Headlights don't work

[Zekni]

I have a 1996 limited exploder and having trouble with the headlights.

I turned them on last night and they wouldn't come on until I flipped on the brights, then they seemed to be fine. They turned off again while driving after about 30min and I smelled an odd smell I couldn't tell where it was coming from - didn't seem to be coming from under the hood.

Now the brights don't even work unless I pull the lever toward me and hold it, they won't turn on by flipping the lever foward.

Fuses are fine. Friend of mine says it sounds like either the headlight switch or the column lever. Anyone have any idea which it's more likely to be, and how hard to replace? And oh yeah.. what exactly is that column lever called? I called autozone to check if they had them and they had no clue what I was talking about.

 

[jimbo74]

welcome to the site... if they work sometimes and the fuses are fine, i am instantly thing the headlight relays..... the flash to pass is another relay in itself, so that could be why they work if you pull the stick back... wierd thing is, i wonder how you can fry both relays for the low beams and the high beam relay? do ou have higher output bulbs or has the vehicle had any kind of electrical problems or modifications recently?

 

[Zekni]

Thnx for the welcome! I'm just about to hit 160k miles on this thing and it just seems like suddenly it's just one thing after another fixing it.
No higher output bulbs, and no electrical problems (that I know of - knock on wood). I need new shocks. Two weeks ago I did have to fix the heater, replace ac compressor, tensioner and belt. Two months ago it was the water pump (that really wasn't any fun at all to replace) did the spark plugs at the same time, and a month or so prior the thermostat and the alternator went out at the same time.
I might have deserved this for threatening to trade the ***** in for stranding me when the ac froze, fried my tensioner and ate up the belt.
At least I can still drive it during the day, but UGH, I don't know anything about the relays. What goes into fixing those?

 

['96explorereddiebauer]

Welcome!!

It sounds like your multifunction switch is at fault.

 

[checkedout]

the thing on the steering column is called the milti function switch.
I didn't know there were relays in the circuit either. You would have to replace those sounds like something caused them to fry.

 

[Mbrooks420]

It sounds like your multifunction switch is at fault.

I agree. Mine did the same things, and something inside of it burnt up, and had a smell. Mine was $50, and took about 45 minutes. There is a thread on it with step by step instructions. If you search for "multifunction switch" it should come up.

 

[Alec]

yup, the multi-switch.

 

[Bill Kemp]

All Ford dealers stock these switches cause they all sell them. Just got one myself for $55. There is a difference in the smoothness of the new switch.
New switch and you'll be good to go.

 

[aldive]

I too concur on the multifunction switch.

 

[i8u]

I also agree that the multifunction switch is what I would check.

 

[Arnie897]

Replaced my multifunction at 100k