'98 Ford E350 electrics (lights)

[mconlonx]

Issue just cropped up yesterday... when I got pulled over and informed that I had no tail lights. 

1998 Ford E350 Econoline cab/chassis with Stahl utility body. Have no idea what differs between this and a regular E350 van regarding the electrics.

Not operational: the running lights at the tops and sides of the utility body, tail lights.
Operational: headlights incl. high beams, indicator/signal lights, reverse lights, brake lights.

I've spent today trying to google fuse box diagrams -- some clues for which ones to check, but nothing definitive. Have not crawled underneath or poked around to see if there's just a loose connector, or one dangling. 

Have an email in to Stahl to see if they can help, but have not heard back and figured I'd check here.

Anyone have anything similar go down who can suggest things to check...?

 

[SoulRaven]

I don't have the same kind of van, but on mine the dash lights and the tail lights share the same fuse, but they are only marked as dash.

 

[MikeRuth]

There is a bunch of images etc. from this search.

https://www.google.com/webhp?source...spv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=98 ford e-350 wiring diagram

start with the fuse boxes. Look for them, inside and under the hood.
If that looks good trace the harness back to the front.
I'd bet it's no different than the van and runs along the driver's side.

Mike R

 

[BamaDuke]

If nothing is working on the rear, and they all work on the front, you have (almost certainly) a ground problem. Find the ground connection for the utility body. It probably sits on rubber do-nuts for vibration isolation, so there should be a large wire.

Bama

 

[mconlonx]

A'ight, so the shop it was at quoted $300 to track down the electrics gremlin; Stahl says bring it to one of their distributors for new wiring harness and install. Stahl says because the front running lights work, it is probably a short in their harness rather than a Ford fuse or wiring issue.

Sounds like I will be spending some quality time with lots of wires and a continuity tester...

 

[travlinman and wife]

I would run aloose wire from lights to ground to see if it is a ground problem and if it is run perpment new ground from light yo frame. IF this is not the problem do same thing from switch. or spend howers an may still not find problem

 

[Canine]

Unplug one of the lights and put a mulitmeter to the socket to see if you are getting 12 volts. Or use a test light. When I purchased a used flatbed for my truck, the guy said the lights worked. The tail lights, brake lights, and the reverse lights all worked, but not one marker light worked. I originally thought those had a broken wire, but when I put my multimeter to it, they were all getting 12 volts. Turns out every single bulb was burned out and the previous owner never bothered to replace those lights. As long as it was legal and safe, he left them alone.

So, check to see if you are getting power to the lights themselves, too. You may have a bunch of burned out bulbs. Since it is a good idea to have at least one bulb on hand, you could buy one or two and use the new bulb that you know is good to test to see if a new bulb would work in there. This would get you around having to buy a test light or multimeter.

The connections on my work trucks occasionally become so corroded that they can't get a good connection and will even break off. This requires a new light assembly and new pigtail. When you unplug the back (if that is how they unplug), look for greenish or dull or nasty connections.

Your box may use a light assembly that includes the lens, housing, and bulb all in one unit. That unit is replaced as a whole. The lights in the front of your van use bulbs, which is what most people are more familiar with.

I had a Prelude that had very weak tail lights. I wasn't understanding why that was, so I decided to replace the bulbs, but the new bulbs didn't work. Now I had no tail lights or brake lights. When I looked closer, I could see that the connections had developed a layer of oxidization. I unhooked the battery and cleaned the connection points. I used some kind of cheap electronic spray cleaner to help clean it off after scraping/brushing inside the socket. The lights then worked great! I also used some dielectric grease.

I've also ran into blade fuses that had become oxidized and weren't providing a connection. They are kind of a pain to crawl under the dash and scrape the surfaces clean. I used a teany-tiny file that I stole from a wood nymph. (lol) The fuses had a white, dull coating on them, so the fuse panel connections also had the same oxidization. I replaced the fuses, used dielectric grease, and cleaned in between the fuse panel connections, too. With the battery disconnected! If you are going to scrape and spray, unhook the battery. If all you are doing is taking bulbs and fuses in and out, you are fine.

You didn't say specifically that the front parking lights were working or not, so I included fuses. Anyway, something to think about along with several excellent previous suggestions.

 

[MikeRuth]

A'ight, so the shop it was at quoted $300 to track down the electrics gremlin; Stahl says bring it to one of their distributors for new wiring harness and install. Stahl says because the front running lights work, it is probably a short in their harness rather than a Ford fuse or wiring issue.

Sounds like I will be spending some quality time with lots of wires and a continuity tester...

If it is a SHORT then you will most definitely find a blown fuse. 

and if you do then you know to work your way back looking for such a problem. 

 

[ccbreder]

Front parking lights and rear lights are the same switch. Do your front lights work? i go with check the harness. If it was ground, the other rear bulbs would not light.

 

[mconlonx]

Front parking lights work; Stahl sent some engineering wiring diagrams which help. All lights not working operate off a common harness, portions of which... I am already familiar with...

We're supposed to get some nice weather this weekend so I can spend some time rooting around on it. In the meantime, it's been interesting, arranging my life around dawn to dusk driving.

 

[Canine]

Sounds like a ground problem.

 

[cityevader]

Can't be a ground problem, as the brake lights share that ground, and they work.
A $3 test light will tell you if it's getting power or not.
I could photocopy our shop manual wiring diagram here at Ford if that would help a little...but simply having a diagram won't help much to most lay people.

 

[Gary68]

beyond whats been said,check the trailer hook up and any where wires go through the body

 

[GotSmart]

Front parking lights work; Stahl sent some engineering wiring diagrams which help. All lights not working operate off a common harness, portions of which... I am already familiar with...

We're supposed to get some nice weather this weekend so I can spend some time rooting around on it. In the meantime, it's been interesting, arranging my life around dawn to dusk driving.

The forum is doing strange things again.

It has been 2 1/2 months, what did you find?