North American Turbocoupe Organization



Headlight sensor
1987tc Offline
Senior Member
#1
On my 87TC I have a bad sensor for the auto headlights. All I get is just low beams no high beams unless I pull back and hold the dimmer switch. This is with it unplugged ( the sensor) If I plug it back in it wants to flash from high to low beams all the time. Can I put in a headlight switch for a non auto Tbird and fix my problem? I never much cared about the auto headlights anyway.
Wes

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1987 TC:
Hurst compition plus shifter,K&N cone,roller cam,custom single exhaust,Gillis valve,H&R springs,KYB shocks,struts and quads.
3.73 rear.
Tubular rear control arms and Kenny Brown trac kit brackets.Mac rear differntial cover and girdle.
Also fixing up a 1977 Pinto Sedan. Yes thats right a Pinto! Hey it is a 2.3!
Wes Arnett
Dugger, Indiana
Sold my Turbocoupe. It went to a good home.
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Scott Evil Offline
Senior Member
#2
If the control wheel is set all the way off, the system is turned-off. Your high beams should work normally.
1986 SVO 1D <19,000 miles
2001 Audi S4 Silver (the fastest color)
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1987tc Offline
Senior Member
#3
I tried that. Made no change at all. My wifes Tbird LX is doing the same thing now too.
What I would like to do is get rid of the auto headlights altogether. I am wondering if by replacing the headlight switch with a non auto headlight switch if I can make it a regular system.
Wes
Sold my Turbocoupe. It went to a good home.
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86tc Offline
Member
#4
Do you have another turn signal/dimmer switch to try? I'm thinking it could have a short in it, causing it to do that. Just a thought.

Rick
'62 Ranchero (in progress...again)
'72 Gran Torino Sport (for sale/trade)
'76 Honda CB750 (for sale/trade)
'88 Yamaha Blaster Race 4-wheeler (for sale/trade)
'89 Lincoln Town Car (for sale/trade)
'92 GMC Safari Conv. Van (for sale)
'94 Pontiac Bonneville
'96 GMC Jimmy
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segfaultxr7 Offline
Posting Freak
#5
I agree with 86tc. It sounds like the highbeam switch on the steering column is bad. The highbeams have to be switched on in order for the auto highbeam dimmer to work. If you have to hold the stalk back to get highbeams and it still acts up with the auto dimmer wheel turned off, it's not a problem w/ the auto highbeam dimmer.
88 TC 5-speed
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TurboCoupe50 Offline
Posting Freak
#6
For what it's worth, I believe the headlight switches are all the same. My TC does not have auto lamp, but the switch came from a car with auto lamp. Part number on them were the same.

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Three 1988 Turbo Coupes .....
yea one of em has a 5.0 And runs 13.1s......
uhhh make that [email protected] with a 90hp shot of nitrous.
1988 Turbo Coupe331 AOD

1972 Comet GT

1969 Fairlane Cobra 428CJ 4-Speed
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tylerport Offline
Senior Member
#7
I just unplugged my sensor and tucked the wires up in the headliner trim. Now my headlights work like normal ones. The reason I removed the sensor was to replace the Rear-view mirror due to that black stuff showing up on the mirror (very common in older vehicles).

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Jim Portteus
NATO Member
86 Turbo Coupe, LA3 w/ Intercooler and Larger VAM, Gillis Valve, 2 1/2" Downpipe to 2" Duals w/ 18" Glasspacks, 245/50R16's, 140MPH Speedo and new paint.
Jim Portteus
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1987tc Offline
Senior Member
#8
Sounds like it is time to try the one from the parts car..............
Sold my Turbocoupe. It went to a good home.
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turboblue Offline
Junior Member
#9
You can bypass the whole mirror/ hi beam dimmer control in the drivers kick panel. The mirror harness is a "T" that plug in there. It has a label on it marked "electrical test". It is an 8 pin gray plug with only five or so wires in it. Just unplug the wires going to the mirror and plag the other two tales together.
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Jims88TC Offline
Junior Member
#10
I had the same problem with my car. With my luck my headlights flashed on and off...and one night right in front of a cop. It even did it when I shut off the automatic headlights and used the manual switch. I heard clicking from the sensor...so I figured that the sensor was causing the problem. It turned out that it had nothing to do with the sensor. Replace the whole switch(that plate thta has the auto dim, auto headlights, fog lights, manual headlights)...because that is most likely what the problem is. The mechanic said that these cars(mine is an '88 TC fully opted) were poorly made when it came to the electrical work. The switch ends up getting too much power running to it and that causes an overload. This overload ends up destroying that switch and makes the lights go crazy. That is what my mechanic told me...so hopefully it will be a help to you.

James
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