Headlights turning off by themselves

[WhiteKnight302]

Ok I've had my '03 Marauder for about 2 and a half years now and just recently when I turn the headlights on to either manual or automatic setting sometimes they come on and sometimes they don't. Sometimes they come on then turn off randomly, then come back on after a while. Sometimes they turn off and never come back on.

I've found that when the headlights are out the cornering lamps don't light when I put the turn signals on either. Occasionally if I bump the turn signal left or right the head lights will come on. Sometimes I have to leave the turn signal on for a while, or change which signal is on. Sometimes I have to turn the wipers on for a while, sometimes if I cover the light sensor in the dash with my hand the lights will come on, sometimes cycling the light switch works, and sometimes I have to go as far as shutting the car off and starting it up again to get them to work.

Lately though nothing I try works the head lights will not come on at all and with it getting dark earlier now this is a big problem. The behavior at the start had me thinking that it was the light sensor then it seemed like more of a wiring thing, now it seems more of an electronics thing.

Has anyone had and fixed this problem who could help me out please?:help:

[88LTDCV351]

My guess would be that the dreaded Lighting Control Module (LCM) is going out. Its been well documented on this site.

[JBFTech]

^^^^^^^^ +1

[Baaad GN]

HMMMMMMMM thats bad, maybe you better sell it!

[fastblackmerc]

Ok I've had my '03 Marauder for about 2 and a half years now and just recently when I turn the headlights on to either manual or automatic setting sometimes they come on and sometimes they don't. Sometimes they come on then turn off randomly, then come back on after a while. Sometimes they turn off and never come back on.

I've found that when the headlights are out the cornering lamps don't light when I put the turn signals on either. Occasionally if I bump the turn signal left or right the head lights will come on. Sometimes I have to leave the turn signal on for a while, or change which signal is on. Sometimes I have to turn the wipers on for a while, sometimes if I cover the light sensor in the dash with my hand the lights will come on, sometimes cycling the light switch works, and sometimes I have to go as far as shutting the car off and starting it up again to get them to work.

Lately though nothing I try works the head lights will not come on at all and with it getting dark earlier now this is a big problem. The behavior at the start had me thinking that it was the light sensor then it seemed like more of a wiring thing, now it seems more of an electronics thing.

Has anyone had and fixed this problem who could help me out please?:help:

I can repair the LCM for you. PM me for details.

[boatmangc]

^^^^^^fbm^^^^^^^
ftw!!!

[CBT]

Mine do it occasionally, they did it this morning. With mine, even if you push the turn signal handle forward to activate high beams nothing will happen. But, I can pull back on the handle and the high beams will come on, you just have to hold back on the handle until you hear a "click", and the headlights are back on. You could try that if it happens at night/dark. No fun doing 80 through a deer infested area and the lights go off, like after class the other night.

[SC Cheesehead]

HMMMMMMMM thats bad, maybe you better sell it!


Agreed!

I'm willing to buy it for, like $8.00.... ;)

[Mebot]

$8.01

Sent from my handheld Zack Morris iShoe 4S.

[SC Cheesehead]

$8.01

Sent from my handheld Zack Morris iShoe 4S.

Dang it, Ryan, can't you see I'm workin' a deal here??!!! :mad2:



;) --------> :D

[Mebot]

you're not trying hard enough! :D

to the original poster how bout $8.25 plus a beer for my friend Rex here. there now its a win win for both of us
Sent from my handheld Zack Morris iShoe 4S.

[SC Cheesehead]

you're not trying hard enough! :D

to the original poster how bout $8.25 plus a beer for my friend Rex here. there now its a win win for both of us
Sent from my handheld Zack Morris iShoe 4S.


Ratfarts!

I'm done, can't top that... :shake: ------> :alone:

[fastblackmerc]

Mine do it occasionally, they did it this morning. With mine, even if you push the turn signal handle forward to activate high beams nothing will happen. But, I can pull back on the handle and the high beams will come on, you just have to hold back on the handle until you hear a "click", and the headlights are back on. You could try that if it happens at night/dark. No fun doing 80 through a deer infested area and the lights go off, like after class the other night.

Your LCM needs repair.

[Rockettman]

Mine do it occasionally, they did it this morning. With mine, even if you push the turn signal handle forward to activate high beams nothing will happen. But, I can pull back on the handle and the high beams will come on, you just have to hold back on the handle until you hear a "click", and the headlights are back on. You could try that if it happens at night/dark. No fun doing 80 through a deer infested area and the lights go off, like after class the other night.

"That's what she said!"


Agreed!

I'm willing to buy it for, like $8.00.... ;)


you're not trying hard enough! :D

to the original poster how bout $8.25 plus a beer for my friend Rex here. there now its a win win for both of us
Sent from my handheld Zack Morris iShoe 4S.

As these two argue over the buying price; I would suggest starting your investigation into this issue, by removing the floor-mats! I will then send you $10.00 PLUS a Canadian beer for them. :D

Seriously though...it's 99% (if not 100%), the LCM. FastBlackMerc is the one to get that issue taken care of once-and-for-all.

[SC Cheesehead]

"That's what she said!"





As these two argue over the buying price; I would suggest starting your investigation into this issue, by removing the floor-mats! I will then send you $10.00 PLUS a Canadian beer for them. :D

Seriously though...it's 99% (if not 100%), the LCM. FastBlackMerc is the one to get that issue taken care of once-and-for-all.

^^^^^ What he said! :D


All joking aside, what you're seeing are the common symptoms of a failed relay in the LCM, which is an easy and very reasonable fix through fastblackmerc. Send him a PM and he can get you hooked up.

[CBT]

Your LCM needs repair.


^^^^^ What he said! :D


All joking aside, what you're seeing are the common symptoms of a failed relay in the LCM, which is an easy and very reasonable fix through fastblackmerc. Send him a PM and he can get you hooked up.

Yeah I may take the plunge along with the OP of this thread. I don't think we were 200 feet from my house when they cut off this morning. Me and Amy looked at each other (in the dark, because I'm a lazy ***** and never replaced all my burned out dash lights) and I said "Welp, that didn't take long!" but they came right back on. Crazy car, never a dull moment with a Marauder.

[SC Cheesehead]

Yeah I may take the plunge along with the OP of this thread. I don't think we were 200 feet from my house when they cut off this morning. Me and Amy looked at each other (in the dark, because I'm a lazy ***** and never replaced all my burned out dash lights) and I said "Welp, that didn't take long!" but they came right back on. Crazy car, never a dull moment with a Marauder.

If they go out again, try rapping the underside of the dash by the OBDII port, that may get the relay to trip, but that's not a permanent fix, there are a limited number of "rap fixes" in the unit. Ask me how I know....:o

[Agent M79]

LCM. FBM. Fixed.

[fastblackmerc]

LCM. FBM. Fixed.

I agree!!!

[fastblackmerc]

I have three repaired LCMs sitting on my shelf, waiting to be swapped out.....

[SC Cheesehead]

LCM. FBM. Fixed.


^^^^^^^ http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS9qGUuE6qx3 JLdDJXsT7710Fyp5firl95Mt7SX6bj DrZhJjJz1Umn-8lc (http://www.teaandsnippets.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/you-betcha.jpg)

[Marauderman]

Yeah I may take the plunge along with the OP of this thread. I don't think we were 200 feet from my house when they cut off this morning. Me and Amy looked at each other (in the dark, because I'm a lazy ***** and never replaced all my burned out dash lights) and I said "Welp, that didn't take long!" but they came right back on. Crazy car, never a dull moment with a Marauder.

It's too bad you didn't get FBM to fix it for you in the parking lot during our MVVIII----thought that news was all over the air ways then ---coulda/shoulda---guess you hadn't heard of him fix'in them at that time---thats the way to go --to FBM for the fix---haven't heard of any one with problems from any fixes...

[tbone]

Are ALL LCM's destined to eventually fail or was it a bad production run? Mine is still working fine after all these years.

[lifespeed]

Are ALL LCM's destined to eventually fail or was it a bad production run? Mine is still working fine after all these years.

It will fail. Small, cheap relays.

[CBT]

What's the going rate?



I have three repaired LCMs sitting on my shelf, waiting to be swapped out.....

[tbone]

It will fail. Small, cheap relays.

10 years and 138k and counting ain't THAT bad.

I was just presented a bill for $385 plus $80 labor and another $80 just to show up to install an ignition module in my furnace. Amazon sells the part for $95. And I already replaced this part just 4 1/2 years ago!

Now THAT pisses me off!

[CBT]

10 years and 138k and counting ain't THAT bad.

I was just presented a bill for $385 plus $80 labor and another $80 just to show up to install an ignition module in my furnace. Amazon sells the part for $95. And I already replaced this part just 4 1/2 years ago!

Now THAT pisses me off!

Furnace powered Marauder, FTW!

[lifespeed]

10 years and 138k and counting ain't THAT bad.

Not that good either. Properly designed electronics should last a long, long time. It is what I do for a living.

The relays should have been larger, socketed for easy maintenance, or (ideally) eliminated entirely in favor of transistors.

To be brutally honest, Ford did not do that good a job in some electrical circuits in the car; Blower Control Module is another weak link, as is the radio, and blend air door.

But we like our cars so fix it and move on.

[tbone]

Not that good either. Properly designed electronics should last a long, long time. It is what I do for a living.


The LCM is still functioning properly for me so it is indeed lasting a long, long time........

I've never even had a burnt out bulb on my car.

[CBT]

The LCM is still functioning properly for me so it is indeed lasting a long, long time........

I've never even had a burnt out bulb on my car.


I hate you.

[tbone]

I hate you.

I hate you too!:lovies2:

[lifespeed]

The LCM is still functioning properly for me so it is indeed lasting a long, long time.....

30 years or more is a long time in the world of electronics.

[fastblackmerc]

The LCM will fail, just a matter of time. Even a new one will fail. I believd the more and longer you use the headlights the sooner the LCM will fail.

[fastblackmerc]

What's the going rate?

Pm me for details.

[tbone]

30 years or more is a long time in the world of electronics.

LOL I cant get my expensive phone to last for more than a year.

[cat in the hat]

Pm me for details.

Hello All :) (I have a "Hello All" thread in the "welcome" forum, too)

I have been having this exact problem - headlights cut out unpredictably when the car's cold, work better on automatic than manual, etc.
How difficult is it to get the LCM out ? I'd love to get in on this fix if possible.

[WhatsUpDOHC]

Easy.

Contact FBM he'll take care of you.

[cat in the hat]

Easy.

Contact FBM he'll take care of you.

Ok, thank you.

[CBT]

Pm me for details.

PM sent, Jim.

[fastblackmerc]

PM sent, Jim.

Responded to your PM..