Help! interior background illumination lights not working

[Jessica19699]

so ecss my boyfriend checked the car out while I am at work today he said he disconnected the battery and tried a fuse without taking the headlight switch apart when he reconnected the battery the fuse blew, so he then disconnected the battery again and then took the headlight switch apart and popped off the orange wire connecter he replaced the blown fuse and reconnected the battery, he then said the fuse didn't blow he then disconnected the battery and reconnected the switch plug to the switch and reconnected the battery and he said the fuse didn't blow. he said the parking lights are working now, he also said there was a wire that wasn't connected to the plug of the headlight switch plug he took out he said it was bent back and maybe that might have hit something metal and caused it to short out, he think but isn't sure the wire that was out maybe goes to the aftermarket alarm but who knows..so why would it work now after all this is it possible there is a short in the headlight switch ? he is going to leave it apart until I come home today so I can look at it myself, you have any ideas why this might have happened? thanks

 

[ecss]

Verify the interior lights are now working and you can dim them by using the dimmer switch.

For the Tail fuse to blow.

The Orange wire must be touching something to cause it to draw more than 15 amps of current because the
fuse is blowing with no load on it. (Cut insulation on the orange wire) or something internal to the Headlight switch is shorting out the Orange wire. :L

Or if someone has spliced into the Orange wire to power an aftermarket device.
Solution, remove the device.

According to the Service Manual the Tail fuse provides power to the Headlight switch and also
on Canadian cars to the Day time running light module. (I assume your car is not a Canadian Car).

No cut in the Orange wire.
No after market device getting power from the Orange wire.
No DRL.

I'd conclude the Headlight Switch is the problem.
Could be just moving it around dislodged what ever is loose inside the Headlight switch.

I would leave the switch hanging and move it around tap it with the end of a screw driver
move the connector wires around and see if the fuse blows. Drive it like that and see what happens.
When you feel confident the problem is fixed bolt it back up and call it a day,

Just hope the fuse doesn't blow again and you're left with out parking lights driving at night. :ugh

If it were my car, I'd replace the switch.

 

[Jessica19699]

ecss here are a couple of pics I took with the wire that was cut and hanging, my bf said when he pulled out the switch the wire was just hanging there.do you think that wire maybe touched something metal and shorted out the switch ?it is a wire that is grouped with the orange wire cluster, also one of my flood lights is blown that wouldn't cause a issues would it? The cute wire looks like it is tan/brown with a white stripe on it

 

[Jessica19699]

here u go sorry I had to figure out how to save and send them on here lol

 

[ecss]

Looks like a factory wire.
Look at the plug in back of the ASR On, Off switch.
There should be a a Pink/Black wire and a Brown/White wire going to the two wire connector.

Do the interior back ground lights work?

What are you referring to as flood light? The cornering lamps or the fog lamps?

To replace the fog lamp bulb you open the hood and twist the socket behind the
fog lamp lens. The bulb is a # 880.

 

[Jessica19699]

opps yeah I meant fog light ,where the hell did flood light come from lol any way I checked and both the pink and brown wires are attached to the asr.I'm going to check the dimmer illumination lights when it gets darker out in another hour.so I should just tape that lose wire up real good with electrical tape and tuck it back in?

 

[ecss]

Yes you can tape the end of the cut wire but it appears to be a factory wire so the other end
must be near by.

Only Bubba Jr. would cut a wire and leave it hanging like that. ad


I don't see any copper wire showing so I doubt that could have touched the copper wire of the Orange wire.

If you think that wire touched the metal dash frame and caused the Tail fuse to blow, go ahead and touch the
end of the wire to the metal dash frame and see what blows?

 

[Jessica19699]

ok I will try that and see what happens, I will also test out the switch for a couple of days and repost a flow up then, I may just go ahead and replace the switch anyway like u said. I will be in touch soon and thanks again for everything, you rock

 

[ecss]

I came across a 92 Factory Service manual. I think that cut Tan/White wire is for the Parking Brake Switch.
Why you can't find the other end of the cut wire is very strange.

You can verify the Instrument Cluster Brake Warning Indicator light bulb works by turning the ignition key and holding it right before the Start position. This is called the bulb test position. The Brake indicator bulb in the dash cluster should light.

To confirm the wire is used by the Parking Brake switch, apply the parking brake. If the Brake indicator bulb does not light the cut Tan/White wire is probably the cause. :bash




View attachment 21742View attachment 21743

 

[Jessica19699]

ECSS ok thanks for that info we actually got the replacement headlight switch yesterday the one from eBay and it looks brand-new we are replacing it today and will check out what u said and I will repost and let you know. I decided to replace the switch based on what u said and also after trying it out a few time with the old one the fog lights didn't seem to be working properly u turn them on one min and both bulbs light u click it off and on again and then one bulb is lit it keeps going back and forth between one and two bulbs lighting so we figured maybe there is a issue with the switch internally. Anyway we will find out and I will let you know. Thanks again for all your info u been great :L

 

[Jessica19699]

well we changed out the switch it all works but the fog lights still do as I told u they were doing before I may try replacing the bulbs not sure that will help but what the heck worth a try. The brake light does light up with the ignition switch is turned on and the emergency brake is pulled also .you got any ideas on why the fog lights are doing what they do? not even sure still what caused all of this to happen either with the switch since we got everything working before replacing the switch.

 

[ecss]

one the fog lights didn't seem to be working properly u turn them on one min and both bulbs light u click it off and on again and then one bulb is lit it keeps going back and forth between one and two bulbs lighting so we figured maybe there is a issue with the switch internally.

*******************************************
Is the color of the cut wire Tan/White or Brown/White? :ugh
*******************************************

Note: If the headlight high beams are on, the fog lamps are disabled. !!!!!!!!!!!

When you press the fog light button and the indicator light is on, the fog lamp relay closes and 12 volts goes to each bulb. At each fog lamp bulb socket is a Purple wire which will measure 12 volts when the fog lamp switch is On.

The other wire is Black and is ground.

An indication that both ground wires are good is do both of you under hood lamps work?
Do both horns work? (There are two horns one by each front frame rail).

If yes to both I doubt you have a ground problem unless you have a rodent problem. :L

If only one bulb doesn't light sometimes, you need to remove the bulb and re-seat the bulb
in the socket, or swap it with the other bulb and see if the problem stays with that bulb.

Beware if you remove the fog lamp bulb, use tissue paper, gloves or a rag to remove the bulb. If you use your fingers oil from you fingers will shorten the life of the bulb. ad (Fog lamp bulb is a #880 around $10.00).

Here's the diagram of the fog lamp circuit.

 

[Jessica19699]

i believe the cut wire is tan/white and the fog lights seem to be working fine now hmm not sure what is going on but as of now they both work great

 

[ecss]

i believe the cut wire is tan/white

Only Tan/White wires left in that area would be for the
1) Low Brake fluid switch (Lights the Brake indicator lamp when the brake fluid is low).
2) Brake pressure differential switch (Lights the Brake indicator lamp when the master cylinder braking pressure is low).

Both switches are screwed into the passenger side of the Brake Master Cylinder under the hood as shown
in the picture.

If you want to test them.
One at a time.
Unplug the connector and short the wire to something metal like a brake line or the metal body of the master cylinder.
You may have to stick a paper clip into the connector and touch the other end of the paper clip to something metal.
Turn the ignition On.
The Brake light should come on.

If the dash cluster Brake indicator light doesn't come On that's the switch the cut wire goes to.

Or since everything you want is working just leave the cut wire as is.

 

[Jessica19699]

ok great ecss I will check this out ,thanks again for all your help you have been awesome:L