Headlight Problem
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Racer
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 326
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From: Southeast Missouri
Headlight Problem (Updated!)
I have a salvage title car; just got it back from the body shop and putting the interior back in it and taking care of little things. I put a new battery in it today and when I hook it up, the headlights pop up but dont glow. I tried turning the switch on and off to get them to go down but they wont do it (they do glow then though). Anybody know what my problem is?
To update: Its not doing that anymore. Headlights wont come up at all now. I tried to look at the fuses last night but couldnt get them out--going to try again later. The bulbs are good--last night when they would come up by themselves I turned the switch on to see if they worked and they did but when I turned the switch off they wouldnt go down. Today I hooked up the battery and nothing happened so I thought it might have worked itself out. Well when I tried to turn the headlights on, they do nothing--dont know if they glow, just dont come up.
To update: Its not doing that anymore. Headlights wont come up at all now. I tried to look at the fuses last night but couldnt get them out--going to try again later. The bulbs are good--last night when they would come up by themselves I turned the switch on to see if they worked and they did but when I turned the switch off they wouldnt go down. Today I hooked up the battery and nothing happened so I thought it might have worked itself out. Well when I tried to turn the headlights on, they do nothing--dont know if they glow, just dont come up.
Last edited by schtick; Oct 10, 2005 at 04:46 PM.
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Based on your description it sounds to me like it might be in the switch on the column. The operation of the headlights from the column is as follows:
1 click counter clockwise turns on the parking lights.
2 clicks counter clockwise raises the headlights and turns on the bulbs.
1 click clockwise turns out the bulbs but leaves the parking lights on and the headlamps in the up position.
2 clicks clockwise lowers the headlamps and turns out the parking lights.
It sounds like your switch may be intermittent in its operation, perhaps it is just dirty contacts. You might try spraying a little contact cleaner in the their while rotating the switch back and forth several times.
I'm sure someone with more experience will chime in.
Paul
1 click counter clockwise turns on the parking lights.
2 clicks counter clockwise raises the headlights and turns on the bulbs.
1 click clockwise turns out the bulbs but leaves the parking lights on and the headlamps in the up position.
2 clicks clockwise lowers the headlamps and turns out the parking lights.
It sounds like your switch may be intermittent in its operation, perhaps it is just dirty contacts. You might try spraying a little contact cleaner in the their while rotating the switch back and forth several times.
I'm sure someone with more experience will chime in.
Paul
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Joined: Dec 2003
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From: Horncastle Lincolnshire, England
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When I fitted my fog lamp I had to disconnect the battery. I popped a headlamp fuze in the process. I ended up with the same symptoms. There's an obscure fuze in the wheel well panel which controls the lights themselves. Wish I could tell you exactly which one it was.
In any event, the headlamp motors and the lights are on separate circuits. Could it be a blown fuze on the lamp circuit? Worth checking.
In any event, the headlamp motors and the lights are on separate circuits. Could it be a blown fuze on the lamp circuit? Worth checking.
Last edited by DeeGee; Oct 10, 2005 at 04:41 PM.
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From: Horncastle Lincolnshire, England
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I just reread the post and if the lights are glowing after a repeated switching on and off and the headlamps stay up, it can't be the light bulbs failed or a fuze problem. You're getting wrong modes for different switch settings.
I think I go with Talon90s idea that the switch may be dirty or broken.
I think I go with Talon90s idea that the switch may be dirty or broken.
