A couple questions about my Bronco.

[92BronK]

Since I thought It wouldnt make sense to make multiple threads, I combined all my questions in one.

(1) My dash battery gauge seems to be not working. It moves slightly when I turn the truck on/off, but it doesnt go past the 8volt mark engine running or not. My Alt and battery are working fine... Could it be that my gauge is damaged?

(2) I was trying to fix my map light problem, I took off the driver side seat belt pulley and interior panel but all that was behind there was a hole(for the seat belt bolt) and solid metal(no wires in sight)...Could I be looking in the wrong area?

(3) When I open my driver door it doesnt trigger the dome light,rear lamp or the drive side door light, but the passenger door triggers all the lights just fine...Could I need a new driver side door jamb switch? or Could it be all ******* with my map light problem?

Thanks for the help. >-

 

[broncobob58]

As far as the volt meter goes they are never really that accurate,mine registers about the same.There is a good distance of wires from the battery to the gauge there is some resistance and some voltage drop from the battery.A good way to check the battery and charging system is to use a volt meter on the battery when the engine is off(should be over 12 volts) and then start the truck and see the difference,if it is charging properly the voltage should be in the area of 13.8-14.2 volts plus or minus a few tenths).

The dome light switch may be stuck,broken or even disconnected on the driver side.Try pulling the plunger out and if this doesn't work unscrew the switch and disconnect the connector on it and jump the terminals for the black with blue tracer wire with the light green with I believe white or yellow tracer and see if it works.Most ford vehicles have been this way for many years.

The map lights for some reason on these trucks only work with the parking or headlights on,it says it in the owners' manual.I didn't think mine worked either but had left the switch on for the maplight and later on when I went out and put the headlights on the maplight came on.Iv'e had other fords with that style map/domelight and the map lights worked independant of the headlight switch.Kind of an odd setup.

 

[Roadkill]

Broncobob is right about how to check the electric system for charging. Your guage may have a bad ground or the guage itself may not work right, I would look for a dirty, loose or corroded ground first. The door-jam switch is under $10 and they do go bad, the drivers side switch on mine went bad but in the oposite way of yours. (I took out all the light bulbs that night so it would not run down the battery, but that damn chime had me out of my mind before I finnished the 10 mile trip to the parts store the next day)