Taillights and running lights do not turn off

Tiny
MVANN74
  • MEMBER
  • 1997 FORD F-150
  • 5.4L
  • V8
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 208,936 MILES
This issue just started tonight. I turned the headlights on as usual but when I got to my destination, I turned the switch off and the headlights went off, but the taillights and running lights in front remained on. I thought it was a blown fuse or something simple but it's not. The only way the lights go off is to disconnect the battery cable. Please help.
Wednesday, May 18th, 2022 AT 9:04 PM

3 Replies

Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 12,998 POSTS
Okay, to see where this issue is coming from first verify it's still a problem, now pull fuse 7. If the lights, go out it could be the headlight switch has failed internally. If you put the fuse back in and the lights, come back on, you will want to pull the headlamp switch out.
For that you disconnect the battery, turn the headlights on, then pull the knob out and use a thin tool to push the release in the slot on the knob to get the knob off. Now rotate the knob 180 degrees and push it back into place. Next rotate the switch counterclockwise to the Off position and then turn it fully clockwise to release the tabs so you can pull the switch out of the dash. Once you have the switch out. Disconnect the electrical connections and reconnect the battery. Do the lights stay off? If yes, the switch is faulty, if the lights still come on then the light circuit is shorted somewhere else.
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Wednesday, May 18th, 2022 AT 10:01 PM
Tiny
MVANN74
  • MEMBER
  • 65 POSTS
I believe I found the cause. In the power dist. Box under hood fuse I pulled fuse #1 and problem went away. Fuse #1 is for the trailer tail lamp and back up lamps. Like you said there's a short somewhere. The fuse is good when in test light comes on both sides. Yet when I pulled the fuse and tested connections only one side tested good. Standing on driver's side of truck. It's the right-side fuse.
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Thursday, May 19th, 2022 AT 7:10 AM
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 12,998 POSTS
Okay, the fuse in the holder shows power on both sides but when removed you only show power on one connection? That would be normal as the fuse bridges power across it, if you pull the trailer running light relay and the lights go out then that relay is stuck closed and sending power full time however that relay isn't supposed to power the trucks lighting, only the trailer lights. So, there would need to be a short in that system as well if pulling the relay turns them off. That or someone wired in lighting that bridges the circuits.
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Thursday, May 19th, 2022 AT 9:54 AM

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