QuestionQUESTION: I have a 93 New Yorker 5th Ave. The headlights go off and on by themselves. This happens anytime I turn them on. I don''t use the automatic headlight function. I pull the switch on and a short while later they start going off and on. I was told it was a bad switch. I replaced it. Problem solved for a short while. Now it''s doing it again. I checked the switch and it was burn your finger hot and the plug was melted near one of the contact posts. I''m hoping someone here has experienced the same thing and knows how to solve the problem. Help!
ANSWER: Hi Warren,
Which switch did you replace? The main headlamp switch or the dimmer switch, and is that the same one the melted again? I suspect there is a short in the wires that the switch is servicing so that too much current is being passed through the switch, but I need to know the answers above to give you specifics.
Roland
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QUESTION: It is the main headlight switch. Thanks for your time and quick reply.
ANSWER: Hi Warren,
I think you have a short circuit in one or the other of the low beam head lamp filament circuits. Basically, the power for the headlamps comes directly from the battery without any safety fuse for such a short. Instead there is a circuit breaker (a self-resetting fuse) in the headlamp switch which cuts the power off when too much current is being drawn thought it, it cools and reconnects the circuit, only to overheat again, etc., etc. That explains the on-off-on behavior of your headlamps (I presume the low beams are in use when this happens). You might try the high beams to see if it happens with them too, but I doubt it.
From the headlamp switch circuit breaker output there is a wire, violet/white, that goes to the fuse box and which supplies current to fuses #3 (right headlamp low beam) and to fuse #4 (left headlamp low beam). I would suggest that you go to those two fuses, remove the fuses, and with a digital ohmmeter measure the resistance to ground (a shiney metal chassis surface) on each of the four pins on those fuses (with the fuses removed). The resistances of each side of the two fuse should be identical (either near infinite or very low) but if the very low differ, then that is a clue as to which side is shorted). Let me know the results.
Also, do you have an electronic vehicle information center? If so, that is another connection to the headlamp circuit breaked which could be the cause of the excessive current draw. Is it functioning normally?
Roland
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QUESTION: i DO HAVE THE ELECTRONIC INFORMATION CENTER. Also the mirror can control my lights but I keep that turned off because it turns the lights on but will not turn them off. I checked the fuse box like you described and all four terminals showed 0 ohms. I tried my high beams and they do the same as my low beams.
AnswerHi Warren,
I am not certain whether you used a digital ohmmeter or an analog meter. The analog meter will not show you the difference in value of resistances close to but not equal to zero. But in any case if you found that both sides of the two fuse sockets appeared to be grounded (with the fuses removed and I hope with the headlights off, if not off remeasure and tell me again) then I suspect that the wiring to 'headlamp relay' (which opens and closes the concealed headlamp door and the 'ultra-light mirror function), or the relay itself is shorted to ground. One side of each of the fuses 3 and 4 should be infinite resistance to ground with the headlamps switch in the off position, but you said all four posts read near 0 ohms. The fact the automatic mirror isn't working is suspicious of being related too. That relay is located above the glove box in what is called the relay module. Are the concealed headlamp doors working properly? The relay in question is the right hand end one on the module. You can get to it by removing the glove box (remove screws surrounding the door and drop down). Try removing the relay, then remeasure the resistance at the fuses again. Then try the lights. The headlamp doors may not open but the lights should go on. See if the lights are now no longer blinking. The other possibility is that there is something wrong with the lamp outage module (which supports the EVIC) such that it is shorted to ground).
Those are some ideas.
Roland
PS I am assuming that you have the older style C-body New Yorker, not the LH-body New Yorker that was introduced in '93, correct?
