Headlights flickering on the Country Squire

I was on the way home last night when I noticed the headlights flickering on the '86 Country Squire, and at all engine speeds. I try real hard not to drive at night these days, so this may have been something going on for a while; I really don't know. So, I drove nearly forty miles with this condition. damn, what a PITA that was! It's a rapid flicker that does not get better or worse with driving. It's very annoying, obviously!

I'm thinking bad ground(s), a bad headlight switch (mine has the auto-off delay switch), or perhaps bad connectors at the lights themselves. Any ideas???

 

I would check the connections on the lights and the grounds first. I do know Ford headlight switches always did go bad, But usually ya lost total low beam or total high beam or EVERYTHING lol. Usually just one or the other tho. Try to wiggle or vibrate the area near the switch itself (with car stationary and dark outside) and the shaft. Also try the same with the dimmer hi/low switch. See if that makes it do it.

 

I also noticed it was ALL lights - tailllights, dash lights, interior lamps - that flicker!

 

I'm betting on bad grounds or bad headlight switch. That's all I can offer.

 

Checking that connector is a bitch, but if you're losing everything, it's likely a bad power lead in the connector. My Ranchero had a burned connector, so I had to splice in a replacement wire/connector when I replaced the switch years ago.

 

This may or may not help, but I had a pesky intermittent ignition cutoff on my '85 Squire.
I finally traced (OK, stumbled upon) the problem:
Several wires were connected together by a steel clip that had rusted out.
This bunch of wires was located on the firewall just to the right of center, left of the heater.
Tough to diagnose, but easy to fix with a crimp on connector.
A headlight switch is cheap and easy to replace, so I'd start there, as suggested earlier.

 

Again,a typical malady of the '80s Fords. As I recall,it was the headlight switch,but also the wiring at the switch. There used to be an improved set with heavier gauge wiring as a replacement. Autolamp made it worse.

 

My friend Steven's Grand Marquis just had a bunch o'stuff done, and when he got it back, the key/headlight minder began dinging with the door closed once the lights were switched on. Crazy, huh? We'll be tackling that one next week.

 

The key minder is very weak (thankfully!) and barely audible. Hey Hobo, you offered up a switch once, is that offer still a good one? If so, I'll take it. I might as well begin there and proceed with the other suggestions, also.

 

On, crap. I'm now in a bind! Since you hadn't taken me up on the offer, I figured you had bought a new one! I offered this one to him if his old switch is the cause...ugh. I need it to sub in for the original switch. BUT, if his problem is not the light switch, my switch is yours. Damn, I hate when these things happen.

 

No sweat, if it happens,. it happens.

 

Good news--he doesn't need it. The car had sat for so long, moisture got in the switch. Driving it after getting it back on the road dried it out. So I'll contact you later today about it...and that radio I have. We've never concluded that.

 

Cool, thanks!

 

OK, I just checked and I still have your number. If I don't get a hold of you tonight, will you give me a time I can call you tomorrow? And are you two hours different from my time zone?

 

I had the same problem on my 88 Squire and it was the connector at the turn signal/ high beam switch on the steering column. It overheated.