Help: No Rear, side or dash lights???

Hi, the rear, side and dash lights on my 96 escort encore aren't working at all??? The headlights work fine, as do the brake and reversing lights. I've checked everything 'I' can think of - every fuse, each individual bulb - even the connections to the rear lights with a circuit tester - everything seems to be in working order - so I'm stumped???

The only other thing I can think of is the actual switch for the lights located on the steering column (the stick you turn stick for side then full lights kinda thingy). But like I said the headlights (and full beam) work fine - so I'm not so sure.

If anyone can "shine a little light on the subject" and offer any advice or assistance, I'd *really* appreciate it as:

A. I Can't drive at night - it's too dangerous and...
B. It's booked in for it's MOT in 10 days :-0

Thanks in advance and sorry for the bad pun above. :-)

Respectfully,
Max.

Max,
From your description, it sounds like your Parking Light circuit is open. You say you checked the fuses and they are O.K. The next place I would check is the Light Switch itself.
Alvin

Hi, the rear, side and dash lights on my 96 escort encore aren't working at all??? The headlights work fine, as do the brake and reversing lights. I've checked everything 'I' can think of - every fuse, each individual bulb - even the connections to the rear lights with a circuit tester - everything seems to be in working order - so I'm stumped???


this happened to me once. i checked the fuse by pulling it out and looking at it and it looked fine so i assumed it was fine. wrong. later, and desperate, i rechecked. it turned out is was actually burnt, but very difficult to see at a glance.

mine was burnt because of a short in the worn wires in the wagon lifegate harness. i think that was the one.

Good to hear you fixed the problem.
I know what you mean about those fuses, they are tough to see. Easy way to check them is with a test light and probe each side of the fuse with the ign. sw. On.
All the best,
Alvin

UPDATE: Hi, I managed to resolve the problem - it was the actual light-switch (on the steering column) itself.

I replaced it with one that I picked up from a scrapyard for 10 quid!

Thanks for your help guys - *much* appreciated. :-)

Hi,

I've got exactly the same problem. Fuses, bulbs, etc all ok, and the fact that mine is also 96 Escort makes me think that the stalk switch is probably the culprit.

Now that he has sorted his problem, I suspect Maxvonmillion won't be revisiting this thread, (and he's not taking emails) so does anyone else know what the process of changing the switch involves? Is it the whole stalk? How do you get it off? Is it actually the twisty bit of the stalk, or is Max talking about a relay mounted on the steering column?

Anyone?

thanks

Nedguy

Hi,

I've got exactly the same problem. Fuses, bulbs, etc all ok, and the fact that mine is also 96 Escort makes me think that the stalk switch is probably the culprit.

Now that he has sorted his problem, I suspect Maxvonmillion won't be revisiting this thread, (and he's not taking emails) so does anyone else know what the process of changing the switch involves? Is it the whole stalk? How do you get it off? Is it actually the twisty bit of the stalk, or is Max talking about a relay mounted on the steering column?

Anyone?

thanks

Nedguy

The turn signal/flasher/dimmer switch is not hard to remove and replace.
The last one I replaced was a 90 model so there maybe slight differences in a 96 but generally the same.
1. Disconnect the (-) battery cable from the battery.
2. Remove the screws securing the steering column lower shroud and remove the shroud.
3. Loosen the two bolts securing the steering column to the support bracket enough to allow removal of the upper steering column shroud.
4. To remove the turn signal lever, move the outer end of the lever around in a circular motion, then pull it straight out of the switch assy.
5. Peel back the foam shield from the turn switch.
6. Disconnect the switch electrical connectors.
7. Remove the switch mounting screws and remove the switch from the lock cylinder housing. Disengage and remove the switch from the housing.
8. Installation is the reverse of the removal procedure.
The switch is not expensive, I bought mine at Advance Auto Parts.

Thanks souphound.

That sounds ok. I'll have a go and report back!

NG

Hi Nedguy!

I replaced the whole unit (from a scrapyard for a tenner - and the 'new' unit works far nicer than the old one, even down to the actual sound of the indicators, etc. :-)

All I did was:

1. Removed the top part of the cover on the steering column.
2. Disconnected the electrics socket, and removed the replaced the whole unit (I 'think' there was only one screw holding it in place.)

Hope that helps,
Max.

PS - You may have tried to email me via my btinternet.com email (yes?) If so, I wasn't ignoring it - I'm unable to receive emails on that account at the mo'. My comp recently crashed so I'm reinstalling everything and I still have to add that email account to Outlook so I can start receing emails at that address again.

In the meantime, if you have any questions then please feel free to email me at: [email protected] - I know 'zero' about cars but I'll try to answer and help as best I can. :-)

Hi Max

Thanks for getting back.

I'm beginning to get a feel for this now. I've been doing some research and seen images of the 'switch' on ebay. I now realise it is not some small box componant. It is a whole yoke-shaped assembly that straddles the steering column and has the switches, and both levers - indicators/lights/dip/horn on the left and wipers/washers on the right.

So it should just slot out/slot in.

Iritatingly I just missed one on ebay going for around £15. (There are some more unused ones at £30+. Clearly this is far from being an unusual problem!)

I'm pretty confident now that I should be able to get this sorted out, but thanks for your email address. I'll use it if I find there's something I didn't ask (like you, I'm not an expert!) and I'll return to this thread to write up any significant discoveries/experiences for anyone else who gets caught by this Escort lights fault.

Cheers

NG

Hi Nedguy, you're 100% spot-on with what to do - the only other thing I would suggest is that it's definitely worth trying a scrapyard for the part if there's any near you. I've saved a at least a couple of hundred quid by doing this, and most of the parts have been 'nearly new' (write-offs, etc) - and Escort parts are pretty easy (and cheap) to get.

Good luck with everything,
Max.

OK

I can drive my car at night again! Hooray!


It was indeed the switch unit.


Getting it...

As we discussed above, it is a yoke-shaped assembly that straddles the steering column and has both lights/indicator and wiper stalks. There seems to be a standard model that fits Mk5, 6 & 7 Escorts. The only thing to check is that you don't need the vari-speed wiper version.

They are pretty easy to come by. As Max suggests you can try your local scrapyard , which is undoubtably the cheapest option. I didn't have time for that, but I did try the online scrapyard network breakersweb.co.uk. Fill in a form online and scrapyards around the country text their price to your mobile. I got four text quotes that way ranging from around £23 to £30. The price from an ordinary parts dealer was around £42. A new unit from Ford could cost anything up to £60/£70. In the end I opted to get a new unit through ebay for £32. I ordered it at Monday lunchtime. It arrived 0830 today, Wednesday.


Preparation...

Don't even begin unless you have a short-length torx (about T20 size) screwdriver. (the b**stards don't want to make it easy for you!). It needs to be short so you can slip it in between the steering column and the dashboard to remove the two torx screws holding the top cover in place. If you haven't got a mate who can lend you one, a 7-piece torx set costs about £6.


Fitting it...

As Alvin (souphound) says, start by disconnecting the negative battery cable.

Remove the two torx screws holding the top cover. The cover is attached to an expanding rubber skirt that stops dirt & junk sliding down between the column and the instrument panel. It is easy to pull out the tags to detach it (and re-attach it later).

Don't be tempted to leave the bottom steering column cover on. You need to remove it (four torx screws) to get your fingers around the back of the unit to undo the plugs.

Then undo the single (you were right, Max) phillips-head screw holding the switch unit in place. This allows you to lift and bend the unit around so you can un-clip the plugs. (the two multiplugs are hooked into place at one end. They don't just pull out straight).

With the plugs detached, the unit is free. There is a relay (small black box) plugged to the back of the unit (I suspect for the indicators?) which needs to be transfered to the new unit before you fit it, plug it up and screw everything back into place.

Replace battery lead, test, and hopefully enjoy!

NG

Nedguy,
Good update, glad to see you are mobile again.
Ta-Ta