I am losing the second one in about 1.5 yrs. Last time the mechanism broke completely off inside, leaving the lights stuck on. Now, if I want all my lights on I have to find a strange sweet spot between parkers and full lights. I hope I don't have to change these guys every 1.5 yrs!! LOL Anyway, just venting... I gotta go see if I can wire the 02 mustang switch to go with my dash. Gotta see if I can put that voltage through it. Any thoughts?
Maybe switch to a relay? I'm seriously considering isolating my switch from the current with a relay.
Yeah, I hear ppl do that, but my problems have been mechanical, not heat/voltage related. I should still wire a relay up as well.
One other strange thing... ok, so, in 'park' I get no parking lights, in 'head' I get headlamps and fog lamps (still no parkers/tails), if I back off to that sweet spot I can get all or parkers. But in the OFF position, autolamp has the same issue; no parking lights. Just can't make sense of this is my head. Seems like autolamp should be unnaffected because the switch is in off...?
Looks to me like no parkers in autolamp mode has to be a seperate problem.
Hmm... seems like a pretty strong coincidence that the switch is funny to where I don't get parking lamps (in park or head) and I also don't get them with autolamp but maybe... I think I have a switch laying around; I'll try it tomorrow...
Check the headlight fuse. I had the same thing happen, couldn't figure it out for a few weeks. Checked the fuse, and it was bad.
I don't think it would be the fuse because I get all my lights to come on... just takes some fidgeting with the switch. Also, I can't find my extra headlight switch now so idk when I'll figure it out. Thanks for the suggestions.
Does anyone know what that single additional orange wire that goes between the autolamp system and the headlight switch is for? It seems it supplies power to the autolamp system...? Trying to figure out where I can run this on the mustang switch.
Dang you softtouch! Why are you always right! LOL, jk... but yeah, it does look like the autolamp is faulty as well (no parkers). The mustang switch solved the manual light switch issue but I still get no parkers/tails with auto lamp... bummer!
Do you need a set of auto lamp switches?
The extra orange wire on the headlight switch provides the power to the headlights in autolight mode. The power comes through the circuit breaker that is built into the headlight switch. It doen't come through any of the contacts in the switch.
If the headlights work in autolamp mode, it means the light sensor amplifier is picking autolamp relay #1. Relay #1 turns on the headlights and picks relay #2. Relay #2 turns on the parking lights.
Looks like relay #2 is not doing its' thing.
From jcassity's 87 EVTM
(http://mysite.verizon.net/vzetk5cc/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/.pond/1987EVTMpg83.jpg.w560h771.jpg)
I already went through one set of potentiometers (only had autolamp a few months)! I'll probably get a few more from the JY next stop just in case I do. But thanks, Vin, I'll hit you up if I do!
Softtouch, thanks, I'll check that relay!
LOL, thanks... but my relays are now just above the fuse panel. LOL. Did need anything in the center of the dash because there was no place for the light sensor in the SN dash anyway...
Ok, update. I got my SN switch wired in and like I said, the problem indeed seems to be related to the autolamp system. But now, instead of having nothing in the 'park' position and headlights/foglamps with no parkers in the 'head' position, I get:
1. Light switch on park or head: parkers (once again, if I get the switch in just the right spot between park and head I get all lights)
2. Autolamp engaged: headlights and foglamps, no parkers
Can anyone think of a reason I'd get opposite lights working when they should depending on whether I go manual or autolamp? Also, if I want all lights, I can use autolamp + the switch in the 'park' position.
Another observation:
The dome light and chime (for keys and or lights) only work if autolamp AND the headlight switch is in park or head...
I am trying to figure out the headlight circuit on my 01 Grand Marquis. The headlight switch outputs go to the lighting control module.
I suspect the headlight current load does not go through the switch.
Maybe the Mustang has the same set-up and the switch can't handle the current load required in our cars. Also the switch does not have the built-in circuit breaker.
I'm going cross eyed trying to figure it out.
What car did you get your autolamp feature from?
LOL well, the problem existed BEFORE the mustang switch so I'm not concerned about that issue. It also appeard to be setup like the thunderbird switch (no module, just a relay).
The autolamp was from an Thunderbird Elan (whatever year they made those) but it should be the same as the thunderbird autolamp for my 88 (snapped right in).
If I can't figure it out I may need to remove the autolamp and see what problems I still have. Only problem is I don't have the dummy plug that went in place of the 8 pin connector...
What wrong with your Grand Marquis?
Nothing wrong with the GM. Just thought maybe your switch came from a newer Mustang that had the same set-up.
Older cars autolamp is different. From my 84 EVTM it has one relay that controls both the headlights and parks. Don't know what year they changed to two relays.
I gotcha. As for the autolamp, it has 3 relays connected to the add-in harness (just like you see in that evtm picture).
Ok, I also just remembered I had one wire that didn't go anywhere on the mustang switch. I looked it up and it turned out to be the chime/warning ciruit. So, I need to connect this to get power when the lights are on. I don't know if this will change anything with my problem but I want to find out. My question is, since there is no output just for the chime on the mustang switch, should I connect it to the parking lamp output or the dash illumination output?
Update:
I finally got around to replacing all 3 relays on the autolamp harness. Same problems: Manual light switch works fine but autolamp only turns on the headlights and fog lamps. I have to pull the light switch out to the 'park' position to get the extra parking, marking and tail lamps to come on. Potentiometers are also recently replaced as was the light sensor. All JY parts so they could be bad. Anyone have an idea where to start after the relays? (also, I should probably go home and swap relay 1 and two to make sure I didn't replace one with a bad JY relay)...