Courtesy Light Problem

[John.Gallegos415]

Has anyone experienced this? With the headlights off, my courtesy lights work just fine when activated using the headlight switch. However, if I have the headlights on and then activate the courtesy lights, the fuse blows immediately. I have checked the wires but cannot figure out the problem. I am guessing there may be a problem with the headlight switch itself?

[Norm B]

Something is not wired correctly. The courtesy light part of the headlight switch provides the ground for those lights. Most likely a couple of wires are crossed at the switch.

Norm

[edwardb]

Something is not wired correctly. The courtesy light part of the headlight switch provides the ground for those lights. Most likely a couple of wires are crossed at the switch.

Norm

That's the key point IMO. The courtesy light is a [U]ground switched/U] circuit. Many don't realize this. The +12V power comes from the RF harness courtesy light wire. The headlight switch grounds the circuit. Check that the wiring is exactly like shown in the RF wiring diagram. I assume the fuse that's blowing is the courtesy light fuse?

[John.Gallegos415]

That's the key point IMO. The courtesy light is a [U]ground switched/U] circuit. Many don't realize this. The +12V power comes from the RF harness courtesy light wire. The headlight switch grounds the circuit. Check that the wiring is exactly like shown in the RF wiring diagram. I assume the fuse that's blowing is the courtesy light fuse?

That's the dilemma. The courtesy lights work just fine otherwise. The fuse blows only when I pull the switch to turn on the headlights.
But I fear my problem just got deeper. No dash lights or parking lights now. Everything worked a few days ago. Looks like I will will be tracing wire by wire using the schematic.
Thank you guys for your help.

John

[Norm B]

I would very carefully check the wiring at the switch. It seems like the courtesy light circuit is trying to provide power for all the lights.

Norm

[John.Gallegos415]

I would very carefully check the wiring at the switch. It seems like the courtesy light circuit is trying to provide power for all the lights.

Norm

Ill do that, The wiring is a pre-made Ron F harness that has the multiconnector already attached. It just plugs into the light switch spades. No way to mess that up unless the harness was wrong. I will check each wire though just in case.
Thank you again.

[wedel456]

Ill do that, The wiring is a pre-made Ron F harness that has the multiconnector already attached. It just plugs into the light switch spades. No way to mess that up unless the harness was wrong.

There are no factory installed (at least on mine) connectors on the "red-courtesy lt" or on the light side of the "gry-to hdlt sw" wire . My guess is that you are have two different +12v going to the courtesy lights and that is why it is popping the fuse when both are activated. I would start with tracing the line connected to the courtesy light at the light itself and trace it completely back to the panel.

[Dgc333]

This is the wiring of the headlight switch. Someone posted this on one of the forums so I grabbed it figuring it might be useful. Hope it helps.

~FFR headlight switch detail by Dale.pdf

[John.Gallegos415]

This is the wiring of the headlight switch. Someone posted this on one of the forums so I grabbed it figuring it might be useful. Hope it helps.

~FFR headlight switch detail by Dale.pdf

That's a great help. thank you

[John.Gallegos415]

Problem solved.
Looks like I had a defective light switch. I replace it with a new one and everything worked again.