ducatiboy Posted October 29, 2006 Report Share Posted October 29, 2006 Ok, I need some help. I did the F250 (2005) install of the Z1 into my friends truck and it went fine, except that now I don't have headlights when the key is on. If the key is off, and I turn on the headlights they work fine. If I pull the high beam they come on, and the light comes on in the dash. But as soon as I turn the key to the on position, no more headlights. The running lights still stay on. Start the truck and the running lights are on but not the headlights. If I push or pull the turn signal the high beam sign lights up on the dash. But nothing outside. I checked every single fuse. Tried to push in all the relays, but nothing seems to help. Anyone have any ideas? I'm stumped. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cntrylvr79 Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 sounds like there might be something up with the headlight switch. Did you have to runoff that? Also check the pins in the harness for it one of them might have come loose. That did happen to me once before. That's definately a wierd one though. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ducatiboy Posted October 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 No, but I had to pull all the connectors off the dash to take that off to get to the radio. I tried re-seating them all. But the headlight switch works with the key off, but not when the key is turned on. :( To be honest, I'm not 100% sure that the headlights worked with the key on when I picked it up, but I would guess they were. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cntrylvr79 Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 One more thing to check. That plug on the back of the fuse box where you get the reverse. Make sure that's seated all the way. Sorry if I'm being redundant I'm going out on a limb here. By the way only 600 posts left :) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ducatiboy Posted October 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 Yah, I already pulled out the fuse box and pressed all the connectors in, they all seemed fine. I pulled out the fuse box when I originally hooked it up but I never removed the connectors. But they seem ok. Sure keep em coming! Keep posting... any ideas you have... I want to hear them. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ducatiboy Posted October 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 Something else, I hooked the truck's positive dimmer to the Z1. That couldn't have anything to do with it, would it? I guess I will have to take out the radio and see if it being installed makes a difference. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cntrylvr79 Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 The dimmer, I don't know it's possible. I never had much luck hooking into the dimmer wire so I've always hooked up to illumination or positive parking lights. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ducatiboy Posted October 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 Ok, just to be complete. All the connections I made at the radio harness... Except for the speed sense wire which I got from pin 21 of the antilock brake setup in the engine compartment, my radio did not have speed volume and there was nothing at the radio I could tap off of. I pulled the reverse wire with the black and pink wire in the back of the fuse block under the steering wheel... which I had to drop the fuse block to do this. Everything else came from the radio harness. Tonight I will pull it off to see if that makes a difference. The one thing that scares me is that this guy had someone else put in a "crimestopper cool start" remote car starter. So there is the module back in there and a couple relays. But there is a lot of tap off's on everything, but I don't think anything was cut. I always worry about that stuff too. The ground for that was taken by sticking a bare wire between the fuse block arm and the inner frame bar of the car, so by removing the fuse block it ungrounded this device, but when I make a good ground for it, all the remote features worked. I'm going to take another stab tonight.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
03Aviator Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 Steve, try disconnecting everything and see if you get the lights back. If not, I'm at a loss. I can see where something is taking the path of least resistance and killing the lights with the key on, but not if you disconnect everything. I would be concerned about the remote start too. This is one weird problem. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jimmy303 Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 If you are talking about the automatic lights, they will not work if you are in a sunny area, or if the shop is well lit. Try covering the sensor on top of the dash with a towel or cloth. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ducatiboy Posted October 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 No the truck was not equipped with automatic headlights. The truck is too tall to pull into my garage. So I was outside in the dark. And the lights will turn on with the key off, but as soon as I turn the key on, the lights go out. But what's weird, when I hit the high beams, the high beam indicator comes on in the dash, but it's still dark outside. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ducatiboy Posted October 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 [quote name="03Aviator"]This is one weird problem.[/quote] Tell me about it! :? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jimmy303 Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 I've got one of these in the shop right now, I'll see if I can re-create the problem. Now, you're sure the headlight switch doesn't have an icon to the left of off, at about 11 o'clock? No auto lights? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ducatiboy Posted October 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 [quote name="jimmy303"]I've got one of these in the shop right now, I'll see if I can re-create the problem. Now, you're sure the headlight switch doesn't have an icon to the left of off, at about 11 o'clock? No auto lights?[/quote] Yes I'm absolutely positive. No automatic headlights. There are 3 positions, 12 o'clock for off, 1:30 ish for parking lights and 3 o'clock for headlights. And a pull for fog lights. All the plugs seem to be in behind the dash and seem to be fully seated. Fog lights work all the time. Headlights (high or low beam) only work with the key in the off position, not in the on position (running or not) FYI this is a 2005 F250 Diesel. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ducatiboy Posted October 31, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2006 Ok, this is MESSED UP! I pulled the dash off, headlights still working weird (I checked with the key on and off, high beams and low beams). Pulled off all the connectors off the switches off the dash (except for the headlight switch), headlights still working weird. Put the shifter into 1 (drive low) to move the shifter out of the way to get the dash further away from the radio, headlights still working weird. Started the truck and noticed that while cranking the headlights came on, but while "on" no headlights. I shut the truck off. Pulled out the radio, unhooked everything from the radio to the truck's wiring, headlights still working weird. Moved the shifter back to park, headlights still working weird. And now I noticed I couldn't get the key all the way out. Started it again, lights on while cranking but not while the truck is running, shut it off. Still can't get the key out. Key is off but not all the way off so I can get the key out. Turned the headlights on, turned the key on and off a few times, still can't get the key out and the lights went off everytime I turned them on. Till one time, lights stayed on and the key came out. All in one shot. I wasn't touching anything but the key. Could there be something loose in the steering column? Weird! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.