john deere 3020 lights always on

kblair3020 · Aug 23, 2012

We just restored a 1967 John Deere 3020 gas to exhibit at the Iowa State Fair FFA Mechanics Show. When we finished the tractor, we had no lights. Once we hauled the tractor to the Fair, when the key is on the outside headlights stay on even though the light switch is off. We had inspected the wiring harness prior to putting it back on the tractor and didn't see any issues. At this time, we are scratching our heads trying to figure out where to start or is it something to do with the new paint and not getting a good enough ground somewhere. The tractor is a positive ground. Thanks for any incite into our problem.

old · Aug 23, 2012

Could be as simple as a bad switch and since you hauled it some place that could be enough to make it short out and then have what you have. I would simply take one wire off the switch and see if they go out and if they do check the switch with a simple ohm meter

rustyfarmall · Aug 23, 2012

(quoted from post at 10:23:02 08/23/12) We just restored a 1967 John Deere 3020 gas to exhibit at the Iowa State Fair FFA Mechanics Show. When we finished the tractor, we had no lights. Once we hauled the tractor to the Fair, when the key is on the outside headlights stay on even though the light switch is off. We had inspected the wiring harness prior to putting it back on the tractor and didn't see any issues. At this time, we are scratching our heads trying to figure out where to start or is it something to do with the new paint and not getting a good enough ground somewhere. The tractor is a positive ground. Thanks for any incite into our problem.

If the issue was the new paint not allowing for good ground, the lights would not work at all. I doubt if the problem is the wiring harness either. I think the problem is in the light switch.

kblair3020 · Aug 23, 2012

We have pulled one wire at a time off of the light switch and the lights stayed on. We have since started to pull the wires one at a time off of the key switch and found out that when we pulled off the blue wire that comes from the starter or the double black wires that go to the lights circuit breaker, the lights then go off.

So we are still a little puzzled. Are we getting a back feed, or is the key switch bad?

rustyfarmall · Aug 23, 2012

(quoted from post at 12:38:25 08/23/12) We have pulled one wire at a time off of the light switch and the lights stayed on. We have since started to pull the wires one at a time off of the key switch and found out that when we pulled off the blue wire that comes from the starter or the double black wires that go to the lights circuit breaker, the lights then go off.

So we are still a little puzzled. Are we getting a back feed, or is the key switch bad?

Did you by any chance pinch the wiring harness while doing the restoration? Or is the wiring harness still pinched somewhere right now? You may have have broken the insulation on a couple of wires, and those 2 wires are now making contact.

JDseller · Aug 24, 2012

I will bet that you have the wiring wrong on the back of the key switch and light switch. It is easy to do if you have them both off at the same time because they both use wires that are the same color but are supposed to be separated.

Get a factory JD service manual an get the correct wiring diagram for your model and serial number. There are four different possible wiring setups on a JD 3020. If you used a an IT service manual the one they have in the book is for the later serial numbers only. I get one or two each year messed up because of using IT service manuals.

john deere 3020 lights always on

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