Btown512

Thanks for the tips @jdog I finally figured it out! I think I may have done the same thing as the guy who started this thread. The aftermarket pigtail comes with extra wires and you have to find out which ones you don’t use. Well turns out on the 87 and maybe other years they only used 6 of the 7 pins (see picture 1) even though the switch has 7 pins and there is a ground wire that looks like it should attach to the aftermarket pigtail at that pin but don't CONNECT THEM! I realized that one of the pins isn’t used and that was grounding it out everytime it was in the second slot. Just cut out the other wire or tie it off somehow. Hopefully this will be helpful to somebody else who has this issue!

The connector seems fine and all the wires around there seem okay too. I find it hard to be a wire that’s rubbed raw somewhere due to the nature of the symptoms. If it were rubbed through somewhere wouldn’t it short whenever the running lights turn on? I can drive with everything working perfect in the 3rd position, it’s only in the 2nd that the fuse blows and it’s instantaneous every time.

Bringing up this ancient forum… I’m having the same exact issue as Troubador and this the only forum I’ve found with the same issue! The headlight switch connector melted a few weeks ago, I replaced it and the headlight switch. Everything works perfect when the headlights and taillights are on (3rd slot on the switch) but with just running lights (second slot) the park/tail fuse blows. If I pull the switch to the 3rd slot then put the fuse in I can drive fine with taillights and running lights, it only blows if the switch falls into the 2nd slot. Troubador, did getting a part from a junkyard fix your issue? I’ve tried 2 switches from Oreilley and 1 from autozone and they all act the same. Any ideas? I have an 87 wagoneer XJ