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Ford TSB issued "with fix" for dimming headlamp/interior lights!

I

Icefury

Veteran CEG'er
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Feb 13, 2001
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Location
La Crescent, MN
It was mentioned on the old forums but I wanted to let everyone Ford issued a TSB (00256) and a new part 1S8Z-14A411-AA (Eyelit Terminal Pigtail Wire) to fix the problem with dimming headlights & flickering gauges/interior lights (most notably when letting off the gas to idle). This TSB was issued "only" for the 99-00 Cougar but it's engine bay and wiring is virtually a carbon copy of the Contour. Nice of Ford to leave the Contour out of the TSB....

Anyways, I ordered the part from Bill Jenkins ($25) and it will be here today. Hope to have it installed this weekend and will give feedback once it's installed.

Download the TSB PDF file complete with install instructions here...

http://www.newcougar.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=26282&d=1157999316
 
well the thing is that is the goldentour wiring fix, you could do it yourself for about what, the cost of the ring terminal ...


I almost forgot, I think it was developed from that TSB
 
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at any rate can someone bring the info over here i dont want to have to register to look at it... thanks.
 
search the forums and the old forum for the wiring fix ...
 

Attachments

  • tsb00-25-06[1].pdf
    47.7 KB · Views: 9
ok thanks for that. btw, i know thats the ford way, but is there an easier way? it looks like all thats being done was removal of 1 wire an addition of a new one? im interested if i need this. mine doesnt flicker, but when i turn the headlamps on when starting cold they dim slightly for about a second and a half... is this considered part of the problem?
 
chrisl311 said:
ok thanks for that. btw, i know thats the ford way, but is there an easier way? it looks like all thats being done was removal of 1 wire an addition of a new one? im interested if i need this. mine doesnt flicker, but when i turn the headlamps on when starting cold they dim slightly for about a second and a half... is this considered part of the problem?
Click to expand...


not even that, look in the duratec forum stickies and look at the wiring fix how to .... and as the pdf says you are splicing the voltage regulator signal wire out of the harness and connecting it to the alternator out put. as the pdf says run back 4 inches from the voltage regulator connector and cut that one wire and use a ring terminal to connect it to the alternator output, its beyond easy .... no adding wire should be needed ...
 
chrisl311 said:
thanks, but do you think that is considered the problem, my last post?
Click to expand...


no I do not, I believe this is related to continues flickering ... if it does it ones when cold i would see that as normal ... but if it really bothers you then go for the wiring fix ...
 
The TSB from Ford has nothing about replacing or upgrading the power or negative wires. This TSB is basically instructions to move the "feed" wire away from the other main power wires. The problem is that the feed wire could be picking up signals from the other power wires, because they are too close together. Kind of like when you run your amp wire next to your speaker wires, and you hear engine whine through the speakers. Same principle.

Fett over @ NECO noticed that the lights were flickering with the tone pulse of the engine (music off). At first, during idle, he thought it had to do with the RPMs of the alternator. But when I opened his throttle a little bit, the engine tone obviously changed...but the flickering never changed, it just was not as severe as it was at idle. He started thinking that it was an electrical frequency issue, and something was picking up an electrical pulse. The TSB is meant to fix just that.
 
My SVT definitely does this & I find it quite annoying so this possible fix would be great. Does anybody know which forum on NECO that thread was posted in? Clicking the link just brings up a sign-in page & I'm not registered there (and don't feel the need to either fwiw).
 
why is everyone in this thread posting like they have never heard of this before ... hell the first post said this was posted on the old fourm :shrug:


only difference not is we ahve the official TSB but it has already been quoted before ....
 
LOL! I never knew this was documented either!!!

Mine has the similar dim problem in the cabin. I only notable remember the lights flickering a few times. I always noted that my idle would drop slightly and raise with the dimming of the lights (only about 50-100 rpm). I'm going to have to do this on friday!

Good job for renewing an old post!
 
BrApple said:
why is everyone in this thread posting like they have never heard of this before ... hell the first post said this was posted on the old fourm :shrug:


only difference not is we ahve the official TSB but it has already been quoted before ....
Click to expand...

I never heard of it, and honestly from what you explained of the 'known' fix this sounds alot less mcguyver.

Good going greg, you know ill be picking this up like we talked about before
 
Pudmunkie said:
I never heard of it, and honestly from what you explained of the 'known' fix this sounds alot less mcguyver.

Good going greg, you know ill be picking this up like we talked about before
Click to expand...


you right, this makes it sounds alot less mcguyver then before but it is all the smae thing in the end ...
 
Still have not had an oppurtunity to install the TSB part. Between work and frigid tempatures (8-15 degree's, not heated garage) just have not found a good day to do it.

Going to try and do it this weekend.
 
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