Help!!!! Headlights Do Not Work???

[FM696969]

Help!!! When I Turn On My Headlights The Headlights Do Not Come On??
When I Flash My High Beams They Flash.

Do I Need A New Headlight Switch?



How Do I Remove The Headlight Switch?
How Much Is It?

Thanks For The Help..

[FM696969]

it is a bad headlight switch...

how do i get to the light switch to remove it?????

how doi i remove the plastic dash trim by the switch?

[luxuryrules]

What year is your car?

I can't speak for the GenII cars (which are likely very similar) but the knob pulls straight off and the plastic cover unsnaps and pops off. Headlight switch is behind, removal self explanatory.

[bojo68]

"When I Turn On My Headlights The Headlights" Damn, I didn't think people still did that.... I never turn mine on and they come on fine, don't do much good when they do, but.....:)

[luxuryrules]

"When I Turn On My Headlights The Headlights" Damn, I didn't think people still did that.... I never turn mine on and they come on fine, don't do much good when they do, but.....:)

A lot of folks turn off the automatic headlamps in the interest of preserving their headlights' reflective surfaces. I turned mine off so I don't prematurely kill an HID bulb that I can't get anymore :)

[Philip]

it is a bad headlight switch...

how do i get to the light switch to remove it?????

how doi i remove the plastic dash trim by the switch?

probably a bad switch, I'd start there first. What year is the car?????

If you have a 1997 or 1998, the removal instructions mentioned in here already apply, the only difference is you have to pull out the illumination lamp for the headlight panel once the panel is in your hands. That, too, will be self explanatory.

Not sure about 1993-1996, but if you have a 1997 or 1998, removing the switch and starting the car up with it off will be an excellent "process of elimination" for the lights. If the switch is removed on those cars, the lighting module defaults to 3 minute autolamp delay. So if you get lights like that, then it's the switch. If you get no lights at all like that, then probably the lighting module (SCIL.)

Of course if your car is the first generation, then this might not apply to you.

[FM696969]

THE MARK VIII IS A 1995

so the plastic dash piece in front of the light switch just snaps off?
i do not want to break the plastic by forcing it.
LET ME KNOW...
~THANKS

[John M. Courcoul]

THE MARK VIII IS A 1995

so the plastic dash piece in front of the light switch just snaps off?

Yes, once you have pulled the knob off just tease the cover off. Start pulling from the left edge and try to get it to come straight off. You may break the retention tabs on the right edge, but the cover will stay in place without them. Take care not to scratch off the rubberized finish too much, since that can't be repaired.

The rotary switch is held by two screws, if I remember correctly.

[mikemark8]

A lot of folks turn off the automatic headlamps in the interest of preserving their headlights' reflective surfaces. I turned mine off so I don't prematurely kill an HID bulb that I can't get anymore :)

I have an aftermarket HID setup in my 96 and since I replaced the halogens with these HID's I do not use my auto headlights either-I think the auto headlights are one of the reasons the stock alternator has problems-if the car has been sitting for days, the load on the alternator from the suspension pump, and putting a charge back into the battery from sitting, plus the load of firing up halogens or especially HID's is killer to alternators and electrical systems IMO. I have a 200 watt alternator now, but I don't want the electrical system to have any more problems than what it has already.

[luxuryrules]

I have an aftermarket HID setup in my 96 and since I replaced the halogens with these HID's I do not use my auto headlights either-I think the auto headlights are one of the reasons the stock alternator has problems-if the car has been sitting for days, the load on the alternator from the suspension pump, and putting a charge back into the battery from sitting, plus the load of firing up halogens or especially HID's is killer to alternators and electrical systems IMO. I have a 200 watt alternator now, but I don't want the electrical system to have any more problems than what it has already.

Nah, you're actually safer using your auto headlamps now. The HIDs are cooler so you won't burn the surfaces, and exert a much smaller load on the electrical system.
Not sure what you're thinking of when you say the stock alternator has problems, typically issues occur when the companies which rebuild the alternators take shortcuts (even Ford units can take a crap in short order). It's not uncommon to go through several remanufactured alternators before the owner says Screw It and buys a brand new one or an upgraded one, like you did.

Did you get a PA Performance unit or someone elses'?

[FM696969]

IMPORTANT...READ THIS GUYS!!!
The switch was good, but the plug from the harness was starting to melt,
the switch was not getting a good connection because of the melting harness, if i wiggle the connection at the switch, the lights come on.

my lights are working now, i wrapped electrical tape at the connection of the switch and harness plug, but i think this is a only temp. solution to the problem.

there are so many wires coming from that harness that i would need to splice, if i get a new harness plug....

[jamies98lsc]

your melting headlight switch harness was a factory recall back some years ago along with many other ford products. check with ford and see if they will fix it, might be a long shot, but i also may have a pig tail left that i saved. i had a few that you can splice in but i listed them on ebay and to my suprise people gobbled them right up. maybe ford has the pigtails available i dont know.

[partsman662002]

Help!!! When I Turn On My Headlights The Headlights Do Not Come On??
When I Flash My High Beams They Flash.

Do I Need A New Headlight Switch?



How Do I Remove The Headlight Switch?
How Much Is It?

Thanks For The Help..

Are you sure they are not on, and you just can't see them because the housings are so bad? LOL

[Philip]

your melting headlight switch harness was a factory recall back some years ago along with many other ford products. check with ford and see if they will fix it, might be a long shot, but i also may have a pig tail left that i saved. i had a few that you can splice in but i listed them on ebay and to my suprise people gobbled them right up. maybe ford has the pigtails available i dont know.

That sounds about right, lol, more burning issues with Ford.

I don't know about the recall because it did not apply to mine, but even if Ford will not cover the recall repair to correct your problem, they might have the part available still. I'd shoot for new unless they are absolutely unavailable.

I obtained a new in box Ford harness for the trunk lid on my 1998. It is obsoleted by Ford, however a tip from a member steered me right to one. Tasca Ford in Rhode Island, 800-915-3141 (ask for Dominic,) will help you locate obsoleted parts through a company called Vintage Parts. They purchased NOS Ford parts that are obsolete, and yes the Mark VIII is obsolete...lol! If you have the exact part number, you can contact Vintage directly at 877-846-8243. It took a couple of weeks to receive it, but Tasca placed the order and it shipped through Vintage on UPS, so there was a chain of command so to speak.

Now, this might not be your problem, but what Jamie said sounds like a very logical starting place. Good luck, gotta have lights.