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'89 Headlights and foglights quit - fuse location?

M

mattbred

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Canada
My headlights and foglights quit at the same time. The marker lights, dash lights, turn signals, hazards, dome light, radio, all work. It's just the headlights and foglights that are not working.

I'm guessing the two circuits are in parralel, connected to a single fuse? Where would this fuse be? There isn't any on the under-the-dash fuse box and that's the only fuse box on the jeep.
 
mattbred said:
My headlights and foglights quit at the same time. The marker lights, dash lights, turn signals, hazards, dome light, radio, all work. It's just the headlights and foglights that are not working.

I'm guessing the two circuits are in parralel, connected to a single fuse? Where would this fuse be? There isn't any on the under-the-dash fuse box and that's the only fuse box on the jeep.
Click to expand...

If all your fuses under the dash are good, then i would suspect your dimmer switch (not to be mistaken for your head light switch which also controls your dash dimmer). The dimmer switch is on the steering column. It also has a small rod that comes from the high beam switch running to it.
 
I lost my headlights and foglamps when I pinched the pos+ wire when putting my new bulbs back in the lamp. It blew the fusible link near the battery ( at the power distribution thing) , I think it was an orange link
 
I would first check all the fuses under the hood on the passenger side, then all the fuses under the dash on the drivers side. Replace any that are bad. Even if the headlights are not fixed by any replaced fuses it is always good to make sure they are all good fuses.

My bet is the connector in the wiring just behind the Computer Box which is located on the drivers side fenderwell next to the airbox. The connector there has a nasty habit of corroding very badly. Check it and make the appropriate fix. About 90% of the time thats the problem. Let us know what you find.
 
Just for an update - my headlights and foglights started working today and I didn't change a thing. This is going to be fun.

I'm thinking now perhaps a loose ground? Where do the headlights ground out? It would seem that whatever is the culprit, is screwing up a common circuit for the foglights and headlights..
 
mattbred said:
Just for an update - my headlights and foglights started working today and I didn't change a thing. This is going to be fun.

I'm thinking now perhaps a loose ground? Where do the headlights ground out? It would seem that whatever is the culprit, is screwing up a common circuit for the foglights and headlights..
Click to expand...

The same thing happened to me when it was the dimmer switch as explained in my original post. Sometimes they would work, and sometimes they wouldnt.

I tell you what though, dont drive without finding the problem and fixing it. I drove like that for a bit while having the intermittent problem, and my lights cut out on me at night... not a good thing.
 
Muad'Dib said:
The same thing happened to me when it was the dimmer switch as explained in my original post. Sometimes they would work, and sometimes they wouldnt.

I tell you what though, dont drive without finding the problem and fixing it. I drove like that for a bit while having the intermittent problem, and my lights cut out on me at night... not a good thing.
Click to expand...
Ahh okay - did that stop your foglights from working too? I'm definitely not driving at night time until this is fixed.

How much was the dimmer switch and how do you get at it?

Edit: Is the dimmer switch at all related to the windshield washer switch? About 3 months ago my windshield washer/wiper switch doesn't work. It's definitely not the stalk, it's inside the steering column. It's as if it isn't making contact. After a breef google search it would seem that they might be connected together? I'm not really sure, I could be talking out of my ass :)
 
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mattbred said:
Alrighty thanks. Looks like I have to tear apart my entire column. A dimmer switch is only 38 bucks around here - a wiper switch is a whopping 268 dollars!

I'm glad the dimmer switch is cheap, heh.
Click to expand...

You dont actually have to do anything with the column to replace this part.

I DID however find it easier to pull the lower dash trim off so i could get my hands in there a little better. But you can still do it without doing so. That lower dash section is only in with screws the length of the dash .. so its very easy to remove. You may also consider getting a ignition switch at the same time since your going to be in the exact same area. (Especially if it has never been replaced):

With Tilt Column:
http://www.partsamerica.com/productdetail.aspx?MfrCode=NIE&MfrPartNumber=IG11281&PartType=410&PTSet=A

Without TIlt:
http://www.partsamerica.com/productdetail.aspx?MfrCode=NIE&MfrPartNumber=IG11271&PartType=410&PTSet=A
 
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Just as an update - my foglights were installed by the previous owner and were completley seperate from the headlights. It was only a coincidence that they quit when the headlights quit. The reason the foglights went out is a soldered connection came undone. I fixed that and all is well, and my headlights worked for awhile too!

Until now. I havn't changed a thing since the original post in this thread, and they've been working since (I kept my foglights on all the time as a backup incase they crapped out on the highway) but now only the high beams work. The low beams don't. I've narrowed it down to either the dimmer switch or the Lt Green wire coming from the switch to the headlights. I'll update this again when I figure out the problem.
 
Muad'Dib said:
Did you ever replace the dimmer switch at that time?

Everything you have explained points to it... Especially now after you lost your high beams.
Click to expand...

Nope I never replaced the dimmer switch as my headlights kept working until now. I'm goign to take the firewall connector out and see if I have voltage coming to it, and if I don't, well that pretty much tells me that my dimmer swiitch is out!
 
I havn't had time to replace the dimmer switch (Just been running it with high beams on - its not that bad for other drivers because my headlights are super dirty at the moment). However a new situation has cropped up. My front marker lights quit working. The rear ones and the license plate light work, but the front marker lights quit.

I keep hearing about a connection on the driver side fender that corrodes, but I don't have any there. No connector under the airbox either. The only connector, really, is the firewall connector which looks hard to get at.

Does the '89 have the fender-situated headlight connector?
 
The wiring harness connector is at the front of fender, driver's side, IIRC. The ground connection is just two black wires going under a screwhead halfway down the fender, driver's side.

The connector may be under the headlight itself - remove the trim around the headlights, then the four nuts on fender studs, and the whole grille header shell comes right off. It's actually incredibly easy and quick to trace the wiring harness that way - which is still attached via the loom connectors in the header shell holes.
 
I believe I found the problem.

Underneath the driver side headlight, next to the horn, there is a harness connector. There are three wires that have broken off, which would explain the marker lights and lowbeams. What a terrible place to put a connector, I'm going to have to try and relocate it, or just get rid of it altogether and run the wires direct to eachother.
 
Upon moving the connector around, I found one side has 7 wires, and one only has 6. Obviously one is missing.

I also found a thick (10 gauge?) red wire which is hot all the time, that runs along the front of the rad behind the grill. Any idea what its for and why it has 12VDC all the time?
 
Have you checked to see if you are getting power to the headlights? You can test it at the bulb, 12volt tester works great for this..You could have just got burned out lights..I have seen both low beams go out before...Hell i went to get a new light for mine cause one was bad, it only worked on high beam, got it installed went to leave an the other one went out..LOL..Always change both

Sorry i guess i should read the tread all the way before i post..
 
scottmcneal said:
Have you checked to see if you are getting power to the headlights? You can test it at the bulb, 12volt tester works great for this..You could have just got burned out lights..I have seen both low beams go out before...Hell i went to get a new light for mine cause one was bad, it only worked on high beam, got it installed went to leave an the other one went out..LOL..Always change both
Click to expand...

Didn't you read my last few posts? I found the problem, its a connector with at least three wires that broke off of it. Upon disconnecting the connector, no headlights or turn signals work so it's definitely the main light connector.
 
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