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'88 No Working Headlights

XJoshua

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Pueblo, CO; USA
So the 88 4.0L's headlights stopped working. One headlight did burn out so I ran highbeams for the past two days then they comepletly stopped working. Parking lights still work fine aswell as the hazards. Put in brand new sylvania's and still not working.

So Ive narrowed do these culprits:
Switch is old and worn out
Blown fuze(dont know which fuze is for the headlights)
Short

Some info on my switch:
The screw that keeps the switch stationary broke off so I have to turn the switch at a angle to push the switch in. Also monday my lights completely died, then tuesday they worked and then today(wednesday) they stopped again.

Im defenitely aimming towards 20 year old light switch died. But I dunno if its possible for the parking lights to work and not the headlights.
 
check the harness connection near the airbox. They often corrode and you lose partial function.
Do your high beams still work?
 
the switch has multiple contacts and terminals, so it's not unusual for one (headlamps) to burn out and others (parking lamps) to function normally.
 
Highs/Lows no longer work. Even the high beam indicator light doesnt light up.

Ill check the harness in that area, but after looking last night it all looks in good condition.
 
XJoshua said:
Highs/Lows no longer work. Even the high beam indicator light doesnt light up.

Ill check the harness in that area, but after looking last night it all looks in good condition.
It's the plug you need to look at. The terminals can corrode right off. I've had several failures on different years that use this setup. To check it you need to pull the plug apart and inspect the terminals. Clean and lube them even if they turn out not to be the problem.

If the high beam indicator also isn't working, I suspect the problem lies elsewhere, but that plug is still sufficiently problematic that you should look at it occasionally anyway.
 
Matthew Currie said:
It's the plug you need to look at. The terminals can corrode right off. I've had several failures on different years that use this setup. To check it you need to pull the plug apart and inspect the terminals. Clean and lube them even if they turn out not to be the problem.

If the high beam indicator also isn't working, I suspect the problem lies elsewhere, but that plug is still sufficiently problematic that you should look at it occasionally anyway.

Can I get a little more detail? Plugs on the back of the lamps, or the harness plug on the switch?
 
And now the lights work fine. Mind you these are new lights. I really think its the switch. AutoZone has them for $14 so I guess Ill grab one to see if it fixes it.
 
XJoshua said:
Can I get a little more detail? Plugs on the back of the lamps, or the harness plug on the switch?
Where the wiring harness passes through the left front bulkhead, just ahead of the air box and behind the left headlight hole, you'll see a connector. You can usually reach down without taking the air box out. Where it rests it collects moisture, and often corrodes. In 97 they improved the connector and clipped it up higher.

I'm guessing you're right about the switch, because a corroded connector should not affect the high beam indicator.
 
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