Hello,

I have a 1998 ford ranger and the headlights just stopped working. When I pulled the dash apart and looked behind the headlight switch this is what I saw. I don't know how to fix it. Can you please help? I will buy the parts I just need someone to tell me what I need to do to fix it. Here is a picture.


Headlights wiring harness

 

The dark blue/orange stripe wire is the 12v IN from Fuse 12, 30amp, in engine fuse box, so always LIVE pull that fuse or disconnect battery when working on headlight system

Is the disconnected wire an orange/red stripe or a red/orange stripe, can't tell


You will most likely be better off hitting a wrecking yard and cutting out the main light switch wiring harness, 7 wires it looks like, and then splicing that in to your wires
But pull off the connector and see if it can be re-pinned, new pins on the ends of the bad wires

Probably a new main light switch as well

 

Alright. I will make sure to disconnect the fuse while working on it.

This is what it looks like now I just took these pictures.



The bottom two thats one has a wire that looks like it is about to fall out one has no wire attached and the top right & that has no wire attached.

Here is another picture of the wires that I have taken in the day time also these are the wires that are disconnected that need to be fixed.



The wires that you asked about are red and yellow.

Also I found this at Autozone, but I don't know what to do with it, because none of the wires that the arrow points to matches any of those colors. What would I connect it to if I purchased and how?

 

Looks expensive at $43, but would be useful, but still need to look at the main switch contacts to see if they have also been damaged
Its obvious that the wires overheated, which can be because they started to come loose, strands broke, so remaining strands had to carry all the AMPs which makes them get HOT

Do you have DRL, in the daylight the head lights are always on?

 

Did you suggest getting a older one from a wrecking yard because the colors match?

 

Yes, and cheaper, lol.

But either will work, I don't have a diagram for that switch for color match

 

No, the headlights are not always on. I have to turn the switch and the heatlights come on.

 

The main switch contacts look alright. Here is a picture.

 

Yes, that looks OK, so just the connector/pins need to be changed

 

The wrecking yard didn't have a connector with the same colored wires. I found that connector at autozone but the wires are black and white. Do you know where I can get a wiring harness color diagram at? And how am I supposed to know which wires are what color coming out of the connector that are white and black?

 

I had the same issue about 10 years/ 150k miles ago. Just changed out the pigtail and never had an issue afterwards. Later on I install the Expo autodimming mirror with autolamps so the head light switch got bypassed and now I'm running HID projectors that use a relay kit that pulls straight from the battery. Only something like 0.5 Amps are being pulled through the headlight switch/connector now.

 

I still have not been able to fix this. I have money to buy the part, but no way to match the colors. Does someone know how to match the colors?

 

Did you ever find someone to figure out the issue?

 

Because I had the same issue, I changed out the pigtail but it didn't help. Other auto services just charged me money for diagnostics but in the end did nothing to fix it. Even a good friend of mine who works in Bates Electric Minneapolis didn't help me. He is specialized more in houses, he provides residential or commercial electrical services, but he also know a lot about cars. So even if he couldn't help me, I have to accept that I can't fix this issue.

 

This is what I used, and it helped a lot! Now, I'm trying to fix my dimmer switch. 😂 such is life.

It's not pretty, but it works.