2006 Ford Explorer Parking Light Issue

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ice77ski

Member - Posts: 6

Joined: October 19, 2006

Location: United States

Posted: November 01, 2006 at 9:13 AM / IP Logged

Hi All,

Ever since I got my Explorer back from the installer (Viper alarm/remote start), the parking lights will only flash (when activating/deactivating the alarm) when the headlamp switch is in the off position. If I leave the switch in the "Auto" position, everything functions correctly, except for the parking lights. Is this just an issue with the wire they used to connect the output from the alarm? It seems that they connected it to the gray wire directly on the back of the switch harness. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

KarTuneMan

Platinum - Posts: 7,056

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Joined: December 14, 2004

Location: Isle Of Man

Posted: November 01, 2006 at 12:24 PM / IP Logged

Use the POS(+) parking light wire in the drivers kick, it's blue/white, instead of the neg at the switch. There is extra work to do, like adding a relay to open the PURPLE / green to get the neg trigger to work correctly.

ice77ski

Member - Posts: 6

Joined: October 19, 2006

Location: United States

Posted: November 01, 2006 at 1:10 PM / IP Logged

Thanks for the reply!

When you refer to the extra work and the relay, what exactly do you mean? Which PURPLE / green are you referring to? So, based on what the installer did, can I assume that it was wired incorrectly?

Thanks!

NowYaKnow

Gold - Posts: 1,217

Joined: December 18, 2002

Posted: November 01, 2006 at 4:58 PM / IP Logged

What your seeing is normal when using the neg. park lights @ the switch. Pretty much every new ford/lincoln/merc works this way when using the neg. @ the switch. If you want to change it to the positive park lights, they will flash regardless of the switch position, but you would also want to change the main power source as well. Chances are they tapped the ignition harness for power, and you would want something with a little more power available when using the + lights. To answer your last question, technically there is nothing wrong with the way it is wired, it's the car that is stopping it from functioning normally. If they grabbed the gray @ the back of the switch, that is the correct wire. Just take it back and explain and most places would change it not a big deal.

Mike

kgerry

Platinum - Posts: 3,455

Joined: February 07, 2004

Location: Saskatchewan, Canada

Posted: November 01, 2006 at 5:09 PM / IP Logged

thats how i would normally wire it.... i tell customers to make sure not to leave the switch in the auto position... same with the Lexus and Toyotas with Auto lamps..... or offer to make it work WITH the Auto feature if they want for an additional charge....

Kevin Gerry

Certified Electronics Technician

MECP First Class Installer

Owner/Installer

Classic Car Audio

since 1979

Mike M2

Platinum - Posts: 2,652

Joined: June 29, 2005

Location: United States

Posted: November 01, 2006 at 7:21 PM / IP Logged

I've always used positive lights on the Explorer for this reason. It's just as easy and no hassles about the auto lights. I have always used power from the igniton switch for it, plenty of amperage for lights/alarm/remote start....

Mike M2

Tech Manager

CS Dealer Services

ice77ski

Member - Posts: 6

Joined: October 19, 2006

Location: United States

Posted: November 02, 2006 at 7:12 AM / IP Logged

Thanks for the responses!

So if I want to change this setup to use the +parking light wire, would I be correct to use a SPDT relay w/ 87 and 85 hooked to a 12V source, 86 to the alarm output (currently hooked directly to the -parking light wire) and 30 to the +parking light wire? Also, will an inline fuse be fine for the 12V source...what size?

Thanks again!!

Chris Luongo

Platinum - Posts: 3,746

Joined: May 21, 2002

Location: Massachusetts, United States

Posted: November 02, 2006 at 7:33 AM / IP Logged

Why should you have to buy a relay and connect it yourself?

The installation shop made a mistake, and if they're good people, they'll stand behind their work and fix it.

If you try to fix it yourself and it doesn't come out right and you have to go back to the shop.....they'll either charge you, or refuse to touch it altogether.

ice77ski

Member - Posts: 6

Joined: October 19, 2006

Location: United States

Posted: November 02, 2006 at 7:58 AM / IP Logged

Basically I don't want to go back to the installer....they did a hack job in the first place. My siren stopped working and I had to fix that myself as well. They had elongated the wire from the siren by twisting wires together and wraping it in tape. They also made the wire that ran through the firewall so tight that it broke when I put my foot on the dead pedal. The main brain was hanging in front of the gas pedal. This was hands down the worst work I have ever seen in any of my vehicles. So with that said, I would rather fix this myself. Is what I described above correct?

Thanks!

Twelvoltz

Platinum - Posts: 2,384

Joined: March 24, 2005

Location: New Jersey, United States

Posted: November 02, 2006 at 8:28 AM / IP Logged

Yes, how you listed the relay wiring is correct, I would use a 10amp fuse. However most systems offer a positive parking light output, controllable with a jumper or something similar. What is the make and model of the system you had installed? Maybe we can post the manual for you (if it has not been posted already).

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