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Phantom Headlights

The Rev
September 26th, 2007, 07:45 PM
My alternator, battery and universal were replaced today and i've FINALLY gotten to take it for an actual drive, long story but i've had it for months.

NOW while driving tonight, the headlights are go out and come back on, same thing with the highbeams, an with the autoheadlights on/off. It seems that no matter what, one problem after another.

Its never done this before, so where do i start looking? its too dark to look at anything tonight but i have the day off tomorrow and would like to get this done before tomorrow night as i will be out in an area with a lot of police, and they'll def. pull me over

devilchild
September 26th, 2007, 09:00 PM
my 93 had a similar prob. . turns out when they replaced the alt. they didnt charge my battery fully or something and it wound up murdering my battery for some reason.. check to see if the battery turned bad on you

Battery
September 27th, 2007, 08:06 AM
I had a similar problem as well. Ended up being the multi-function switch.

The Rev
September 28th, 2007, 09:17 AM
battery tested out fine, all wires are connected tight, still the same thing, it was a little better last night but does it a little

JMiles_T
September 28th, 2007, 11:37 AM
A relayed wiring harness will cure the intermittent headlight problem. It may also make the bulbs shine brighter.

papa bear
September 28th, 2007, 05:28 PM
turn signal lever/ multi function switch or headlight switch

robean2
September 28th, 2007, 06:12 PM
Weak Battery- is still a Ford system requiring high volts- I had to go with an Optima ( which I always do anyway) and a 160 alternator.

The Rev
October 15th, 2007, 08:48 PM
it does it every night coming home from work, when the lights have been on for 10+ minutes, i always run the highbeams (because my lows are useless!) could this be part of the problem? when the lights go off they sometimes do it when i put the directionals on or tight turns. if it is the multi function switch how hard is it to replace?

papa bear
October 15th, 2007, 09:00 PM
feel your headlight switch if it is hot like really hot thats its other guess is multi function switch but when that fails its one turn signel light that is out and you think it is a bulb.

The Rev
October 16th, 2007, 10:48 PM
ok so today i was trying it out, when i just started it after class tonight i tried wiggling the multidirectional, nothing, tried wiggling the headlight switch, nothing......sooo about a half hour later after heading toward home, as they usually do, the phantom headlights started up again, so once i got home i started wiggling both again, and it seems that they go out as soon as they get moved, then go back on once they move back to their original position they turn back on again, i called around but no one in RI (at least the two junkyards i know, north providence auto salvage and advanced auto recycling) had any marks) had anything i needed....

I didnt even look at how to take these parts off, has anyone done it? and which parts would i need, like i dont figure just the headlight knob would do the trick, what wiring would have to be replaced?

also, a friend of mine was being stupid and accidentally put my battery cables on the wrong posts and i saw the distribution box smoke for a second....anything i can do on that end?

papa bear
October 17th, 2007, 04:32 PM
multi function switch does control the high beams but all the cars that i did this on was because one hole side the turn signels were out so thats why i was thinking headlight switch i thought there was a ballast on the side of the switch that got hot and over time would cause this problem if you do more research online i think this is a common problem i had to do mostly ford cars for the multi switch but a few gm's

MonsterMark
October 17th, 2007, 04:42 PM
It is 100% the headlight mutifunction switch. Easy to replace. Also get your cruise control recall fixed at the same time before your car burns down.

The Rev
October 17th, 2007, 09:12 PM
thanks, i'll look into finding a new one asap.

yeah my cruise control doesnt work, do i just give a dealership a call and they'll take care of it?

The Rev
October 18th, 2007, 01:44 PM
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=005&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=150171620947&rd=1

thats it right?

papa bear
November 3rd, 2007, 12:18 PM
any updates

The Rev
November 4th, 2007, 12:09 AM
Yeah, I replaced the switch and haven't had a problem since, I broke the bulb that sits behind the headlight switch but thats not important, look at the connection to the back of the switch...

papa bear
November 4th, 2007, 09:11 AM
WOW that sucker is toast ,good that you got to it before it got worse and shorted out the whole system

chickenviii
November 4th, 2007, 12:05 PM
i really hope you replaced that connector also, ford can get replacement "pigtail" connectors

The Rev
November 4th, 2007, 07:30 PM
that was probably my next question, where would I start to look for the new connector? and how much would it cost? the lights work fine now, but idk if eventually it'll do it again

chickenviii
November 5th, 2007, 09:22 PM
we have a pigtail catalog, and i would do it sooner rather than later, hate to see your car burn because of that

The Rev
November 5th, 2007, 09:45 PM
we have a pigtail catalog

we? any link or anything, or should I call a FLM dealership?

chickenviii
November 5th, 2007, 10:13 PM
just call a dealership
we=Brad Manning Ford, or as i call it, work

The Rev
November 6th, 2007, 12:37 AM
will do thanks, this a small job or is it involved?

chickenviii
November 6th, 2007, 01:01 AM
just splicing some wires

chickenviii
November 7th, 2007, 10:59 PM
here this should help

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