Electrical Problems...

I Recently Had An Electrical Issue. I Lost My Side Mirror's Heat Function, My Map Lights - Front & Back, My Auto-dimming Mirror Function, And My Cruise Control. They Are All Connected To The Same Fuse But It Is Not Blown. Is There A Secret Squirrel Fuse Or Breaker Of Some Kind? My Map Lights Turn On When I Push My Headlight Switch's All Interior Lights On/off Function, Just Not When I Turn The Individual Lights On.

Also, My Third Brake Light Glows Dimmly When My Ignition Is In The Run Position And Get Brighter When I Hit My Brake. Any Ideas?

Also, I Want To Change My Exterior Bulbs Into Led Bulbs Like I Did On My '99 F-250 But When I Did It To My F-250, I Had To Replace The Stock "flasher" With A Heavy-duty Model Because The Led's Use Less Power And The Car Recognizes This As A Burn Out Bulb And Flashes Fast. From What I Can Tell, My '96 Lincoln Town Car Doesn't Have A "flasher" Controller. I Think It Is Built-in To A Circuit Or Something. Any Ideas?

...I Want To Change My Exterior Bulbs Into Led Bulbs...


All the lighting functions are going through the LCM (Lighting Control Module) including the flashers and signals.

Sounds like you'll have to add a resistor to each new bulb to fake-out the system.
I believe any aftermarket lamp assembly would include resistors to handle the LCM problems, if there's even one made for a 96 TC. :)

I Recently Had An Electrical Issue.


What kind of "issue"? Something else, or just what you have listed here?


I Lost My Side Mirror's Heat Function, My Map Lights - Front & Back, My Auto-dimming Mirror Function, And My Cruise Control. They Are All Connected To The Same Fuse But It Is Not Blown. Is There A Secret Squirrel Fuse Or Breaker Of Some Kind? My Map Lights Turn On When I Push My Headlight Switch's All Interior Lights On/off Function, Just Not When I Turn The Individual Lights On.

Also, My Third Brake Light Glows Dimmly When My Ignition Is In The Run Position And Get Brighter When I Hit My Brake. Any Ideas?


Have you looked at the relays and fuses in the Power Distribution Box under the hood?

What I Have Listed. I Lost All The Above At Once. Like I Mentioned, I Find It Wierd That All Of It Seems To Be On One Circuit And I Did Replace The Fuse With A New One (even Though The Old One Looked Fine) And It Still Doesn't Work.

...All the lighting functions are going through the LCM (Lighting Control Module) including the flashers and signals....


Hey John,
I stand corrected.. :uhoh:
I found a separate section describing the Flashers in better detail, also contradicting the LCM functionality:

«1996 Town Car/Crown Victoria/Grand Marquis Table of Contents»
«Group 18: ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION»
«Section 18-01: Wiring and Circuit Protection»
«REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION»

Indicator Flasher

Hazard indicator flasher is located on rear of instrument panel fuse junction panel.

Turn indicator flasher is located on front of instrument panel fuse junction panel.

Removal and Installation

1. Pull indicator flasher straight out of fuse junction panel.

2. To install, align blades of indicator flasher with socket and push indicator flasher into fuse junction panel until seated.

What I Have Listed. I Lost All The Above At Once. Like I Mentioned, I Find It Wierd That All Of It Seems To Be On One Circuit And I Did Replace The Fuse With A New One (even Though The Old One Looked Fine) And It Still Doesn't Work.


Well, after scanning the manual, I see separate fuses for some of the problems you have listed.

Fuse #4 Courtesy and Interior Lighting, Instrument Panel Illumination, Anti-Theft and Safety Belt Warning Indicator.

Fuse # 6 Power Windows, Roof Sliding Panel, Radio, Clock, Cellular Telephone, Compass, Electrochromic Mirrors.

Fuse # 7 Modules: Air Bag Diagnostic Monitor, Anti-Lock Brake Control, Cluster, Daytime Running Lamps Control, Speed Control, Air Suspension, EATC, Transmission Control Switch.

Fuse # 8 Digital Audio Compact Disc Changer, Cellular Telephone, Luggage Compartment Door Pulldown Motor, Power Mirrors, Audio/Climate Remote Controls, Electronic Door Lock Control, Memory Mirrors and Seats, Power Door Lock Switches.

Fuse # 13 Heated Outside Rear View Mirrors.

So, I'm guessing at this point that something was disconnected, maybe a simple ground harness was overlooked during another repair?

Hey John,
I stand corrected.. :uhoh:
I found a separate section describing the Flashers in better detail, also contradicting the LCM functionality:

«1996 Town Car/Crown Victoria/Grand Marquis Table of Contents»
«Group 18: ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION»
«Section 18-01: Wiring and Circuit Protection»
«REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION»

Indicator Flasher

Hazard indicator flasher is located on rear of instrument panel fuse junction panel.

Turn indicator flasher is located on front of instrument panel fuse junction panel.

Removal and Installation

1. Pull indicator flasher straight out of fuse junction panel.

2. To install, align blades of indicator flasher with socket and push indicator flasher into fuse junction panel until seated.
WHERE IS THIS TELLING ME TO LOOK? BEHIND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL?

Well, after scanning the manual, I see separate fuses for some of the problems you have listed.

Fuse #4 Courtesy and Interior Lighting, Instrument Panel Illumination, Anti-Theft and Safety Belt Warning Indicator.

Fuse # 6 Power Windows, Roof Sliding Panel, Radio, Clock, Cellular Telephone, Compass, Electrochromic Mirrors.

Fuse # 7 Modules: Air Bag Diagnostic Monitor, Anti-Lock Brake Control, Cluster, Daytime Running Lamps Control, Speed Control, Air Suspension, EATC, Transmission Control Switch.

Fuse # 8 Digital Audio Compact Disc Changer, Cellular Telephone, Luggage Compartment Door Pulldown Motor, Power Mirrors, Audio/Climate Remote Controls, Electronic Door Lock Control, Memory Mirrors and Seats, Power Door Lock Switches.

Fuse # 13 Heated Outside Rear View Mirrors.

So, I'm guessing at this point that something was disconnected, maybe a simple ground harness was overlooked during another repair?
SORRY ABOUT THIS. THE MANUAL I HAVE IN MY CAR IS FROM A DIFFERENT YEAR THEN MINE. ANYWHO HERE'S THE ODD PART: (AND KEEP IN MIND ALL THESE FUNCTIONS DIED AT ONCE)

Fuse #4 ONLY MY "Courtesy and Interior Lighting" IS OUT FRONT THIS FUSE.

Fuse # 6 ONLY MY "Electrochromic Mirrors" IS OUT FROM THIS FUSE.

Fuse # 7 Modules: ONLY MY "Speed Control" IS OUT FROM THIS FUSE.

Fuse # 8 MY "POWER MIRRORS" WORK, IT'S THE AUTO-DIMMING FUNCTION OF THE POWER MIRRORS THAT DOESN'T

Fuse # 13 MY HEAT WORKS FOR MY POWER MIRRORS

I HAVE DONE NOTHING TO MY CAR THAT WOULD HAVE DISCONNECTED IT.

[COLOR=black]
...THE MANUAL I HAVE IN MY CAR IS FROM A DIFFERENT YEAR THEN MINE.

OK, Yours looks like this:
http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/8541/1996pwrdistbox1121ed1zg2.jpg

http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/1840/fuseblockchart11ff86qg9.png

gotcha - but that's not where the flashers are located, correct?

Indicator Flasher
Hazard indicator flasher is located on rear of instrument panel fuse junction panel.
Turn indicator flasher is located on front of instrument panel fuse junction panel.


Sorry John, I'm confused as well. Here's why:
I've been told many times that the flashers are handled by the LCM, unless you have the towing package installed where additional fuses, circuits, breakers, flashers, and wires are added.

Then I come across a section in the book (quoted above) saying "instrument panel fuse junction panel".. well I looked at my TC, all over those panels near the fuse block and cant find any flasher as described in that quote. I'm thinking that quote is referring to a towing package although that's not the section of the book where it's located. I don't think I have traditional flasher units.

Hence, the confusion.

Any progress on this electrical problem yet?

do you know if there is an aftermarket towing package available because i do plan on towing a pontoon boat and that probably would solve my problem?

do you know if there is an aftermarket towing package available because i do plan on towing a pontoon boat and that probably would solve my problem?

I was going to add one myself, many of us do. I did the research and found a class 2 was very common. Reese, Uhaul, Draw-Tite, Hidden Hitch, Valley and Curt all make bolt on models.

The last three listed also have bolt on Class 3 models for the Town Car. :) Some are really large and not pretty, others attempt to stay hidden as much as possible. Once you choose some candidates for your TC, check the installation instructions... some say the plastic bumper needs to be cut back in places, and some don't say that.

On my Camry, I added a class 2 Hidden Hitch that required 'cutting back' the plastic bumper.. I found that just cutting two 1.25" circles was all that was required.

The only problem with the after-market electrical installations is, they depend on the existing circuits for signal source.

The adapter, like this one:
http://www.etrailer.com/mm5/graphics/00000001/dt/t1/18176.jpg
does get it's power from the battery, but depends on the rearward wire harnesses for circuit signals. This eliminates added draw on the existing circuits, but won't resolve your lighting issues.

www.etrailer.com is a good resource to see what's available, get installation instructions, and check prices.