no tail lights, nor dash lights

[old_biker]

everything was working until yesterday, it had a headlight gremlin previous owner couldnt find, & ran a separate switch to cut just headlight on, plus headlight switch to cut on rest of lights, when I went to leave work I noticed dash lights wasnt working, didnt think to check til lights, but saw when I got home. also wipers quit 7 miles from home, & when I asked previous owner he said, he forgot to mention, & I have to jiggle ignition switch while driving & wipers will start working, & yes now they work, but no rear lights, turn signals work, reverse lights work, brake lights work. I have no power to tail light, nor to tail light fuse.

so is headlight switch bad? or something else? I did switch wires on relays in engine compartment, on pass side with no change. so is the fuse powered by ignition switch? and thats bad? or is it from engine harness? or my headlight switch bad? or????????????

also I am basically broke & cant throw parts at it. have to wait until payday to buy anything, other than something dirt cheap.

[1990new]

A blown tail fuse will also cause you instrument illumination lamps to go out. So will a blown meter fuse.. but a blown meter fuse will also cause you radiator fan to run all the time when the ignition switch is on. The ignition must be on be provide input to the meter fuse. Stop lights and hazard light input is hot at all times. (Stop fuse also powers the horn relay and the hazard fuse provides power to the ignition key reminder as well.)
Sounds like you meter fuse is ok. If you have to jiggle the key to get you wipers to work.. the first thing I would do after verifying all the fuses are good is to replace the ignition switch.
That could just fix everything. (Where are you located?)

[WmWatt]

Spray WD-40 or contact cleaner into ingition key hole and work in with key. Often fixes problem caused by build up of dirt or corrosion or both. Some have taknn the switch out and cleaned. Search this forum for photos. I have to spray mine every few years when the wipers stop working.

[old_biker]

A blown tail fuse will also cause you instrument illumination lamps to go out. So will a blown meter fuse.. but a blown meter fuse will also cause you radiator fan to run all the time when the ignition switch is on. The ignition must be on be provide input to the meter fuse. Stop lights and hazard light input is hot at all times. (Stop fuse also powers the horn relay and the hazard fuse provides power to the ignition key reminder as well.)
Sounds like you meter fuse is ok. If you have to jiggle the key to get you wipers to work.. the first thing I would do after verifying all the fuses are good is to replace the ignition switch.
That could just fix everything. (Where are you located?)

cooling fan runs all the time, I assumed he had hot wired it, but said it started running all the time on its own maybe 2 months ago, but I know tail lights were working, we live about 4 miles apart, but we work same shift & follow each other majority of the way home many nights of the week, I am 19 miles from work.

I am in Virginia

I did apply a test wire from battery to tail light fuse & tail lights came on, and chime for key was working, forgot to check if instrument lights were working, but did it quick as was heading to work

[1990new]

You said you switched wires on the relay on the right side of the engine compartment. That is the parking lamp relay. The white going to it gets power from the 10A Meter fuse.
The Red/Yellow wire coming out of it goes to the Headlamp switch. The Red/Black wire from it is input to the 15A Tail fuse. If you switched wires there, you need to switch them back.
Since the first problem that seems to have occurred was the headlight problem, that relay could be bad.

[old_biker]

the fuse that says meter is 10 amp? I will look at my other car when I get a chance, its 45 miles away, its a 91, & when headlights went out, my friend switched them between cars, and issue was still there, so he used a switch on dash, I think was for rear defogger, but it cuts headlights on, then had to cut normal switch on for rest of lights. I know I will get it figured out, and get electrical gremlins repaired, I know mechanics, but electrics are not my strength, & is a reason I wanted to go back to easier to work on cars, and always loved the Festivas, been watching these 2 for over a decade & talking about every week, so when I got chance I jumped.

as for the relay, I switched them, didnt see difference, so switched back, so its like I found it now.

[1990new]

Your are correct.. the meter fuse is 10A.
Sorry about the misleading info about the meter fuse. I was looking at my 1992 Electrical and Vacuum Troubleshooting Manual There is a mistake in the labeling on page 92-1
It is labeled Meter but should be Main. The source link shows it coming from Main Fuse Link Panel on page 13-2 though and I should have notice the error.
The error is corrected in the 1993 manual and is correctly labeled Main instead of Meter. So the Parking Lamp Rely gets constant power from the Fusible Link Main and not through the switch...This allows you to turn on the park and tail lights with the ignition switch in the off position. Since you say your tail lights are not working this points either to the park lamp relay or your column multiswitch (assuming your park lights don't work either.. is that correct?). This is looking more and more like a column multiswitch problem though... but could be more than one problem.

The power input to the tail fuse location is activated by the headlamp switch tripping the parking lamp relay... so bad headlamp switch, broken wire from headlamp swith to the parking lamp relay, broken wire from main fusible link to the parking lamp relay, or bad parking lamp relay.

[old_biker]

Your are correct.. the meter fuse is 10A.
Sorry about the misleading info about the meter fuse. I was looking at my 1992 Electrical and Vacuum Troubleshooting Manual There is a mistake in the labeling on page 92-1
It is labeled Meter but should be Main. The source link shows it coming from Main Fuse Link Panel on page 13-2 though and I should have notice the error.
The error is corrected in the 1993 manual and is correctly labeled Main instead of Meter. So the Parking Lamp Rely gets constant power from the Fusible Link Main and not through the switch...This allows you to turn on the park and tail lights with the ignition switch in the off position. Since you say your tail lights are not working this points either to the park lamp relay or your column multiswitch (assuming your park lights don't work either.. is that correct?). This is looking more and more like a column multiswitch problem though... but could be more than one problem.

The power input to the tail fuse location is activated by the headlamp switch tripping the parking lamp relay... so bad headlamp switch, broken wire from headlamp swith to the parking lamp relay, broken wire from main fusible link to the parking lamp relay, or bad parking lamp relay.

Thank You! You have been a great help, Now to do some troubleshooting. once I get electrical fixed I can go back to driving it.

while we are on electrical, the 91 has 1 issue, when you turn ignition to crank it sometimes clicks, just keep trying util it cranks, maybe 2 times, maybe 15, said it has been like that over 5 years, he replaced starter, many years ago, didnt change, the 91 is automatic, & has 455K miles, he owned it around 15 years, I dont have it on the road yet, I need to do minor maintenance on it, & tune up, plus replace a rusted out piece of exhaust pipe.

[1990new]

The clicking and not starting and then finally starting is a symptom that can have multiple causes.
Sometimes the problem can be as simple as corrosion in cable connections from the battery or the grounding to the frame or the transmission.
Many time the problem is a bad starter (solenoid). If the problem was happening before he replaced the starter (with a rebuilt or new starter I assume) and was still happening after the starter was replaced, we can assume the problem is something other than the starter (but after 5 years of the starter get the solenoid tripped multiple time at every start for 5 year, that replacement starter could also now be going bad also).
Assuming the starter (solenoid) is good and the power cable connection from the battery to the starter is good, the next thing to check is the power from the ignition switch that is supplying the power to activate the starter solenoid. The power connection to the solenoid start at the ignition switch when the key is turned to start.. if the contacts are worn in the switch or the solder for the wire coming from the switch is partially melted.. you have an ignition switch problem. For ATX the power next goes to the neutral safety switch which screws into the transmission. But I believer that when this switch goes bad, it normally just doesn't allow a start at all.
So these are the causes that you need to troubleshoot to find the problem.

There is really good writeup with pictures on the forum that talks about ways to fix the ignition switch..

https://fordfestiva.com/forums/forum/articles-aa/electrical/48217-ignition-switch-fix/page2

[old_biker]

The clicking and not starting and then finally starting is a symptom that can have multiple causes.
Sometimes the problem can be as simple as corrosion in cable connections from the battery or the grounding to the frame or the transmission.
Many time the problem is a bad starter (solenoid). If the problem was happening before he replaced the starter (with a rebuilt or new starter I assume) and was still happening after the starter was replaced, we can assume the problem is something other than the starter (but after 5 years of the starter get the solenoid tripped multiple time at every start for 5 year, that replacement starter could also now be going bad also).
Assuming the starter (solenoid) is good and the power cable connection from the battery to the starter is good, the next thing to check is the power from the ignition switch that is supplying the power to activate the starter solenoid. The power connection to the solenoid start at the ignition switch when the key is turned to start.. if the contacts are worn in the switch or the solder for the wire coming from the switch is partially melted.. you have an ignition switch problem. For ATX the power next goes to the neutral safety switch which screws into the transmission. But I believer that when this switch goes bad, it normally just doesn't allow a start at all.
So these are the causes that you need to troubleshoot to find the problem.

There is really good writeup with pictures on the forum that talks about ways to fix the ignition switch..
https://fordfestiva.com/forums/forum...itch-fix/page2

he did replace cables from a different car, it was a starter from advance or autozone, unsure if was rebuilt or new, I would have to ask & see if he remembers, but I drove it to my other home, & it acted up at gas station, 2 clicks, & probably 15 when I went to drive it up wheel ramps to look at exhaust, & I gave him his tags back, so no driving except around house, & I will get to working on it soon, dreading replacing the torque converter seal, lol, back & hips hurt, but I plan to try to in a month when I go on vacation.

anyway I had thoughts on corrosion, for many years I was a old aircooled VW guy, & they have same issue,& sometimes you had to crawl under to jump starter with screwdriver, I usually put in a jump wire & push button to jump starter when my ignition wouldnt work, & it was caused by years of corrosion, with multiple connectors, & switch, you could disconnect, clean every one, & it would work great several months, but I understand checking for voltage drops, replaced many air conditioner switches that wasnt supplying full voltage to air conditioner clutch causing them to burn up. been 25 years since I worked in a dealership as a mechanic.

[1990new]

Aircooled here too.. My first car was a 1964 Corvair which I bought new... and 3 years later I gave that to my younger sister and bought a new 1967 Corvair. Then I married a girl who had a 1998 VW... We had at least one VW continuously from then until 1990 when we traded our 1978 VW van in on a new 1990 Festiva. (Wished many time that I had not traded it in.) But I never really did have to do much work on the VW's
I replaced that seal you are talking about before I gave up on getting the ATX to work on Rosie and switched her to a 5 speed. The added size and weight and extra connections on the ATX really does make it a lot harder to work on. Good Luck getting your Festivas back in perfect working order.

[old_biker]

Thank you, and the trans in the 91 is from a 97 Aspire, he used front cross member? and 1 motor mount? but for my wife is reason I bought it, as she cant drive a stick, but its going to be a spare to leave at other house, it was my childhood friend's, & we bought places same time, he died 3 years ago, & thanks to my wife I bought his trailer in middle of no-where, lol but as we have found ourselves stranded there 3 times in past, when vehicle broke down there, which is past state maintenance, on dead in road, but as I get bills off me I want to fix it up to do light traveling in. it has 455K miles, & I want to see how many miles I can get on 1, lol. 600k? lol. I may try to find another trans in future to have to rebuild, as no idea how long this 1 will live, & I havent built an automatic trans in over 20 years. mostly built older rear wheel drive transmissions, but would be fun in future, but would like to just to prove to myself I still can.

in 4 months if this virus doesnt affect my work, I should have my primary home paid off & the Festys, & my primary car, I thought hard about buying, but to have a spare for her at other place, & me a 5 speed to enjoy, I havent had a stick shift since March of 2013. when I was mad at my truck, & like a dummy, I sold my old Toyota truck & bought a 2004 Roush F150, which now I only drive when I need to haul something as its quite thirsty, I regret that so much, & I got a 2009 Aveo that is my daily driver. but not reliable, soon as I get electrical gremlins solved my daily will be this 93 Festy. lol. & Aveo may be a backup. lol. or sell it. my wife has a 2012 PriusC which I cant stand to ride in nor drive, I am uncomfortable in it,the Festy has much better leg room for me. a lot more relaxing to drive for me, and my wife likes it as well.

I still have a few of my old bugs, & busses, 1 fasty, and a Vanagon, never had a Corvair, but have worked on them & liked, just never had opportunity to own one. as for working on them it seemed I was always tinkering, & very frustrated, especially the brakes on the bugs, when it took 2 pumps of the brake pedal to have good brakes it was time to adjust, & 8 separate adjusters, for the 4 wheels, many times adjusting in the rain, or adjusting valves or changing oil in rain, yes I changed oil every 2k miles religiously, since no oil filter. & adjusted valves every other oil change, then about as often swapping shims on generator or alternator belt to adjust belt tension, then adjusting choke as temp changes. yeah decades of playing.I got my first when I was 13, still have it in the woods, as well as first engine I built for it when I was 13, but rebuilt it again when I was like 34? & I am 53 now, still got the engine in an old 71 Super thats junked in woods.

If I could go back in time I wouldnt change my messing with VWs, but I would tell myself to buy an 85 Toyota 1 ton truck new, very rare, & first year for the 1 ton, late 83 could get a 3/4 ton, before that all were 1/2 ton, even if dual wheels, then second get a Festy after I paid Toyota off, as trust me, lots of bad choices in my life on vehicles. but I had too much fun in VWs & playing with Toyota trucks, and now will be Festys. in 1985 I bought my first new car & a mistake car, lol, which was a lemon & problems from 6 days after I bought it.

[1990new]

Wow... You really do collect VW's Speaking of lemons... I remember having two.. One was a red 1975 VW Rabbit that we bought new (traded a 1973 412 Sedan in on it) It had engine overheating problems from the get-go.. and also was two small for us. We traded that back in before the year was out on a slightly used 74 VW Van... then 4 years later traded it in on a new 1978 Van. The other lemon was yellow... a used 1975 Fiat 128 4 door sedan. Had no problem with the engine and drive train and the car rode nice.. but the front disc brakes were a real pain in the neck.. never did get them exactly right and ended up selling it to someone who found my price to be a great deal..never did hear anything back from him..so he must have know how to fix the brakes. I did have a 1985 Toyota Van that we really loved... before my youngest son wrecked it and I had no collision insurance on it...was able to sell the engine from it for a good price though.
Best of luck to you and I hope your work holds out and you and yours stay healthy through this current mess.