Lamp Out Module fixed easily! THX!!

[Blue Coupe]

I have an 1997 Limited 5.0 AWD Explorer with factory daytime running lights.

My passenger headlight was not working on low beam...the fuses and the bulb were fine.

Read this thread and fixed it! Thanks Explorer forums!

How to:
1. In the centre console remove the error message centre, it's just snapped in place, no screws. Careful use of a flat blade screwdriver will help. Leave the wires attached and place message centre towards the drivers side.
2. On the passenger side of the inside of the console there is a black box (LOM) with a grey connector. At this time you can attempt a "wiggle test", in my case the passenger headlight came back on!
3. Remove the LOM by removing two philips screws, one of them is very difficult to remove. A 90 degree ratcheting bit drive was very helpful.
4. Disconnect connector.
5. Carefully pop open the black box.
6. Check for burnt circuits, I had NONE. However, looking at the top left of board (bottom side of the board). I found a very small crack in the solder joint for the connection for PIN 11.
7. Complete the solder repair
8. Re-install

Passenger headlight works AND now my fog lights work too!

 

[4rd Xplora]

Had the same problem about 3 years back and the same fix, AFTER I bought the new part from Ford. I installed the new piece and something wasn't working right with it ( can't remember what was wrong with the new part ) and a friend with good eyes looked at the old one and while I was fooling around with the new part, pulled out the soldering iron and fixed it. Still have the new ( and not cheap ) part sitting on the work bench with about 3 minutes of time used on it.

 

[kevinspann]

Bumping this thread back up...my LOM went off the deep end. I chased after the MFS, because one light went out, and flicking the high beams on and off made it come back on...

 

[snoopster]

My 2 cents...I've owned my 97 Explorer since it was new...it's been a good machine!

I have re-soldered the Driver Side pins twice in the past 5 years. This week the Passenger side headlamp went dead. Diagnosed the problem as being INSIDE the board (not solder joints this time). This vehicle is 18 years old. I don't need any stinking "headlamp out" warnings and don't want to buy a new board, so I soldered 2 jumpers to the board so I'll hopefully never have to deal with this again. Sorry i can't upload photos to this site...

One jumper (a short piece of wire) is soldered to the back of the board to permanently connect pins 1 and 11 (Driver side) and the other is from pins 13 to 15.

Only do this if you are ok with defeating the "headlamp out monitor"

Now both headlamps work great. I hope I'll never have to mess with that board again!

Another tip...to keep the screws from falling into the center console during re-install, use 2 thin cardboard nuts to hold the screws to the plastic housing...like the paper nuts on a residential light switch...I got the cardboard from the back of a paper notepad.

GOOD LUCK!