'88 Formula, stock engine, lights, switches, bulbs, etc.
Parking lights work fine. Headlight motors work fine. However, the headlights do not illuminate, bright nor dim, left nor right.
There is no place in the fuse panel for a headlight circuit. Where is the fuse for the headlight illumination power?
One recent oddity - one section of the wiring harness next to the battery (most of it wrapped in OEM plastic wire wrap) swung over and rubbed the belt and pulley lightly. There is a red wire in that section that is partially exposed due to it having a single-conductor black plastic disconnect plug that won't fit in the plastic tubing. This wire shorted on the edge of the pulley. Is this red wire part of the headlight illumination power supply circuit? [EDIT - for future troubleshooting reference, this wire seems to be the ECM power - someone mentioned they'd gotten stranded when their ECM failed and the repair was finally completed when it was found that a similar circumstance happened and this wire was completely broken.]
If so, where is the fuse or fusible link for this circuit?
Have not dug into anything requiring tools as the car is parked on the street and we had no idea the headlights were inoperable since all of our driving has been during the day and the motors operate normally.
Where do I look?
Thanks in advance...
------------------ Patrick W. Heinske -- LZeitgeist@aol.com
1988 Fiero Formula - Automoda convertible repainted PPG Ferrari 'Giallo Modena' yellow 1988 Fiero 4-cyl Coupe - Dad's car, the Indy 'clone' (soon to be back on the road after a 6 year rest)
[This message has been edited by LZeitgeist (edited 07-08-2014).]
The headlight wiring stays next to the body and runs forward.
The part of the harness that runs from C500 towards the engine is for engine operation only. The wire you describe sounds like the power wire that runs to the ECM. The single disconnect connector is the ECM reset connector.
------------------ Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should. (Jurassic Park)
Once I spent quite a while checking the wiring, grounds, bulb contacts, switch, and everything else I could think of on a Volvo turn signal. It was the bulb.
Most likely the headlight switch but I have had customers (more than one) come into the shop saying their headlight just stopped working. Some were other problems but some were the headlight bulbs. One bulb had burnt out and the customer didn't notice it and when the second burnt out they thought the headlight stopped working all at once. I would check to see if there is power to the bulbs first and if not then check for other problems
Haven't been able to dig into the car today - too much already on the schedule. Am hoping it's simply two old, worn-out bulbs that the bumpy drive in wiped out aged filaments.
Will be doing daylight driving to get it home where I have resources to help figure things out.
Thanks for the insights - will post here with progress.
You guys are great; yet another thing that makes me proud to own a Fiero! Thank you!
------------------ Patrick W. Heinske -- LZeitgeist@aol.com
1988 Fiero Formula - Automoda convertible repainted PPG Ferrari 'Giallo Modena' yellow 1988 Fiero 4-cyl Coupe - Dad's car, the Indy 'clone' (soon to be back on the road after a 6 year rest)
[This message has been edited by LZeitgeist (edited 07-06-2014).]
Take the headlight switch out of the Inst. Panel and open it up. It's primitive.....even for the 1980s. The copper tabs suffer metal fatigue and lose contact. When you see how they should touch, just bend a few tabs and snap it back together. I bet it's your problem, but even if it is not, probably should be done after 25 years.
Removed the harness plug to the headlight bulbs and used a separate 12v power supply directly to the bulb contacts. All 4 filaments work properly.
The headlight motors work properly when the dashboard switch is operated.
The fusible link near the battery looks normal and 'healthy'.
Is there a relay in the circuit specifically for the bulbs (NOT the motors) that may have failed? (I'm looking at pages 2-16 & 2-17 in the green section of the 22P Parts Manual - item #28.)
If so, is this the relay near the back wall of the front compartment, or does that relay help operate the motors? I don't see other relays near the headlight unless they're hiding.
I'll look at the dash switch guts now - thanks for that suggestion.
[This message has been edited by LZeitgeist (edited 07-07-2014).]
OK, just swapped the headlight/dimmer switch combos between the Formula and the '88 Coupe - the Formula switch in the Coupe operates the headlight motors and bulbs normally; the Coupe switch in the Formula acts no different than it did before the change. Swapped them back to their respective cars, Coupe acts normally, still no change in the Formula.
Update - found a relay mounted under the driver's side headlight - marked "14089936" - removed it and swapped it with the one from the Coupe - no change. Motors still work, bulbs don't illuminate.
In fact, motors still worked even with this relay removed.
------------------ Patrick W. Heinske -- LZeitgeist@aol.com
1988 Fiero Formula - Automoda convertible repainted PPG Ferrari 'Giallo Modena' yellow 1988 Fiero 4-cyl Coupe - Dad's car, the Indy 'clone' (soon to be back on the road after a 6 year rest)
[This message has been edited by LZeitgeist (edited 07-07-2014).]
"The [relay] on the very front behind the bumper is the cooling fan relay. The other relay on the side is your primary headlight relay..."
OK, sounds like the relay I just worked with is the fan relay. However, the only other relay I see in the front is on the rear wall of the front compartment next to the heater core hoses. (I do not have A/C.) Where is the relay "on the side" as referred to in the linked thread?
Driver's side front wheel well....I guess you need to remove the liner, but I am not sure.
Its not à relay, its the headlight motor control module and has no function concerning headlight illumination.
You have a bad dimmer switch, or the switch has become unplugged. It is located on the left side of the steering column under the dash - look for a three wire large plug. Wire colors are yellow, tan and light green.
[This message has been edited by olejoedad (edited 07-08-2014).]
Its not à relay, its the headlight motor control module and has no function concerning headlight illumination.
You have a bad dimmer switch, or the switch has become unplugged. It is located on the left side of the steering column under the dash - look for a three wire large plug. Wire colors are yellow, tan and light green.
OK, thank you! I will check that after work today instead.
EDIT - come to think of it, a couple weeks ago I'd began going through the steps of removing the steering column of the Formula to help troubleshoot why I was having issues with the steering column I'd installed in the Coupe - it might be entirely possible that when I was reconnecting everything in the Formula, I missed that plug or didn't connect it fully, and it has been staying light so late into the evening these days, I hadn't done any night driving whatsoever since then until we'd gone out of town this weekend and were on a different schedule.
This is quite possibly the most-likely culprit... *crossing fingers*, hoping to be nothing more than a victim of my own stupidity... *wry smile*
------------------ Patrick W. Heinske -- LZeitgeist@aol.com
1988 Fiero Formula - Automoda convertible repainted PPG Ferrari 'Giallo Modena' yellow 1988 Fiero 4-cyl Coupe - Dad's car, the Indy 'clone' (soon to be back on the road after a 6 year rest)
[This message has been edited by LZeitgeist (edited 07-08-2014).]
Its not à relay, its the headlight motor control module and has no function concerning headlight illumination.
You have a bad dimmer switch, or the switch has become unplugged. It is located on the left side of the steering column under the dash - look for a three wire large plug. Wire colors are yellow, tan and light green.
.....aaaaaaaaand the winner is... olejoedad!!! Whoohoo! Great job, and thank you (sincerely)!!!
Yes! I'm a friggin' idiot!! When I was troubleshooting the steering column in the Coupe by comparing it to the Formula, and methodically removing both simultaneously so I could check the connections, etc. in the Coupe, I missed plugging this connector back in on the Formula!!
Geeze, I feel really stupid... not only did this cost me $150 for a night's stay in a hotel room, but we even cut our trip short to make absolutely sure we'd be home before both 5:00 rush hour and dusk setting in. I am the world's biggest moron, and I can't wait to admit this to my wife [sarcasm].
Hey, at least she can't say that the Formula isn't trustworthy... nothing broke down or failed, at least. I'm just really, really dumb.
Thank you to everybody who helped me track down this self-inflicted gremlin. I really appreciate every bit of your advice and insight. +'s to all of those who didn't already have them from me.
Hopefully this thread can stand as a reminder to those in the future who forget the simple things...
------------------ Patrick W. Heinske -- LZeitgeist@aol.com
1988 Fiero Formula - Automoda convertible repainted PPG Ferrari 'Giallo Modena' yellow 1988 Fiero 4-cyl Coupe - Dad's car, the Indy 'clone' (soon to be back on the road after a 6 year rest)
Glad to help out. We all do things like that sometimes.......
------------------ Patrick W. Heinske -- LZeitgeist@aol.com
1988 Fiero Formula - Automoda convertible repainted PPG Ferrari 'Giallo Modena' yellow 1988 Fiero 4-cyl Coupe - Dad's car, the Indy 'clone' (soon to be back on the road after a 6 year rest)
