I've been wondering about this issue for about a year now. I haven't torn out the stereo to see if the wiring is jacked up (came with the truck). When I have the truck running and the radio is on I pull the light switch and the radio turns off, then turns back on...... The radio also buzzes when the truck is running, kind of like it has a bad ground but I've checked the grounds and powers and all is good.
View 14 RepliesI have a new 12 volt wiring harness in my 1953 f100. I had no problems with the truck running until recently. Here is what is happening. The engine will turn over just fine, but not crank. I am getting spark at the plugs. My ignition switch is new. Plugs are new. I have breakerless system in my distributor. I am wandering if it could be the voltage regulator causing this. Very frustrating.
View 2 RepliesHere's the breakdown. I have a '95 Ford F150 that I bought the previous year and it has been nothing but a problem. The most recent problem is the attempt to turn on the headlights. I will pull the plunger to turn on the headlights but I will only get the parking lights and when attempting to turn on the high beams I still get nothing. The only way that I get any sort of lighting is if I pull on the turning stick (almost like doing a manual override on a tripped wall plugin). Now here's the kicker. I still have parking lights, brake, tail, cab, and dash lights. Winter in quickly approaching and the nights are already getting dark, pretty soon the days will be just as dark.
View 3 RepliesOk, I admit this isn't on a Ford, it's my old man's 1970 AMX, but it's an odd electrical problem we can't figure out. The front right blinker works fine when the headlights are OFF but when the headlights are on it doesn't blink. The other three work as they should. He has tried new bulbs, ohmed and voltage tested the sockets. Ohm reading was around 1-2ohms and voltage was 9v.
The voltage also fluctuated when the blinker was on but when you put a bulb in it didn't blink. He has noted the bulb on the passenger side is brighter than the other side. He's trying to get it ready to take to Pigeon Forge next weekend for a car show and I 4.5 hours away. What could be going on??? Could a bad headlight switch cause this? Bad socket?
On my 2002 Ford Escape my high lights do not illuminate. I changed the light but it does not light up.
On the dashboard, the little blue light does not turn either to indicate that the switch is high.
Is this a relay, where it is placed? Otherwise what would be the problem?
The truck has a 300 straight 6 and runs pretty good until you turn the headlights on or anything that uses current for that matter ie. Radio , Fan ect. But is worst with lights. Just got the truck last week and can't seem to figure this one out.
View 1 RepliesAfter replacing my battery cables (Pos and Ground),My Truck stalls every time I turn on the headlights. The truck stays running with the parking lights on or if no lights on at all. Could I have mixed up the 2 positive accessory wires?
View 13 RepliesI *think* I'm having trouble with the alternator on my 2002 Navigator with the 5.4L DOHC engine.
A year ago in Feb 2014 the alternator quit charging. I thought the headlights were a little dim, but when the radio turned itself off and then the heater fan did the same, I noticed that the alt light was on. Then the engine shut down about 1.5 miles from home.
I'd heard of war stories about rebuilt alternators so I sprang for a brandy new one. I also got a voltmeter that fits in the cigarette lighter so I can monitor the system voltage. All seemed good and the new alternator put out 14.2 to 14.5 volts. Except that the battery never seems to be fully charged. If I check the battery voltage with the engine off it typically reads 11.9 to 12.2 volts. I had Interstate Batteries check the battery. They thought it was okay, but offered to put a new battery in to keep me happy.
Six months and 8,000 miles later I'm up in Ontario back country (on vacation - no tools in the truck) and I notice the engine idles at 900 RPM instead of the usual 650 +/- RPM. Oh-oh, I also notice the volt meter is reading 11.9 volts and drops a tenth about every 10 miles.
Found a shop that was open and they installed a rebuilt alternator and it was putting out 14.2 to 14.5 volts. All was good (except for my wallet!).
Now, here we are six months and 5,000 miles later and the rebuilt alternator is struggling to put out 12.5 volts this afternoon. At a steady 50 MPH with the cruise Control on, the radio, and the heater fan on low, the voltage is bouncing between 12.2 volts and 12.7 volts.
Now to my questions:
1. Shouldn't an alternator put out 14.2 to 14.5 volts all the time? Not just when the alternator is new?
And
2. Is there anything on my truck that could be killing these alternators? Or am I just unlucky in the alternator lottery?
Series 7 , 82 model, light switch drama. I think they worked fine before I had removed the dash but it has a multi plug that I never interfered with but the truck had been in water and the contacts on it were rusty and I know the unit has been submerged.
Anyway, the unit clicks and sort of buzzes and the headlights and side lights flicker and the rear LED lights barely flicker, need to watch closely. I have cleaned and used contact fluid all connections under the truck as I washed it the other day too.
Brake lights work perfectly, indicators too, just associated lights from this pull switch. The unit gets hot, not burning hot but hot enough not to hold for too long. So, thoughts ?
Need new unit ?
Touched something ?
Water ingress finally making unit fail ?
My radio, all gauges and windows aren't working. Fuse 17 did not seem blown but I changed it anyway and still no luck.
View 2 RepliesSometimes the headlights won't come on unless you move the steering wheel up & down.
View 1 Replies88 f250 5.0 when my headlights are on my driver side blinker doesn't work at all but with lights off it does also with the blinker on the dash blinks with the blinker also I'm lost. Also when I turn my key on the windshield wipers wanna turn on
View 2 RepliesAre there any fuses or relays that I could look for besides what the owners manual calls out? Haynes manual is useless w/this problem also. Everything else seems to work fine. Haven't tried the AC or heat, but my gauges, pwr locks and mirrors are all fine. I'm stuck w/the windows down and no tunes.
View 3 RepliesSo I recently bought a 1997 7.3l F250. It is in fairly good condition, but it has some problems with the lights working. The turn signals and hazards all work, as do the tail lights and headlights. However, when I hit the high beam switch, the headlights cut off entirely. Also, the brake lights do not work at all. Ive checked the bulbs and since they all work Im not sure what the issue is.
View 3 RepliesWondering if there is a way to program the headlights and running lights so they DO NOT come on when I open the doors?? And to turn OFF when the switch is off??
2014 super duty lariat
I was replacing the dome light in my 06 Ford F350. I tested the light and it worked then while screwing it back in, the lights when out and then the radio. I suspect it may be a fuse, but have yet to find the culprit.
View 2 RepliesI'm working on the '73 F250 in my sig. I'm not very skilled when it comes to electrical work and I don't want to hack things. First up is I'm wiring a 7-way trailer connector with brakes. I need to tap into the brake light switch at the pedal, what is the cleanest way to do this? I was thinking of sticking a blade connector in the existing connector or adding a plug pigtail.
Also in the future I will (hopefully) be doing a 3G alternator swap and adding relays to keep my headlights from shutting off. I'm looking for suggestions on a junkyard or aftermarket fuse block that will accommodate the circuit breaker for the trailer brake, the 100 amp fuse for the 3g swap and the relays for the headlights.
I have a 1981 F100, lately when I've been driving at night I notice my headlights, dash lights, and charging light will flicker at the same time, and even sometimes my headlights will flash on and off by themselves.
View 2 RepliesI took a ten hour drive to see about a parts car for a car I'd like to restore and on my way there and back I noticed my stock radio (with CD player) that came with the truck would not increase in volume beyond a certain point. At its peak it was about one-third of what it should be despite the meter being all the way to the far right.
As I drove along for hours, I noticed a couple of times that the volume would come and go.It would be itself momentarily then go back to almost nothing. Also,when I first start the truck,there is a short popping sound hailing from the speakers. For what it's worth,the CD player stopped reading CDs a ways back.. Does any radio manufacturer out there make a radio/CD player for this model that just slips right in without any cutting or looking aftermarket?
2001 F-150, Regular cab long bed, 4.6 ....
For about 3 months, my wife's 2003 explorer has had a bad door sensor (I'm guessing). The car claims a door is ajar and the alarm would go off randomly if it's locked. Yesterday the battery died because apparently the alarm had been going off for so long while she was at work. After having a stranger jump it, she has had major problems:
-She claimed the headlights didn't work in any setting except in the on position with high beams on, but now they seem to work.
-The instrument panel is totally out including all gauges and all lights
-the power windows don't work
-the radio won't turn on or show any display
-the interior lights won't turn on
All of the fuses are fine and my mechanic checked them as well. He did say that a few key fuses aren't getting any power to them on either side. But the battery is charging and drawing just fine. The car doesn't seem to have any other issues and all of the flashers work just fine.
What the problem could be? I have wondered if one of the relays is busted.
I have a 1983 E350 RV with a 460 engine. It would appear that many "Mechanics" have altered the wiring in different ways. That being said I think the charging and starting electrics are fairly untouched. My issue is that once it has been running for a while the interior lights start to fluctuate so does the radio display. The AC fan speeds up and slows down and I feel like there is not enough gas being pumped up too due to some coughing and sputtering. When I press the brakes the radio stops playing and if I have the AC on it gets worse. Today I changed the voltage regulator and it made no difference. This vehicle has two batteries, one for starting the van like normal and one to run the coach part. The alternator charges both. I think it must be a bad ground somewhere but not sure where to start.
View 2 Replies