Headlights quit working

[Robbbyr]

2014 Sport, very recently had right side headlight quit. Bulb good, fuse good, just won't work. Tonight driver's side went out too! Re-checked both fuses (#16 and 17) under dash (what a pain!), both good. Then discovered something very odd by accident. If I disconnect the negative battery cable, when I reconnect it the headlights both momentarily flash! Obviously the wiring and bulbs are intact, something is just not passing current normally. The headlights are the only thing I can find not working. Bu the way the high beam shutters are working even though the bulbs aren't on.

Any ideas? Body Control Module? Any way for me to "reset" it if that is the suspect? Thanks!

 

[Fordian]

Chase wires

Start chasing your wiring, start at the beginning and test for voltage. I bet it could be your multifunction switch or light switch. You could try bypassing them to test them. Careful when bypassing though, make sure you got the right wires or u could make it worse.

 

[Sgt1411]

Its under warranty why are you doing anything?

 

[dco43054]

Start chasing your wiring, start at the beginning and test for voltage. I bet it could be your multifunction switch or light switch. You could try bypassing them to test them. Careful when bypassing though, make sure you got the right wires or u could make it worse.

There is not a multifunction light switch in the new Explorers, just a regular old switch on the dash.

Sounds like a trip to the dealer is in order. I'm guessing a relay, but who knows?

 

[HughCares]

Its under warranty why are you doing anything?

 

[FordService]

2014 Sport, very recently had right side headlight quit. Bulb good, fuse good, just won't work. Tonight driver's side went out too! Re-checked both fuses (#16 and 17) under dash (what a pain!), both good. Then discovered something very odd by accident. If I disconnect the negative battery cable, when I reconnect it the headlights both momentarily flash! Obviously the wiring and bulbs are intact, something is just not passing current normally. The headlights are the only thing I can find not working. Bu the way the high beam shutters are working even though the bulbs aren't on.

Any ideas? Body Control Module? Any way for me to "reset" it if that is the suspect? Thanks!

Hi Robbbyr,

I'm Crystal, the Ford Service rep on this forum. Nice to meet you! As others have suggested, having your dealership look at this would be a great next step. Additionally, I can help by getting your regional customer service manager involved. Let us know which direction you decide to go in and we'll go from there.

Crystal

 

[Robbbyr]

Something I should have mentioned is that I had Black Flame Customs do a HID projector retrofit (EvoX-R) using TRS 35-watt ballasts and D2S 4300K bulbs. Been working fantastic for months until this recent "glitch". MUCH better light ouput than the stock halogens but no excessive glare blinding other drivers. But after months of use now there is no voltage (one quitting at a time) to power the ballasts. Again, all fuses good and the lights will flash momentarily when you reconnect the battery negative. That proves (to me) the wiring to, and in, the headlights is intact, we just are not getting any voltage through the "normal" path. Headlight switch seems unlikely since it happened on the passenger side first and then days (maybe weeks even)later also affected the driver's side.

All modifications were done in the headlights themselves, nothing was modified in the original wire harnesses or connections. But I feel certain the dealer will not want to touch the vehicle since I installed this safety upgrade that I believe Ford should have made available on the most expensive Explorer they sell!

Since the HIDs draw even less power than the stock halogens, I don't know if one of the contol modules "thinks" that is some kind of problem and then shut down the circuit. If it was just "point-to-point" wiring and switches it would be very easy to troubleshoot. Just wondering if anyone else has had this happen?

 

[DeepBlueSC]

Rather typical of late model vehicles with HID conversions. Without trying to write a book, the circuitry used to detect and notify the dash/you that a headlight is out uses a type of pulse-width modulation and reduced voltage in the supply circuit and requires the load of the halogen bulb to draw a measured amount of current. While HID's use less current than the halogens, they also tend to pull significant current in order to fire or ignite the bulbs.

The easiest cure/fix for this is to have them install relays into the HID's so they can pull full battery voltage at all times. This way the headlight circuit is just used to trigger the relay and the car's circuitry is generally O.K. with that.

Anyone thinking of doing an HID conversion should be installing a relay so they get the results they expect...

 

[Robbbyr]

When the first one quit I got a TRS relay harness and planned to install it on the still working side. However that driver's side output shut down too and both remain off.

Is there a way to "reset" the module to re-establish voltage to the headlight outputs so my relays can take over? I just need enough current to trigger the relays now!

 

[soulpatch]

Why not disconnect the hookup to the ballast and plug in a halogen bulb quickly. The draw would be the same as the truck is expecting and thus will think everything is fine again.

Then hook up your relays and reconnect the ballast. Should give you enough power and time to hook everything up and get it functional again.

Keep the halogen bulb in your car for a few weeks just in case but you shoudl be good after that.


And lesson learned for those thinking of going this route as well but always hook up a relay before going more then a test ride with the HIDs.

 

[Robbbyr]

I will certainly try that, I hope the fact that there is no voltage at all coming to the connection doesn't matter. Perhaps it is a function of resistance an actual bulb will provide. I'll post the results once I get a chance to try it.

Thanks all!

 

[DeepBlueSC]

So if you disconnect both sides from the HID setup do you have no voltage to the actual headlamp wires at the bulb connector? If so I think you may need to test/replace the headlamp relay itself. They typically will reset once things are OK, but without seeing what was done on this install, everything is a question and answer/guess...

 

[Robbbyr]

That is the case, no voltage to the original bulb connectors when headlight switch turned "on". Fuses 16 and 17 under dash are good. Cannot find any reference to headlight relay in owner's manual, so if you could point me to any that would be great. And any idea why the lights would momentarily flash when reconnecting battery? Because that happens is why I am confident wiring to, and inside, light assemblies is good. But from there back in the circuit is obviously suspect.

For now I have connected the HID relay feed to an ignition-switched circuit so lights are on whenever vehicle running. At least we can still drive it! And the high-beam shutters work normally. Turn signals and parking lamps all normal too.

I just fear it is some module that may have been (somehow) damaged or corrupted. Was hoping there was some "magic" way to reset them.

 

[DeepBlueSC]

So it doesn't appear as though it uses a relay, only the 2 fuses you say are good. Obviously the circuit is good from where you're connected at the moment so the issue is they don't work with the switch. I would suspect the switch until/unless you can verify the circuit is good coming out of it. Seems the switch would be the place to start. I will dig and see if the BCM or something else is involved in the circuit. What year/model Ex do you have?

 

[DeepBlueSC]

OK see it's a 14 Sport. If a module is involved and bad the lights shouldn't flash upon battery reconnect 'cause you can't put the smoke back in the box, as they say. However I think the switch is being overloaded. You seem to be technically astute so ponder this: The switch is nothing more than metal contacts, so let's assume the circuit pulled enough to heat and warp it. The metal contacts no longer make contact and the circuit is never closed. Doesn't explain one working longer than the other but not an issue anymore. I would pull the switch and see that the light circuit closes as it should. From there trace the circuit with a meter to verify the wires from the switch are good all the way to the lights. If you have original connectors I would put old bulbs back and see if they work with switch.

 

[Robbbyr]

I'll give things a shot, thanks!

 

[04mach1]

Keep us posted... Hope you get things figured out !!

 

[Robbbyr]

Unfortunately hooking up regular bulbs to the headlight connections didn't work. They also momentarily "flash" when you reconnect the battery verifying those bulbs and the wiring to them is intact. But dead as dead can be any other time!

Accessed the back of the headlight switch and all appears normal, but without a wiring diagram I am somewhat stuck at this point till I can find/buy one. However when the headlight switch is turned on, or it is dark enough in the "Auto" setting, the little green dash headlight indicator lights up as if the lights are on. And all the other things that happen when the lights are "on" work such as instrument lights, MFT night mode, etc. And I NEVER had any "bulb out" warning, ever!

Without a diagram I cannot tell if there are any other relays or fuses in the circuit that could possibly be at fault. Certainly none identified in the owner's manual. In the back of my mind I keep thinking it is a module that is not "turning on" the circuits for some reason. But I cannot fathom why substituting the load of a HID ballast for the load of a halogen bulb would/should cause issues like this!

Anyone know if Ford "plugging in" to the vehicle would show a fault or whether a circuit was shut down by the module? I love this vehicle, but this issue is driving me nuts! I know many other owners want better performing headlights, so I hope this issue can be resolved so my experiences could help others. I would have happily paid for factory HIDs had they been available, and likely would have left the headlights alone had I had a clue anything like this would happen.

 

[04mach1]

I would have happily paid for factory HIDs had they been available...

I would have too, but this is exactly why I did not want to buy aftermarket HID's...

I hope you get this worked out !!

 

[soulpatch]

Unfortunately hooking up regular bulbs to the headlight connections didn't work. They also momentarily "flash" when you reconnect the battery verifying those bulbs and the wiring to them is intact. But dead as dead can be any other time!

Accessed the back of the headlight switch and all appears normal, but without a wiring diagram I am somewhat stuck at this point till I can find/buy one. However when the headlight switch is turned on, or it is dark enough in the "Auto" setting, the little green dash headlight indicator lights up as if the lights are on. And all the other things that happen when the lights are "on" work such as instrument lights, MFT night mode, etc. And I NEVER had any "bulb out" warning, ever!

Without a diagram I cannot tell if there are any other relays or fuses in the circuit that could possibly be at fault. Certainly none identified in the owner's manual. In the back of my mind I keep thinking it is a module that is not "turning on" the circuits for some reason. But I cannot fathom why substituting the load of a HID ballast for the load of a halogen bulb would/should cause issues like this!

Anyone know if Ford "plugging in" to the vehicle would show a fault or whether a circuit was shut down by the module? I love this vehicle, but this issue is driving me nuts! I know many other owners want better performing headlights, so I hope this issue can be resolved so my experiences could help others. I would have happily paid for factory HIDs had they been available, and likely would have left the headlights alone had I had a clue anything like this would happen.

While rare you could have fused the wiring with the firing of the ballasts. the ballasts pull about 4 times the normal draw of halogens to ignite. That is why relays are so critical. So you could get an initial shot of power till the unit trips. I think you need to take it to the dealer at this point. I have yet to see a fill on wiring diagram to look into the existence of any relays or such.