Please help- no headlights

[LindsayMc]

On 2/14/08 my headlights stopped working suddenly. I still have parking lights and my fog lights but no headlights. I thought it was a fuse so I replaced it. It shorted and burnt up the first fuse, replaced it with two larger fuses and it did the same thing.
At this point I decided it was beyond me or any free advice from Advanced Auto. I took it to a shop and they had to replace the switch at a cost of $287....a whole lot more than the $5 fuse I anticipated. That was 2/18/09.
Here we are at 3/18/09 and I get out on the road this evening to find that I have NO HEADLIGHTS!!! NOT COOL!!!!!
Is there a short that's burning up the switch? And if so, why did it take a month to happen? Can anyone please offer any advice? I am calling the shop in the morning to see what they can do? Should I ask for them to make the repair free of labor charges since it was just a month ago? Is that fair? I am really aggravated.
I am the wife of a deployed Marine, who unfortunately is not here to troubleshoot this for me. I am doing my best to take care of this stuff while he's gone but it's not easy with a baby and no help. Also trying not to get ripped off by auto shops that I don't know the reputation of.

Thanks in advance to anyone with advice!!!

Lindsay
2001 Ford Explorer SportTrac

 

[blkhwkns]

take it back to the shop, if you paid them to fix it they should warranty there work. 285 sounds steep for a switch but simply they should go back on there diagnosis. if the shop told you $285 and a new switch would fix the problem they should stand by there diag and work and fix it correctly for you. As far a a short... not enough info to determin that one, one problem i have had is poorly made switches from mexico faulting shortly after install, happened on my own explorer. I went back to ford got a dealer one and problem solved for 6 months now. the shop i work for has a 12 K mile 12 month warranty on all parts and labor the one you use should have the same. good luck hope it helps and if you have any more Q:'s please pm me i worked for ford for several years as a tech in a dealership

 

[bdmaash]

yes, take it back

Most likely you have a chafed or melted wire that is shorting to ground. Fuses are there to protect circuits, and are already designed with enough headroom. When you put in bigger fuses, to try and fix problems you could get fire (melting wires).

If you have high wattage bulbs in the truck, that may be causing the problem. The bulbs (high power if installed) may have melted the wiring somewhere and it's shorting there. <- just a possibility.

 

[LindsayMc]

Yep, it's been determined that I have a short SOMEWHERE! I'm taking it to an electrical shop on Monday to be fixed. I checked with the original shop to see if it was an aftermarket switch, but he DID use a Ford switch so hopefully it's still good and this guy can find the short in a reasonable amount of time.

Thanks to both of you for your help. I hope this is all overwith soon!

Lindsay