Autolamp Failure??? Lights won't turn off...

N

Neilster

Guest
This is weird. My wife and I had gone out for a little entertainment and when we got back to the car about 2 hours later, the lights were on (daytime running lights). That was weird. Fortunately, the car started (not a flat battery - thank you DieHard). Drove home and parked the car. Turned the lights off - no can do... It would seem as though the delay circuit somehow is toasted. The only way to get the lights off, is to disconnect the battery.

By the way, I did get the new low beam bulb assy. and installed it when I got home (about 10 minutes or less). That at least is fixed. What a treat (US$140.00). Had to drive 50 miles to the other side of Toronto to get the only one left in stock in Ontario.

Any suggestions here? Is the delay circuit in the light switch itself suspect???

Please advise.
 
RE: Autolamp Failure??? Lights won't turn off...

Neil - Do you think something is added to the Canadian cars to facilitate the daytime lights that burned up? Obviously, the states cars don't have them - so if that circuit is an add in - you can go right to the cause.
 
RE: Autolamp Failure??? Lights won't turn off...

There are 2 extra parts the Canadian cars have because of the DRL's. There is a relay behind the blove box door, and there is a resistor up on the front bumper bar, near the compressor. I recently disconnected the DRL's because I do not like them at all.

To eliminate the DRL's, remove the airbox assembly all together. There's a hole in the rad support in front of where the airbox usually is, get a flash light and shine it down in there, you should see a black metal thing with little holes all over it, that's it. Flip up the headlamp access flap, put your hand down in there and feel around for the metal thing, once you feel it, go straight down a little further, you should feel the connector. Grab ahold of it and take it off its mounting point. There is enough slack in the wire to pull the connector up so you can disconnect it with both hands. Put everything back together and your done.

Neil, disconnect the DRL resistor and see if that cures it, I think it just might be your problem.
 
RE: Autolamp Failure??? Lights won't turn off...

Thanks Jon for the response. However, I think that the 2nd Gens are different than you describe. The DRL's are basically the high beams running at about 60% on a 2ndGen (97-98). This is controlled by a special DRL Module. Seeing as I unplugged the lights for the time being, I basically have no high beams until I get it fixed. On a 1stGen (93-96) you can run with high beams only and still be challenged to see on a clear night. I had a 1994 Base and the lights weren't worth a damn.

My local dealer recommended that I change the DRL module to solve my problem. The mechanic seemed to be familiar with it. The location of the module I need to figure out. I have one of Leo's trusty Ford CD's. The diagram points to a location under the passenger fender. The plan is try and fix it this weekend. I have the module on-hand (another $120 item). I just hope it works out ok....
 
RE: Autolamp Failure??? Lights won't turn off...

Glad to hear you're getting everything sorted out Neil. I did not know they changed the Gen2's that much, makes me wonder why the didn't use the high beams on the Gen1 at a lower output instead of having the low beams on at full power all the time! Every other car I see on the road uses the high beams or the parking lamps. At least you can disconnect your DRL module and still have low beams, disconnecting the DRL relay on a Gen1 and you lose all the head lights all together!

I agree old yellowed housings are HORRIBLE, but i put brand new assemblies on my car with Silverstars and I'm really happy with them.
Let us know how your DRL module swap goes.
 
RE: Autolamp Failure??? Lights won't turn off...

Problem solved. DRL Module must have been defective. Very easy to replace. Here's how:

DRL module is located on the top left front of the rad support. Disconnect the battery. Remove two bolts securing DRL module mounting plate to the rad support. Remove plug. Remove the defective DRL module from its mounting plate (2 small bolts). Mount new DRL module to the mounting plate using the two bolts removed. Reconnect plug. Mount assy. to rad support as before with two bolts. Reconnect battery. Test.

Here's some additional DRL info. from the Ford CD TSP - Workshop Manual"

"The daytime running lamps (DRL) system is designed to turn the high-beam headlamps (13008) ON, with a reduced light output and without illuminating the high-beam indicator in the hybrid electronic instrument cluster, when the following conditions are met:

> The ignition switch is in the RUN position.
> The park brake is fully released.
> The headlamp switch (11654) is in the OFF or PARK lamp position.
> Transmission is not in the PARK position.

Note:
The vehicle is equipped with an autolamp system. The DRL system is active until the autolamp system turns on the headlamps.

The DRL uses a daytime running lamps control (15A272) module."
 
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