95 GT NO LIGHTS Or Clock

[mustang3550]

Hi Guys this is my first post and my first day owning a SN95. Ive had a fox now for 6 years but time for a change. So I picked up a 95 GT today cheap. 1400, with mods. But is had issues 3 minor dents a seat that was tore, and yeah wiring issue.

So no lights on the car work. Headlights,markers, turn, gauge back lights, or clock and trunk release, The only lights I do have is reverse and the lights such as battery, check engine, air bag etc. I do not know on radio as it doesnt have one installed. So today I after 3.5 hrs down and 3.5 hrs back to pick car up I started checking the withing. Fixed the wiring for coolant level plug as is was split. All cars fuses are good. I checked every one with a meter and got a tone. The headlight switched was replaced and pigtail but there is no power anyweres, so then I checked the multifunction switch. No power there. All fuses under dash are good aswell. I knew how to tinker with my fox harness but until I get a Manual and read up some on the cars wiring im kinda feeling like im in the dark.

The previous owner did change the engine computer harness as it had burn wires and alt harness. The car is ABS, he replaced it with a NON abs harness idk if any difference but abs sucks. a good foot can always stop it better imo.

Any help anyone can put towards this be very very appreciated. Thanks

 

[Stanimal]

id say headlight switch, however, recently i had both headlight switch and 2 fuses blow on me. start with rechecking all the underdash fuses, then try the switch. switch shouldnt be more then $20 from local auto parts store

 

[Orange 94]

Sounds like you'll have your hands full...
Sucks buying someones project... especially when they sound like they didn't know what they were doing.


Check grounds?
The guy probably screwed up the harness...

 

[ttocs]

check fuses under the hood?

 

[Stanimal]

didnt process what you said OP. i can say this, i lost my clock and markers on the same fuse. now, since you say you have also lost headlights, i will put LOADS of money on the fact that its the constant hot wire going into the switch itself. look at a wire diagram, find the constant hot, and trace that bad boy. it will be hot with key off or on. Thats your issue. GM years ago put a inline fusable link in their headlights, ford might have done the same thing not sure tho. somewhere that wire is broken or a fuse is blown

 

[mustang3550]

didnt process what you said OP. i can say this, i lost my clock and markers on the same fuse. now, since you say you have also lost headlights, i will put LOADS of money on the fact that its the constant hot wire going into the switch itself. look at a wire diagram, find the constant hot, and trace that bad boy. it will be hot with key off or on. Thats your issue. GM years ago put a inline fusable link in their headlights, ford might have done the same thing not sure tho. somewhere that wire is broken or a fuse is blown

With checking everything last night with a meter its kinda what I was thinking, Since the headlight switch is new and the Red/yellow stripe wire that I assumed was constant due to its gauge size didn't have any power nor was there any power at the multi switch( this is checking all with a meter looking for a hot). all my fuses have continuity through them so I have eliminated that. What upset me is that the headlight harness, some lights weren't even in the housing. Example Fog lights just hanging in Radiator support and with those being bare can easily short out something. somewhere its not getting power to inside the car that much I know...

 

[mustang3550]

check fuses under the hood?

All the Fuses on car Check out with a good tone from my Meter. Even pulled any light related ones to check the visual as well.

 

[ttocs]

If the fuses are all good then I would suspect the ignition cylinder is not hitting one of the accessory wires. We need to find a schematic to see where/which wires feed the multifunction switch and trace it back from there. Also could be something stupid like a ground. Look on the passenger side of where the console meets the dash under the glove compartment and you should see some yellow wires with ring terminals going to green bolts to ground the dash to the chassis. Make sure they are there and are tight and you can't wiggle them. Don't be afraid to give them a good pull they should be able to take it.

 

[mustang3550]

If the fuses are all good then I would suspect the ignition cylinder is not hitting one of the accessory wires. We need to find a schematic to see where/which wires feed the multifunction switch and trace it back from there. Also could be something stupid like a ground. Look on the passenger side of where the console meets the dash under the glove compartment and you should see some yellow wires with ring terminals going to green bolts to ground the dash to the chassis. Make sure they are there and are tight and you can't wiggle them. Don't be afraid to give them a good pull they should be able to take it.

The Cylinder Has been on my mind from the get go. I remember having to replace the one in my fox for light issue aswell. going back out i have a few covers off atm. so will start checking some more.

 

[Stanimal]

the lights have no source of power or ground from the ign switch. they are a constant hot constant grounded component. which is why with the keys out you can still turn your lights on. you said you have blinkers, which means you must have a good ign switch because it is sending power to them, and blinkers only work with the key in the run position. your problem is in the constant power to the headlight switch somewhere. good thinking tho ttocs

 

[mustang3550]

the lights have no source of power or ground from the ign switch. they are a constant hot constant grounded component. which is why with the keys out you can still turn your lights on. you said you have blinkers, which means you must have a good ign switch because it is sending power to them, and blinkers only work with the key in the run position. your problem is in the constant power to the headlight switch somewhere. good thinking tho ttocs

I Dont have blinkers...

What I dont have: HEadlights, Tailights, Brake Lights, Marker Lights, Signal Lights, Fog Lights, Clock. overhead light, horn.

What I do have: Running Car, and Reverse lights.

No power on the RED/yellow so i did a jumper to the red/yellow from the battery a few minutes ago. with the switch in the off position I have clock only, no blinkers or brake lights, first pull out i had tail lights and marker lights, no brake or blinkers or clock, secound pull out, headlights, marker, tail lights, no brake, clock or blinkers.

In all those position I do get my interior overhead light and the annoying Chim. Rewirring the headlight switch to make sure its correctly done since he had it nothing but tapped up.

all those test were with the key in the on/run position. I also checked ground under dash and located 4 mounting points and 5 wires to the points. all were secure and clean.

 

[ttocs]

Just for giggles check the wiring in the drivers kick panel to see if its hacked up. A lot of the wiring needed for the alarm is down there and that is where they often mount the alarm and splic into the wiring. If they did a bad job pulling it out or a crappy job on install you might need to connect a few wires down there. The hrns comes up from the back of the car, up into the dash to the top of it.

Also on the bottom of the ignition cylinder is used as a splice point for a lot of the wiring. Even though he has lost a constant its still possible that a wire has come loose up there. Look at the bottom of it and see if anything is loose but the cylinder is super easy to swap/check to see if it is a problem was another reason I mentioned it.

 

[mustang3550]

ok I will look at those areas and update..

 

[CC'S95GT]

Did you change the head light sw. pigtail or did the PO?
The replacement pigtail comes with a few extra wires that's not needed on the mustang. Maybe wires got spliced into the wrong location.

 

[mustang3550]

with me wiggling and moving the wires it all had no effects. on the big plug under column with all the heavy gauge wiring that all seemed to be in order.. im going to run out and get a manual on the car now also need a new drop cord tube light as it went out last night.

 

[mustang3550]

Did you change the head light sw. pigtail or did the PO?
The replacement pigtail comes with a few extra wires that's not needed on the mustang. Maybe wires got spliced into the wrong location.

previous owner did, he replaced the switch and pigtail. I think there were two wires from the PT not connect I just took it out to redo it and to double check his work since it was only redone as a twist and tape

 

[Stanimal]

i had 3 switches go bad in less then 100 miles. the 4th switch has lasted 3 months now. try another $20 switch if you can

 

[mustang3550]

i had 3 switches go bad in less then 100 miles. the 4th switch has lasted 3 months now. try another $20 switch if you can

Picked up a manual. love how there price has went from the 14 15 were few years ago to 28$ now.

As for the switch I have IT our now and will do a few test on it. but for the moment life needs happen.. grass mowing time and grocerys :/
)

 

[mustang3550]

Well got things done and grabbed a manual. Tested the New headlight switch out that was purchased and its good. As said early have no power even coming to that switch, So I was looking at the schematic and on 12-26 of haynes manual Ive noticed theres an anti theft controll module. Can this keep the car from getting power to this switch, way im looking at it i can see that it can. But the car will start and run...roughly i may say.

 

[Stanimal]

what i would do is find the color of wire that the constant power is, look at the manual and see where it goes. find where that wire starts, and see if there is power there. if there is, trace it until you find where it loses power. if there isnt power at its start, back trace where that location gets power from.