How to Diagnose Electrical Issues in Your 1964-1973 Mustang

As your classic Mustang ages, it's common for the half-decade-old electronics to start to fail or have issues. Diagnosing or fixing these issues can be challenging if you've never worked with electronics before. To help you that process, we've put together a comprehensive list of potential issues and the ways to troubleshoot them.

Find your specific issue and use the troubleshooting guide below to fix your 1964-1973 Mustang electronical issues.

Classic Mustang Turn Signal Switch Not Working

The turn signal switch is by far the most common source of problems. While it doesn't seem that important, it's essential to the function of your horn, turn signals, brake lights, and hazard lights.

The function of the horns is performed by a pair of small spring-loaded brass pins, or shafts, that contact the inner and outer ring of the horn contacts on the backside of the steering wheel. They complete the circuit to the horns when you press the ring. At the ends of the pins are larger-diameter heads that hold the springs in place, keeping them in contact with the horn rings. One pin is hot all the time, which is why you can honk the horn whether or not the ignition is on. Over time, the heads wear down, and the springs no longer hold the pins. That's when it's time to change the switch. It doesn't hurt to put a thin film of white lithium grease on the horn contact rings.

Your turn signal switch also determines how well your brake lights and hazard lights work. When the turn signal switch is in its center or neutral position, the circuit for both brake lights is complete. This means that when you press the brake pedal, both brake lights will light. This is also important for the hazard lights.

Classic Mustang Dash Lights Don't Work

The dash lights get their current from the headlight switch. Current flows from the battery to a headlight-switch contact through a rheostat on a white, ceramic turn wheel. Current then follows to the light bulbs in the dash. The rheostat is a small circular spring installed in the ceramic wheel that dims or brightens the dash lights as you turn the headlight-switch knob. The spring can get rusty or faulty and cause dead spots or not light the bulbs at all. In this case, the switch needs to be replaced.

In 1965-1968 Mustangs, the instrument-cluster housing grounds to the car when it's installed. This is important to keep in mind when testing for current. Sometimes, you need to attach a ground wire from the housing to the dash frame to perform a good test of the bulbs. The 1969-1973 Mustang dash lights ground through the printed circuit board.

Classic Mustang Gauges Not Working

Your Mustang gauges not working could be due to a variety of different things. Current flows from the ignition switch to a device called a constant voltage regulator, to the gauge, and then to a sending unit. The voltage regulator changes the 12-volt current to a pulsing lower-voltage signal and then sends it to the gauge. The sending unit of that gauge acts as the ground to complete the circuit. It increases or decreases the quality of the ground, and the gauge reads the average voltage of the circuit through the pulses. If a gauge isn't working and it's definitely a good gauge, it either isn't getting the pulse from the voltage regulator or the sending unit is faulty.

Check the voltage regulator with a test light by checking for 12 volts or a pulsing signal. If all is well, examine the sending unit by removing its boot terminal and testing it for the pulsing signal. If you have a pulsing signal, then the unit is bad and you'll need to replace the sending unit. If you have no signal at all, then the gauge is at fault. You can test your gauge by grounding the sending unit's boot terminal directly to ground to quickly see if the gauge reads all the way. If it does, it's okay. Don't let it stay grounded for long or you could damage it.

Another problem is that gauges may not be perfectly centered in the cluster housing, allowing one or both of the posts to touch the edge of the opening. If the hot post touches, it can short the gauge and it won't read properly. If the sending-unit post touches, the gauge will jump to full when you turn the key. The gauges must be perfectly centered with the posts not touching the metal cluster housing.

Classic Mustang Won't Start

It's frustrating to hop into your 1964-1973 Mustang, turn the key, and nothing happens. There are a number of things that could be the problem, but nothing that can't be diagnosed and fixed.

If nothing is happening or there is a clicking sound from under the hood, you need to test the ignition switch. First, get a test light and remove the boot terminal from the starter solenoid terminal marked S, usually a red-with-blue-stripe wire, and have someone turn the key while you test the terminal to see if the light turns on. If it doesn't, the start circuit from the ignition switch is at fault. In that case, either the ignition switch is bad or the circuit in that red and blue wire needs to be checked. If your Mustang has an automatic transmission, the neutral safety switch could also be bad.

If the test bulb does light, the problem is either the starter solenoid, the battery, the starter, or any of the connections. You'd be surprised how many times this problem can be solved by removing the battery cables to clean their posts and cable ends. Above all else, the battery cables and posts need to be clean and tight. The best tool for this is a post cleaner you can buy at any auto parts store. It has a wire brush for cleaning the inside of the cables and a circular wire brush to spin on top of the battery posts. Install the cables and make sure they're tight. Now try to start your Mustang.

If that doesn't fix the problem, check the battery. Measure the current from the positive side to the negative side with a voltmeter. If the voltage is below 12V, the battery needs to be charged or replaced. With a charged battery, the car should start.

Classic Mustang Battery Not Charging

Checking your charging system is an easy task. You need the tools to remove the battery cables and a voltmeter to do it properly. The first thing you should check when a battery isn't charging is the current draw. To do this, remove the positive cable from the battery, then connect a voltmeter with the red positive clip touching the battery positive post and the black negative clip touching the removed positive battery cable. The voltmeter should read 0 volts. If you get anything close to 12 volts, something is turned on or shorted, draining the battery as the car sits.

Next, make sure the battery is receiving a charge from the alternator. Start the car and connect the voltmeter with the red clip touching the positive battery post and the black clip touching the negative battery post. You should see from 13.5 to 15 volts. If it's less than 13 volts, the alternator or the regulator is at fault.

One thing to remember about the charging system: never remove battery cables from the battery posts while the engine is running. This can blow a diode in your alternator or cause other problems. Some people do this to see if the alternator is working. Don't do this. If you get the 13.5 or so volts at the battery while the engine is running, the alternator and regulator are working.

Bad Connections in Your Classic Mustang

Bad connections can often cause the signs that indicate a component problem. Over time, the fuse panel can get rusty or the tabs that hold them fatigue and the fuses don't make good contact. If the holding tabs are rusty, they need to be wire-brushed and then treated with a cleaner such as WD-40. I've solved a number of problems by popping the fuses out of the holders, spraying the fuse panel, and reinstalling them. If the holding tabs don't hold the fuse tight, they can be gently bent closer together to hold better. When spraying the panel, coat the backside as well. Be sure the battery is disconnected.

Connectors themselves can become loose over time and not make good contact. If this happens to you, take a thin knife blade and slightly bend the terminal to make it tighter on the component. You can also use a pair of needle-nose pliers to gently squeeze the terminals together.

Flickering Dash Lights or Headlights on Your Classic Mustang

Other than faulty connections or a bad alternator, sometimes this can be caused by a low battery. If a battery isn't holding a charge, the system keeps trying to charge it. Check the battery first and you may find the weak point.

Sometimes the headlight switch can be the cause. It contains an internal breaker that can get too hot and fail, causing headlights to flicker or go out. The lighting system is the hardest draw, designed for the headlights of the day. Today's halogen headlights are brighter, pulling more power and stressing the system. You may want to consider adding relays on the headlight circuits, or installing a new headlight switch.