2002 ST low beams nw

[Tim OLeary]

The low beams do not work but the high beams do.

Just replaced the multiswitch a few months ago and I thought all was working well, but I do not drive at night too much and may not have noticed.

I replaced the multiswitch because the wipers were out of control. The wipers work OK with new switch.

The multiswitch came from O'Reilly's with a two year warranty, but it would be great to be able to isolate the problem without having to tear the steering column apart again.

The driving lights work OK too.

With their switch on the dashboard in the on position they go on in the low beam position and off in the high beam position.



A schematic of the the low beam circuit and locations of relays and fuses would be great.

My shop manual CD is not Windows 10 compatible.



[email protected]

 

[Richard L]

Check the multi-switch connector lower on the steering column. Many of the strange behaviors of the wipers, lights, horn, turn signals, ignition, starter,., etc are caused by loose or broken wires at the wiring harness connector. The problems is caused by insufficient slack in the wiring harness to allow for the tilt-steering wheel to be moved up and down...tilting the wheel up pulls on the wiring harness and can pull wires loose or even break them.



This was a very common problem with Gen-1 Sport Tracs.



...Rich

 

[RedRanger 7]

I fixed up my left brake light with that article in the projects section, MAINTENANCE heading and then steering column wiring. Tough getting the wires figured out if you remove them all like I did, had to keep looking back at the picture to make sure they were back in the right hole.

Can you get into the back of the headlight wires to check for voltage with a meter or test light, Im sure theres a slim chance that both low beams are burnt out.



Dave 2003 Sport Trac :driving:

 

[gyates]

What bulbs are you using, and were they replaced at the same time? I am thinking it is maybe your bulbs. What makes me think wiring is good is the fact that your fog lamps are working properly. I replaced my bulbs with Silverstars, and although they did not blow out at exactly the same time, it was really close when they went. I am not a mechanic, just using some deductive logic.

 

[Tim OLeary]

Thanks for the ideas

The lamps were in there for a while (years) they are incandescent and supposedly super bright.



LEDS would be fun, but one thing at a time. Lazer beams to fire back at all the folks with the killer headlights that leave me blind occasionally:angry:.

But first conquer the low beams.



The tilt wheel idea is what I will try next, if anything changes when I tilt the wheel it will confirm that the problem relates to that. Everything was clean and dry inside the column.

The other thing I failed to mention was that I used to be able to turn the ignition key cc and it would go to an accessory position and I could use the radio. I can't do that anymore.



The irony is I am adept at reading schematics for other electronics, but they gave me about eight pages of wiring diagrams at O'Reilly, but without block diagrams to identify the physical location of the different assemblies, they are not useful. maybe I'll get desperate and try harder!



thanks again

 

[swshawaii]

 

[Tim OLeary]

with headlight switch on I moved the steering tilt one click and the low beams came on.

So I guess the connector is loose like RichardL suggested. Think I will get another multiswitch and have it handy when I tear the column apart.



Awesome.

Thanks 2 all especially RichardL

 

[Richard L]

Tim,

Glad you found the problem. You may not need to replace the multi-switch...It may just need to have the loose wires pushed back in the connector and then pull up a little more slack so that tilting the steering wheel will not pull on the wiring harness.



...Rich

 

[Todd Z]

Ditto On what Rich said. ( should be a 10 min fix)



Todd Z