95 P/U Headlamp Shorts Out

Randsacker · #1 (**permalink**) 06-01-2008, 04:34 PM

My 95 p/u has LEFT headlamp and turn signal blowing fuse. Had replaced the LEFT turn signal housing a few months earlier with standard light after it broke. Lamp had been previously modified in England to meet local standards so additional wiring and light was added. During my repair I got rid of the additional light and simply dead-ended the wire. I have NO elec experience other than swapping lights. The RIGHT turn signal remains modded to England specs and works fine. I took it to supposed reputable wiring shop and they could find nothing. THEY think the problem is in the dashboard, but I am highly suspect and leery of losing the QUALITY of my beautiful truck by a well-meaning but meandering search and recovery effort. I haven't got a wiring diagram, but could get one. I am headed for the DEALER for next repair unless I can find confidence in a Yorktown, VA area elec specialist.

Randsacker · #2 (**permalink**) 06-02-2008, 12:15 AM

Well, now I am humiliated. After MONTHS of the head lamp shorted out and driving around with just ONE lamp, I have solved my own problem by basic troubleshooting. I disco'd the parking light/turn signal next to the head lamp and put in a new fuse and the head lamp worked GREAT with only a 10AMP fuse! So, then, knowing I had a parking lamp problem I went to the FIRST possible source of the trouble--the BULB. IT was absolutely fried--neary melted! Discovered it was the right size but wrong TYPE for that location so I swapped it out for a new one, replaced the RIGHT bulb just for good measure (somehow it too was the wrong type but hadn't failed), put in the standard 15AMP fuse, and Wallah! It is FIXED! What was beginning to look like a very expensive job done by specialists turned into a $5 job done by a former aircraft mechanic. I guess not all of my troubleshooting skills are gone.

Thanks for those who viewed and sent good juju my way via ESP.