Mk3 Headlights

[mr jimbo]

Used the van on Saturday and the headlights were working in the morning, parked up came home didn't use the headlights on the way home. Went out later to get something from the van, went to turn the lights on and the light switch is stuck in the off position. Managed to free it, got sidelights but no headlights. There are no fuses blown, all the bulbs and relays are OK and everything else is working alright. The switchs have the Ford no's 86VB11K665BB on the light/wiper switch and 87VB13B302AA on the indicator switch. The problem seems to be in one of these switchs. Anybody got any clues?

[crazyscoot]

Make sure the fuse for the headlights is the correct rating (dont know off the top of my head what it should be(check the fuse box lid) If a fault occures and the fuse is to big then it can/will melt something else. Your stalk may well be melted inside.

[mr jimbo]

All the fuses are OK and of the correct Amp rate. The light switch was stuck like it was glued up but managed to free it and everything works alright except the headlights, looks like i need a new switch. Any ideas as to where i can get one, all the scrappies around here only have the later type with the flat(spade) terminals, mine has the round terminals.

[MrMPuk]

It sounds to me like a dirty contact inside the switch causing it to weld together, dunno if the Mk3 ones can be stripped and cleaned or not. If not try and get one cheap from a scrappie.

[jay]

this happens to most lightswitches if you have higher wattage headlamp bulbs fitted.as the higher wattage bulbs draw more power and melt the contacts.(I found out the hard way on mine.)if you have higher bulbs then you need to wire in a relay.

[MrMPuk]

Even a bad connection would cause a high current draw.

[jay]

yeah thats true..maybe the headlamp connections maybe corroded..

[mr jimbo]

The bulbs are new and connections are all clean, bulbs are of the right Wattage. Seems that i need a headlight switch but only the later type (flet/spade terminals) type in all my local scrappies, i need the one with the round terminals. It don't look like i can get this one to pieces without totally destroying it.

[MrMPuk]

eBay it is then!