All lights out!

[Turipink]

I have a 92 Ford Taurus, and my tailights, parking lights, and side marker lights suddenly went out. However, my headlights, brake lights, and interior lights work. I've checked all the fuses and replace the bulbs numerous times, the fuse box underneath the hood was checked as well and that fuse is good too. What could the problem be? Someone suggested replacing the headlight switch...?

[jhmach1]

Originally Posted by Turipink

I have a 92 Ford Taurus, and my tailights, parking lights, and side marker lights suddenly went out. However, my headlights, brake lights, and interior lights work. I've checked all the fuses and replace the bulbs numerous times, the fuse box underneath the hood was checked as well and that fuse is good too. What could the problem be? Someone suggested replacing the headlight switch...?

Sounds like the Hazard/Turn/Headlamp switch is corroded.

Just take the three phillips screws out of the plastic steering column cover (from bottom), unscrew the tilt wheel lever (so you can move the lower plastic housing down to gain access to the lower switch mounting screw)and carefully remove the upper half of the steering column cover over the shift lever. Then use a torx bit/driver to remove the two switch mounting screws.

Remove the two electrical connectors, and the switch will be in your hands. Then you can either spend $80.00 for a new one, or remove the screws from the switch housing while holding the housing together, and then carefully take it apart on a table with a rag under the switch.

Clean all old grease off the parts with some brake parts cleaner (sprayed onto a rag), and then use some fine grit sandpaper to clean all corrosion off the copper contacts. Then apply a small amount of grease to each copper contact & re-assemble the switch & install. Test lights before completely re-assembling the column.

Took me 20 minutes, and I saved $80.00! All lights work like new.

Hope this helps!

JHMACH1

[Turipink]

Originally Posted by jhmach1

Sounds like the Hazard/Turn/Headlamp switch is corroded.

Just take the three phillips screws out of the plastic steering column cover (from bottom), unscrew the tilt wheel lever (so you can move the lower plastic housing down to gain access to the lower switch mounting screw)and carefully remove the upper half of the steering column cover over the shift lever. Then use a torx bit/driver to remove the two switch mounting screws.

Remove the two electrical connectors, and the switch will be in your hands. Then you can either spend $80.00 for a new one, or remove the screws from the switch housing while holding the housing together, and then carefully take it apart on a table with a rag under the switch.

Clean all old grease off the parts with some brake parts cleaner (sprayed onto a rag), and then use some fine grit sandpaper to clean all corrosion off the copper contacts. Then apply a small amount of grease to each copper contact & re-assemble the switch & install. Test lights before completely re-assembling the column.

Took me 20 minutes, and I saved $80.00! All lights work like new.

Hope this helps!

JHMACH1

Wow-Thank u so much! I was getting frustrated and was going to make an appt to take it to a shop till i saw your reply...this weekend I'll be sure to try that. Now, the funny thing is that my hazard lights work as well...i don't know if that changes the "fixit" problem any. Also, a while before my tailights went out my dash lights would "flicker" at times...I could hit my dash (ghetto-i know) and they'd be fully on....so now i'm thinking it has something to do with wiring instead of a switch itself...b/c they don't work at all now...but my dome light does...? Where do i go from here?...

[pjshubne]

Originally Posted by Turipink

Wow-Thank u so much! I was getting frustrated and was going to make an appt to take it to a shop till i saw your reply...this weekend I'll be sure to try that. Now, the funny thing is that my hazard lights work as well...i don't know if that changes the "fixit" problem any. Also, a while before my tailights went out my dash lights would "flicker" at times...I could hit my dash (ghetto-i know) and they'd be fully on....so now i'm thinking it has something to do with wiring instead of a switch itself...b/c they don't work at all now...but my dome light does...? Where do i go from here?...

did you ever fiqure out your problem with the tail lights/dash lights? i am having almost the exact same problem with my 95 taurus. thanks.

[jhmach1]

Originally Posted by Turipink

Wow-Thank u so much! I was getting frustrated and was going to make an appt to take it to a shop till i saw your reply...this weekend I'll be sure to try that. Now, the funny thing is that my hazard lights work as well...i don't know if that changes the "fixit" problem any. Also, a while before my tailights went out my dash lights would "flicker" at times...I could hit my dash (ghetto-i know) and they'd be fully on....so now i'm thinking it has something to do with wiring instead of a switch itself...b/c they don't work at all now...but my dome light does...? Where do i go from here?...

Hello Turipink,

The "switch fix" I posted is for non-functioning hazards, turn signals, and headlight high/low beam. If you are having intermittant troubles with your dash lights, chances are that the socket where the harness plugs into the instrument cluster may be loose, or the terminals could possibly need to be cleaned. Be sure to check the cluster itself really good too, as there may be a cracked film, or loose light bulb socket causing the trouble too.

The dome light is on a seperate circuit, so dash light issues should not affect the dome light. Also....remember that the steering column is bolted directly to the dash/substrate, so smacking the dash will vibrate the steering column. That multi-switch is a very robust design, but the grease they used seems to cause a small amount of corrosion.

Hope this helps more...

JHMACH1

[Turipink]

Originally Posted by pjshubne

did you ever fiqure out your problem with the tail lights/dash lights? i am having almost the exact same problem with my 95 taurus. thanks.

Well, someone actually replied however they said it sounded like it was the hazard/tailight/turning switch. I emailed him back yesterday telling him that although it was a great suggestion, my hazard lights, headlamps, and turning single works. so i wasn't sure if that changed the "fixit" problem. What problems are you having? My dash lights, side marker lights, parking lights, and tailights don't work. I don't know what's wrong. I think i may just give up and take it to a shop, although i really don't want to. Before they went out, my dash lights would"flicker" and then (ghetto!) i could hit my dash on the top and they'd fully come on so my guess is that it's something w/in the wiring and if that's the case, the dash has to come out and I'm not about to attempt that myself.

[pjshubne]

Originally Posted by Turipink

Well, someone actually replied however they said it sounded like it was the hazard/tailight/turning switch. I emailed him back yesterday telling him that although it was a great suggestion, my hazard lights, headlamps, and turning single works. so i wasn't sure if that changed the "fixit" problem. What problems are you having? My dash lights, side marker lights, parking lights, and tailights don't work. I don't know what's wrong. I think i may just give up and take it to a shop, although i really don't want to. Before they went out, my dash lights would"flicker" and then (ghetto!) i could hit my dash on the top and they'd fully come on so my guess is that it's something w/in the wiring and if that's the case, the dash has to come out and I'm not about to attempt that myself.

my tail lights, side markers and dash lights don't work. i have checked all fuses and bulbs and they seem to be good. this is really my grandmother's car. i am trying to help her because she can't drive anywhere at night due to the lights problem. i am going to check for a bad ground this weekend or maybe even try to clean that tail/hazard switch out that the other guy recommended. let me know if you figure anything out. i will do the same. thanks for the reply.

[jeffescortlx]

Bump. Same problem. Tails, front sides markers and dash lights dont work. The fuse (#4) is good and has power going to it. Any one find the problem?

[Wodinator]

Turipink:

Taking the dash apart is rather simple. If you own a Chilton's manual, go by their process, it's not that complicated to do. the first time I did it, took me about a half hour, the second time I did it, took me about 5 minutes.

remove the cowel on the steering column (upper half will do)
remove the knee kick plate (there are 2 bolts on the lower part of the kick plate.)
gently pry out the headlight cluster panel with a flathead screwdriver-do not remove, just let it hang out of the dash.
gently pry out the panel with the air vents (top middle section of dash-above radio)
remove the screws on the instrument cluster, then the retaining bolts(visible after the above panels are removed).
you might need to tilt down the steering column to get the instrument cluster itself out (also may take a bit of wiggling in the right areas-tight fit)

check to see if the cables going into the back of the cluster are plugged in all the way

[Turipink]

hey now my left turning signal is going crazy blinking at twice the speed of the other one any help.....

[jeffescortlx]

^ that mean's you have a burnt out light bulb.

As far as the tail, dash and front side lights not working, it was because the head light switch plug was melted.

[Turipink]

Originally Posted by jeffescortlx

^ that mean's you have a burnt out light bulb.

As far as the tail, dash and front side lights not working, it was because the head light switch plug was melted.

WOW! I really love you guys, hmm, headlight switch, pretty costly? Do you go through the dash? Is there any chance that it's because the large fuses under the hood are corroded (sp?) ugh, i just need a new car. Anyway, Thank you so much....again!

[jeffescortlx]

A new head light switch is about 25 dollars. But with the car I worked on, the head light switch it's self was fine, it was the harness that plugged into it, the plug was all melted and disformed. I just had to work with the connectors a bit to get them to plug back into the connector. Works fine now.

[Turipink]

Originally Posted by jeffescortlx

A new head light switch is about 25 dollars. But with the car I worked on, the head light switch it's self was fine, it was the harness that plugged into it, the plug was all melted and disformed. I just had to work with the connectors a bit to get them to plug back into the connector. Works fine now.

hmmm...well i've gotten so frustrated at all this I'm taking it to a shop this weekend...i somehow managed to break my tire, didn't know you could do that, but leave it to me....anyway...i'm gonna have them look at the wiring and some other stuff, i was hoping i could do it myself...but i don't feel like taking the dash out, i'm sure i'd do fine, but putting it back in would be a different story. My break light is out now, so to date the only lights that work are my dome light, my headlights, my front blinkers, and 1 back breaklight....she's just falling apart. Thanks for all the info, i'm gonna have them check out everything, i apprecciate it a lot, but seems as if there's too much for me to do about it.

Turi