every single wire, harness, connector, pinout and location...

I’m sorry for my delayed reply. No I never found what I was looking for. I would love to have the wiring diagrams including the wires, connectors, pinouts, etc for the headlights themselves, along with the wires leading to them and also the wires for the park/turn signals in the front!

 

[EXZimm]

I just figured it out! The headlights need to come out, and on the bottom there will be a silver sensor type deal. Take that out, and unplug the pink, light green, red, purple, and light orange wires. Once they’re unplugged, assemble everything, and it should be what you’re trying to do. I just did it with my 2017 XLT, and the signatures are no longer on.

Just so you know, the tan (or light orange) as you said is actually the only wire you need to pull to disable the signature LEDs.

 

[AdamWest436]

Just so you know, the tan (or light orange) as you said is actually the only wire you need to pull to disable the signature LEDs.

What did those other wires go to? That's a lot of wires to go missing and not make a difference.

 

[EXZimm]

What did those other wires go to? That's a lot of wires to go missing and not make a difference.

I'm honestly not sure, but I've disabled the signature LEDs in a few Explorers and the Tan wire (5th pin) was the only wire that was necessary to be removed from the connector.

That said, I have 2 guesses on what the other wires could be and why it hasn't affected anything:
1. There is a chance that those other wires have something to do with dynamic leveling so disconnecting them would have no effect if you don't have dynamic leveling.
2. Many of the wires do the same thing, but are doubled/tripled/etc up since the connector itself isn't designed to carry the full current of certain things in the headlight module on just one pin. If this is the case for those wires you should probably reconnect them.

 

[peterk9]

I'm not aware of any 5th gen Explorer having "dynamic leveling".

Peter

 

[EXZimm]

I'm not aware of any 5th gen Explorer having "dynamic leveling".

Peter

Honestly nor am I. When you look up wiring diagrams they list diagrams without dynamic leveling and diagrams with dynamic leveling. So I'm just guessing on those "extra wires" being related.

EDIT: I watched a video online of someone pulling apart the headlights. It looks like all 5 of those wires actually are related to the function of the signature LED, so it won't matter if they are all disconnected. In my experience disconnecting just the tan is sufficient to disable them.