I was doing some electrical repairs, and only realized after the fact i shouldve disconnected the battery first...... This is done on a 2007 Ranger. I was working on the multiple function switch, that includes the turn signal, wiper control, hazard switch, and high beam control.

when i put everything back together, and after i checked al fuses, everything worked, except the high and low beam lights. i do not have fog lights or their related control. when i turn the switch, daytime lights come on, and the dimmer switch works, but nothing else at those controls. i dont have any way to test the high and low beam lights themselves. or even a volt meter. i can hear the relay click sound when i engage the daytime lights, but no relay-click when i turn it to the low beam setting. dont the main low beam lights have a relay on the smart junction box??

i am worried here that my 'repair' may have damaged the related relay for those lights. i would guess most of the 'light' relays on the smart junction box are not repairable/replacable. if there is indeed a high and low beam relay on that board, is it simply just a matter of melting solder and replacing it? or even simply unplugging it. then, does the relay hafta be motorcraft/ford, or can i simply get a brand x relay from like auto zone???

how do i repair this issue?? i work nights, and need to have my lights working to drive legally. please help.

 

No, there is no low/high beam relay, anywhere, if there were fog lights that relay is in the engine fuse box not the SJB

High and low beam are only controlled by multi-function switch, mechanical contacts, connect and disconnect

High beam connection has power all the time for "flash to pass", fuse 14 in cab fuse box powers high beams
Low beam only has power when Main Light switch is on
Cab fuses 3 and 4 are for low beams left and right, they are powered by fuse 23, 30 amp when main light switch is on

Since you replaced the multi-function switch and thats when the problem occurred I would check the fuses first(yes you should have unhook battery first)
Then check wires at multi-function switch to make sure all wires are making good contact, UNHOOK BATTERY FIRST

Without a volt meter or 12v test light to test for voltage thats about all you can do

Fuses are alot like pretty women, they can "look good" but still have a broken wire inside, so grain of salt on BOTH, if in doubt swap it out with another fuse of the same value

 

okay ron, so no relay in the smart junction box. my light switch has three positions. off, daytime lights, and on. when i turn it to daytime, i hear a relay click sound. but no sound at all when turning to the last, lights on. i thot i heard a click sound before this repair at final 'on' turn.....

quite honestly, i wanted to do a stupid modification in the multiple fucntion switch. i wanted to 'remove/disable' the hazard flasher switch. rather after the fact, i realised i could have just pulled a pin in the electrical connector. but instead, i unplugged both plugs, and pried the switch apart, nearly breaking most of the tiny plastic tabs that lock it shut. --all with the battery still connected...... once apart, a plastic 'plate' with a thin metal sheet having four points on it, fell out and after about an hour of analysing, i couldnt figure whre inside the switch ti put it back. everything else went back in just fine, including the hazard button switch. --which itself had its own metal electrical points. reassembled, the switch still works. turn signals and wiper control. i removed the hazard spring feature, so its always in the off position...... but this plastic thing, i cannot figure where inside the switch it goes, but i know it came outta it.


i reinstalled the switch, but did tweak around with the metal contacts of the hazard switch, and heard a fast but faint clicking sound. i couldnt identify it. but after everything was reinstalled; all lights work, but the high and low beams. light switch in final third on position doesnt engage lights. all related light fuses are not burnt. just high and low beams dont illumitate. pushing the turn signal lever forward for high beam control, illuminates nothing. no instrument panel icon and no light in the main bulb.

i dont have a meter or a test light. what can i do to get these lights to work again?????

 

There is a Parking light relay, that what the first "click" on the main light switch turns on, the "running lights"/Park lights, this relay was added for keyless entry so locking and unlocking the doors could flash the park lights
Park light relay has no connection to head lights, this relay is in the SJB, part of circuit board
If your Park lights come on then this relay and fuses are OK

The main light switch is just a mechanical contact switch as far as headlight go, when turned on all the way it connects fuse 23 red/white wire to brown/white wire at multi-function switch, this powers low beams

Fuse 14 for high beams runs directly to multi-function switch no switch except multi-function switch

So I would say the new switch is the problem

Here's the no/DRL diagram for 2007 head lights

 

alright Ron, thank you. so, could you review for me all the fuses i need to check that enable the low and high beams to work; when i turn the switch to its final 'on' position?? as well as when i push the turn signal lever forward to high beam. i have the ford wire diagram book with everything listed, but i wanna make sure i check all the ones necessary for proper operation.

and then, what do i do, if all the fuses you tell me to check, are not burnt and still whole?? wouldnt the light bulb itself show signs of 'burnt' filament??

 

Its on the diagram

In Cab fuse box, fuses 3, 4, 11, 14 and 23

You can also check Fuse 1 in ENGINE BAY fuse box, 40amp

You NEED a volt meter or 12volt test light to see where the power is disconnected

 

well i dont have a volt meter or a test light. what could be used for alternative in that? i am broke so i cant just run off to the store for something. and i need to get these lights working right now.

 

Fuse 1(engine bay)----Fuse 23------------------main light switch-------------------multi-function switch------------------Fuses 3/4-------------------head light low beam bulbs----------ground

Thats the power path

Maybe a friend has one?

Because high beams also don't work that narrows it down to fuse 23 and multi-function switch

 

alright, so i checked all the fuses you mentioned. even noticing several in the engine bay associated with the smart junction box, other than just fuse 1. but all those were fine. as well as the others located at the smart junction box. all were whole and good.

per your final comment here that the problem may be either fuse 23 or bad multiple function switch. it seems it is the switch. --with all the tweaking i did with it, i likely damaged how the high beam control works, or something. and, that image attachment i added; not knowing where it goes putting the switch back together.

could it really be, Ron, that alls i need here is a new switch and things work again? --low and high beams??

 

They both have to go thru the multi-function switch, so yes

 

Ron, you mentioned that the daytime lights relay was added to the smart junction box for keyless entry, for flashing the park lights. I dont have the keyless entry option in this truck. theoretically speaking, would these lights need this relay to function??

like, if this relay was removable on that board, and i removed it, would these daytime lights still come on by simply just turning the switch? it seems that this relay is just for flashing purposes of keyless entry. which, i dont have.

now, if this relay is non-removable, and i pull the board and remove the solder for that relay and then remove the relay, would the daytime lights still illuminate without it??

i'm really just curious, thank you. :)

 

Parking light relay was added when keyless entry was added

Daylight running lights(DRL) are a different system
If you have a 2004 and up I think a Dealer can enable or disable DRL if its legal to disable it in your area

If you press the Parking brake down one "click" the Brake light on dash will come on, but DRL will be OFF, just FYI

 

okay, then i suppose this relay i am talking about here is the parking light relay, that makes that first click sound before turning to the last position on my light switch.

so i have two questions.
1) is the park light relay a relay that can be removed/unplugged, or is it hard wired to the board?
then 2) upon removing this relay, either unplugging it, or removing solder to remove it; would the park lights still illuminate?

 

On 2004 and up Rangers it is soldered to the SJB circuit board

No, the Park lights would not work if you removed that relay

The Park light relay has 12volts all the time, the main light switch Grounds it to activate the park lights, or the Fob grounds it to flash the park lights

 

so then Ron, i'm wondering, is it possible to replace that factory relay thats associated with the parking lights, with a silent relay? i tried doing this with the turn signal/flasher relay, installing an after market silent relay. the specifications for it stated it was compatible with 2007 Ford Ranger. i forget what happened, but it didnt operate properly and i had to return it. i went back to using the orignal equpment flasher relay.

since i tried this and it failed, i'm wondering, if i would have any success replacing the parking light relay with an aftermarket one thats compatible with a 2007 ranger and have it actually work and not cause additional problems?

then, what if i found a smart junction box assembly from an earlier model ranger,, like 2003 or earlier; that didnt have a parking light relay... would my parking lights still illuminate?

 

SJBs were only used from 2004 to 2011 in Rangers
2003 and earlier used GEM module instead of SJB, and parking light relay was located just above gas pedal in Relay Box 1
These are "body computers", BCM, body control modules

So you don't like the "click" noise when turning on the Parking lights?

You can do anything, you could cut some wires on the SJB harness and move the Park light relay to the engine bay, 3 wires needed, its just needs a standard 12v relay

 

Ron, you need to remember he has also removed his power steering, power brakes, ABS module, EVAP system, possibly PATS not sure if he ever got that working correctly.

 

ron, regarding cutting wires, i thot you said recently that the relay on this board was unremovable. seeming made permanent by solder. if its attached that way, and im to cut wires; it seems i might as well just move the whole smart junction box to the engine bay. i think ill just leave it if thats the case

 

and 2011supercab. some of what you wrote here are just desires and future plans. i havent yet removed power steering, but want to eventually. the anti theft system has been very difficult, and im still not finished there. everything else you mentioned is done. power brakes gone. all things anti lock completely gone, and all things emission control related also gone. there are plans to delete the catalytics, but those 'emission' items are still installed.

 

i finally got a new replacement multiple function switch installed. and, disconnected the battery first. ford wanted close to 400$ for it. others wanted between 100 and 200. but i did find a great deal here https://www.1aauto.com/ford-mazda-co...82/669776/2007 for about 45$. 1a auto has great products and many installation videos. most of their products are an exact replacement. looking the same and connecting the same. the new switch is working great.

 

Good stuff on the new multi-function switch working

Yes, all Ford parts are tested before being shipped and that means a person has to test it which is $$$ even in China or Mexico, labor is expensive
So for something like a multi-function switch no reason not to save the money on untest parts
For fuel pumps I get a Ford model, $$$, just a pain to swap these out if they fail, lol


You would cut the wires for the Parking lights where they go IN and OUT of SJB, and use them to run an external relay, located in engine bay so you can't hear it

 

well thats kinda hilarious that we hafta pay the extra money for fords testing process. i thot it was jsut a major brand cost. paying for ford, motorcraft, and logo costs. at least 1a auto dont do such in their prices. tho im sure they do test the parts they have made, before selling them. the customers tho dont hafta pay for such tests.

i will leave the park light relay alone. i only use the lights for night driving. not as much as i use the turn signal. that relays already ben moved to the engine bay and i dont hear it at all.

relay clicks are so damn annoying!....

 

Factories that make parts have different "scales" for what the buyer of the parts want
Most Car maker brands now-a-days require proof of source for base material, i.e. did metal come from "child labor" mines or smelters, or the plastic or the...???, this is a BIG deal now as reporters are digging down on Big Companies sources for parts
Are the people assembling the products being paid a "fair" wage, and above a certain age

I am sure you have seen articles about a Big Company using child labor in overseas factories.............well that's why all the documentation needs to be done, no Big Brand wants that kind of press

And then the Quality control, test all parts, or random sample test 50% of the parts, or test 10% of the parts, or ect.............

Any of that raises the cost of the part

If you see a 1 year warranty offered then its usual that only 10% are tested before being boxed
Motorcraft fuel pump has 90-day warranty, because if it is bad it either won't work out of the box or it will fail quickly

Usually the longer the warranty on a part the lower the quality control and the higher the mark up

So a part can be made at the same factory, say a fuel pump, the cost to Ford might be $300 because of what Ford wants for each part, 100% testing
Same part made with say 5-10% testing is $80

 

Hmmm, okay. Thank you Ron for breaking it out for me. Finance, budget and costs generally go over my head. But thank you still. :)