2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Tilting steering column loses low beam on headlights

[Gordon Maney]

I suspect I have a wire, or wires, failing from the bending caused by the tilt wheel. In order to get my low beam lights to work I have to get the steering column tilted just right. The high beams work fine.

I suspect I will have to use the wiring diagram to identify the low beam wire and replace as needed.

Has anyone been down this path before? Is there a weak point in the wiring configuration; anything I should know? Any helpful hints?

Thank you.

 

[seafish]

There are a couple threads here on TDR that detail the tilting steering column as pinching and/or breaking wires in the main wiring harness that goes to the column. This pinchimg can affect lights, wipers, etc.

IIRC, one or 2 members actually had a fire start because a hot wire grounded out when it was pinched.
NOT saying that you have this problem, but DEFINITELY take a closer look.

Here are the links--

https://www.turbodieselregister.com...-discussions/109229-my-truck-caught-fire.html

https://www.turbodieselregister.com...smission-discussions/197129-wire-harness.html

 

[RobertHiltz]

Might just be a loose connection from wire harness being pulled when tilting the steering wheel. What ever you find and repair make sure you get enough slack in the wires to allow tilting the wheel.

 

[Gordon Maney]

I am getting the idea it is not so likely to be wires failing from bending as connections failing due to strain on connections.

 

[RobertHiltz]

That is what we found to be root cause on many of them.

 

[Gordon Maney]

That is what we found to be root cause on many of them.

Is it a reasonable idea to make any of the wires longer by splicing in somewhere?

 

[BarryG]

Gordon:

I had that happen with my horn. I thought the horn switch had gone out and had all but given up on replacing the switch as it is part of the airbag cover on the steering wheel, is a dealer only part and was over 200. 00. So I was going to just wire in a seperate switch. I took the trim stuff off the upper portion of the column to accesss the wires under there and as I was looking for the horn wire to tap into there it was in plain sight a broken wire. I looked at all the others and there are quite a few none of them looked bad at all except the horn wire. So would be worth taking a look in the harness underneath there.



When you take off the column cover that is directly behind the steering wheel the two pieces upper and lower that are screwed together (the portion where at least on my 01 the hazard light switch is) my wire was broken in that area on the underneath side in the harness.

 

[MLee]

Check out the connections on the MULTIFUNCTION switch. The big thingy thats on the left side. I believe you'll need a security type torx bit, one with the hole in the middle to remove it.

When the head lites fail when switching from hi to low, this is usually the culprit, also.

 

[Gordon Maney]

Thank you all for great ideas!

 

[MarkP]

My truck wouldnt start one day after i had pulled up to a job site. I started lookinga round under the steering column covers and found the main power wire was pulled apart at the main connection by the steering column. I just made me a jumper and went around the connector to make the wire longer. I couldnt get enough slack to keep it from pulling out of the connector when the wheel was tilted up.