[CrashFarmer2]

Last night I was coming home from my son's play and I dropped my mom off at her house. I had the Jeep sitting in her driveway running with the parking lights on while I walked mom to the door. When I got back in the Jeep and pulled the light switch the head lights refused to come on. I sat there and messed with it and I only succeeded in making matters worse. The parking lights went out and then the knob came right out of the dash. I have never had that happen. I had to turn on the emergency flashers and hold back on the turn signal lever to get home.

 

[poncho62]

Sounds like the light switch fell apart..........I would disconnect the battery begore messing with it, as the circut breaker is built into the switch...no fuses...The fusible link should blow, but why blow that too if you dont have to.

Moving to electrical

 

[CrashFarmer2]

I changed the switch and it has lights now. I have never had a light switch come apart like that.

Now my 78 Chevy pickup has no tail lights, brake lights or signal lights to the rear. I must have pulled some wires loose when I pulled it out of that snow drift with the tractor.

 

[docvette]

I changed the switch and it has lights now. I have never had a light switch come apart like that.

Now my 78 Chevy pickup has no tail lights, brake lights or signal lights to the rear. I must have pulled some wires loose when I pulled it out of that snow drift with the tractor.

Doc here, imp:

Over time those switches heat up and fall apart, because of the current they handle, a good argument for running lighting relays, not to mention it about triples the candlepower...

On the other, check your harness plug going to the rear of the vehicle, you may have pulled it apart, be sure the rear half of the truck still has ground also..towing is hard on a vehicle

If that's good next stop is check the harness where it plugs into the column..it may have fallen or corroded out.

BE sure the bulbs haven't corroded in their sockets also!

Doc imp:

 

[CrashFarmer2]

Doc here, imp:

Over time those switches heat up and fall apart, because of the current they handle, a good argument for running lighting relays, not to mention it about triples the candlepower...

On the other, check your harness plug going to the rear of the vehicle, you may have pulled it apart, be sure the rear half of the truck still has ground also..towing is hard on a vehicle

If that's good next stop is check the harness where it plugs into the column..it may have fallen or corroded out.

BE sure the bulbs haven't corroded in their sockets also!

Doc imp:

Thanks, there was a plug at the rear of the truck that came unplugged. The wires come from the front of the pickup and run to the plug. On the other side of the plug they branch out to the tail lights and the trailer plug. There is a big loop of wire under there that goes to the trailer plug that probably caught in the snow and when I pulled it out with the tractor the plug come unplugged. Just one more victim of the big snow storm.

 

[docvette]

Doc here, imp:

Glad to hear it was that simple! :thumbup:

Maybe next year, run that harness inside a box channel welded to the rear frame to prevent it from damage in the future,(sounds like you get a lot of snow) ain:


Doc imp: