1988 Ford Escort Failing - Electrical & Lighting Systems

Question: My headlights for low beam do not work, when I pull the switch only the parking lights are on. I replaced the headlight switch, I tested the headlights by connecting directly to the battery and they work. I opened the socket with the 2 wires red and black and I cleaned up the connection. It is not working. I did not find any fuse or relay or control module for this, or I do not know where they are. Can you help me?

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Technican: By the headlight switch, do you mean a switch on the dash or the dimmer switch on the steering column?Do the turn signals function properly?If the dimmer switch on the column has not been changed, this would be one of my first suspects.Fords have an inherent problem in this area.Let me know and I'll try to help you in any way I can.Just need a few answers for the above questions to make sure we're going in the right direction. Paul

Owner: This car is Station wagon, 1.9 L TBI. The switch in question is on the dash, to the left of the steering column, this switch has also a dimmer, I took it out, I replaced it. If I turn the switch the dimmer is working and it's getting warm. When I pull the switch first time the parking lights are on, for the second time the headligths low beam do not work. For the high beam I have to pull the turn signal and they work all time. I jumped one wire from the headlight before the bulb (red with black stripe) to the ignition switch with the wire red and yellow and the headlights are on when I pull the headlight switch. But I am afraid that this is not a good connection....and I can do some damage.

Owner: Hi Paul, I went to the car right now and I tried the signal lights and I noticed that the light is blinking slowly, I tried to start the car and it is not starting, probably I discharged the battery using too much the headlights. The dimmer is within the headlight switch which has many contacts and a big socket.

Technican: Yes I would say it's not a good conection to do.You say by jumping from headlamp to ignition the headlamps work.I'm taking it you mean your low beams are fuctioning at this point.The switch on the dash you replaced sounds like it is operating the way it was meant to.The first click out is for driving lamp only(parklamp)and the second is for full power to all lamps.The fact that you say its' getting warm tells me something may be grounding.You might check the grounds located on the top of your radiator support.They are located on both sides around the hood stops.(most can be identified by a green bolt that attaches them)Make sure they are making a clean contact and there is no corrosion.If they are good, my thoughts head back to the dimmer switch in the steering column. Paul

Owner: Hi Paul, The dimmer switch is not in the steering column it is in the headlight switch, it is o big wheel of porcelain with a resistor on it. if I turn the knob from the headlight to the right, the light on the dash with the radio is going down. As for the ground, I connected the wire that goes directly to the bulb for low beam (hot wire-red and black) to the positive terminal of the battery and the lighs are on on both headlights, that means that the ground is O.K.

Technican: The switch you are speaking of is not the dimmer switch for your headlamps.It dims interior lights as you describe and supplys the main power to the headlamps and driving lights, but the hi/low beams are controled by the switch on the steering column.This is an incorperated switch that controls the turn signals, headlamps and hazard lights.When you pull back on the turn signal, it switches hi to low.In the 14 years I spent at a Ford dealership, this was a very common problem.You might try one last thing.Try and push the turn signal in(towards the dash)don't push to hard.Check and see if you are getting any power to the lamps.If not, I'm still guessing on this combo switch. Paul

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