HELP - car sold - now having problem

[Tinkerer]

My wifes old car ( FORD 97 Explorer V8 eddy bauer)

two weeks ago the left low beam goes out - I change the bulb and it works great untill last night. I bought two bulbs two weeks ago. The new buyer is on his way to pick the car up. I go out and change the bulb again but it still won't work ( high beam works great - passenger side works great)
I have checked fuses.

HELP - any ideas???

It isn't the plug that goes on the bulb.

 

[tommymonza]

Do you have a test light ? Can you backprobe the connections on the plug to be certain you have voltage ?

 

[Tinkerer]

I have traced down what wire does what (low and high beam)
The plug is OK, I have checked all of the fuses. I have power at the fuses.
someone suggested the headlight control module up behind the dash is bad.
NAPA doesn't show this part.
I will have to call the FORD dealer tomarrow.

 

[Ted]

Worse comes to worse, grab about 5 feet of 12 gauge wire and take a feed from the rt headlight.

 

[tommymonza]

How do you know the plug is ok?

 

[Tinkerer]

This car has the check headlight feature.
This car tells you when anything goes wrong.
No way to shut that off.

 

[Ted]

There is no control unit in the system between the two lights you either have a bad wire or a bad plug, if the plug is okay then you have a wiring issue, easiest way is to bypass it from the other light, here is the wiring diagram and you can see the junction of the wires before the lights.

 

[Tinkerer]

How do you know the plug is ok?

I cut a piece off of the insulation 3 inches up from the plug just to expose the wire.

 

[Ted]

This car has the check headlight feature.
This car tells you when anything goes wrong.
No way to shut that off.

All it will need to see is the proper amperage/resistance in the circuit from 2 bulbs so it should work with the second wire.

 

[tommymonza]

And did you get a voltage reading?

 

[tommymonza]

I wiil backout Ted knows more than me on this.

 

[tommymonza]

I like Teds idea get a couple of the blue saddle connecters and some wire and if the plug is not bad that should bypass your problem.

 

[Tinkerer]

The headlights have seperate power feeds ( seperate fuses for left and right)
I am reading about 50 ohms between the center ( common ) lead and ground.
I get proper voltage depending on high or low on the passenger side but only get voltage for the high beam on the drivers side.

 

[Ted]

No, you're on the right track Tommy, ideally you need to check for power and ground and supply whichever one is not working on the left side. Since the high beam works that should mean the ground is good so there will be no 12V at the low beam connection.

 

[Ted]

Okay just looked at the schematic again and saw the feed from the fuses. So you have power on both sides of the left headlamp fuse? But no power on the wire at the plug?

 

[JupiterSunsation]

tell the buyer that the car is 13 years old and things break............then go enjoy your new BMW!

 

[Tinkerer]

Ted - thanks for the wireing diagram. I can trace it down now.

Have to go on a service call (HVAC) - Back in an hour or so.

 

[Tinkerer]

Yeah I have power on both sides of fuse 4 and 8
I will check more when I get back but right now I have to go earn some $

Only bad thing about being a sole proprieter in the HVAC business - when the phone rings you go.

 

[Ted]

Alright, good luck, I am off to a Superbowl party, but I'll try and check back when I get home and see where you're at.

 

[imco offshore]

how about a ground by the light being loose ??