Intermitten headlight?

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May 14, 2004 | 06:40 PM

Nathan Plemons

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Joined: May 2001

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Intermitten headlight?

Last night my passenger side headlight started acting stupid. I've looked with the hood up, when I flip the switch the driver's side will come on immediately and the passenger side will be on by the time it flips around, but it's not instant. While driving it will go out and come back on apparently at random. The high beams work just fine. When it does go out, flipping the high beams and such won't get it back on.

I tried with the car just sitting in my garage and the light will go and come apparently at random. It seems like if the wiring was flaky something would actually have to be moving or vibrating to cause this :confused:

My headlights are an upgraded housing with a normal style bulb in them. I'm going to try swapping sides with the bulbs to see if the problem moves to the driver's side. If it does then I know it's just the bulb. I can't imagine that it would be the bulb, but I'm willing to swap it before I start hunting wiring gremlins. Anybody had any experience with similar problems?

[Modified by Nathan Plemons, 5:41 PM 5/14/2004]

May 14, 2004 | 07:05 PM

Stingraynut

Burning Brakes

Joined: Dec 2002

Posts: 1,199

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From: Cairns Australia

Re: Intermitten headlight? (Nathan Plemons)

Hi Nathan, I had the same problem when I fitted some new headlight globes. It was a bad connection at the plug on the globe. The tang in the socket was black, I pulled it out and sanded it - turned a brass colour - now that headlight is brighter than the other .

I have been meaning to post this in case it helps others, a cheap way to make your headlights brighter.

Hope this is your problem

S'nut

May 14, 2004 | 09:06 PM

Nathan Plemons

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Re: Intermitten headlight? (Stingraynut)

I took the covers apart and went to pull the bulbs to inspect them and go from there. On the passenger side the low beam prong of the connector was almost gone, I really don't see how it was making up at all. Fortunately a few years ago I had to replace a motor. I got the motor and the wires from a junkyard and I kept the old stuff. I was to disassemble the convaluted thing and repair it with what I had left over. Now if I can just find a replacement for the nut that I dropped I'll be in good shape.

Of course while typing this I just realized that I left another nut out of the assembly. Oh well, I'll put it back tomorrow. I'm tired of messing with it tonight.

[Modified by Nathan Plemons, 8:06 PM 5/14/2004]

May 14, 2004 | 09:24 PM

JAKE

Le Mans Master

Joined: Feb 2000

Posts: 9,715

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From: Kempner Texas

Re: Intermitten headlight? (Nathan Plemons)

I had an intermitted passenger side headlight "on" problem a few months back and it, too, out turned out to be corrosion at the plug into the headlight.

A little sanding and clean up; no more problem.

Jake

May 14, 2004 | 10:52 PM

Corvette Kid

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Joined: Jul 2003

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From: Good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die

St. Jude Donor '04-'05-'06-'07

Re: Intermitten headlight? (JAKE)

Once they're clean you can always use dielectric grease in the connectors to keep them that way. I also use it in light sockets and of course in the underhood electronic connections and such. Don't use regular grease or other subtances not designed for electrical.