XT6 Headlight Wierdness

[Hocrest]

OK, here's the deal...

The car is a '91 XT6

 

Parking Lights on, all is fine.

Turn the Headlights on, and the Dashlights go out????

 

The night before this started the headlights stopped going down???

 

I checked the connector under the dash and found a white 4-way plug that seemed to be the one for the lights, it was a little toasty. I cleaned it out and checked both sides with a test light. Seems to be making connection. Sprayed contact cleaner into the Light Switches on the pod and worked them, to no avail???

 

I found the wiring diagram for the foglights through a search, but it doesn't seem to have the details on the headlight's wiring.

 

Does anyone have a wiring diagram for the headlight/parkinglights.

 

Also, when I check for voltage on the headlight motors, should there be a constant voltage in the up position, a constant voltage in the down position, or just a pulse of voltage when the headlight motor should be running?? If it is a pulse, does polarity reverse for up/down?

 

 

Thanks in advance for any help, tips.

 

 

edit: I also checked voltage on both sides of all the fusible links by the battery, and they all checked out

[LeakingOil]

Thanks for the post Dave!!!

 

Any help would be appreciated due to this being the only vehicle I have and 2 girls who need to get places.

 

Thanks again for any info. that is thrown my way

 

Smiles,

Melis

[markjules2001]

Hello Hocrest,

 

The headlight problem you have described is fairly common it seems confusing but is actually quite simple.

 

What's wrong is that a contact point in the pod has been lost.

The contact points are spring loaded to hold them in place; sometimes, the contact points become corroded or the contact point carrier melts and the spring pushes the contact point out of position.

 

You must open the pod to find out which is the case.

 

If there is corrosion, you should clean the contact point. If the carrier for the contact point has melted, you should trade it with

the blank carrier from the off switch.

 

The contact points follow the same principle as the contact points on a flashlight.

 

To open the pod, use a small mirror and small phillips screwdriver and open the pod from behind.

 

If you have a standard transmission, you will note that the pod harness connects right by the clutch pedal. In winter and rainy weather water from your clutching foot can get in that harness and shortout your lights alltogether. From your description, this is not the case.

 

Good luck.

 

Mark in Connecticut.

[Hocrest]

Originally posted by markjules2001

What's wrong is that a contact point in the pod has been lost.

The contact points are spring loaded to hold them in place; sometimes, the contact points become corroded or the contact point carrier melts and the spring pushes the contact point out of position.

Mark in Connecticut.

 

Get this man a Cigar!!!

 

Finally got it fixed:)

 

The other week, I cut away the connector under the dash, and soldered all the wires together. That didn't work:(

 

This weekend we took the pod apart and found the switches to be exactly as Mark described.

All the lights now work just as they should.

 

I had planned to take some photos and post them up to help others but I forgot the camera. We have plans to take the pod apart again, I'll try to remember the camera next time.

[Hocrest]

Two months later, here is the Photo write up I promised...

 

Thanks again to Mark for the original instructions, this is nothing but a photo-illustration of it.

 

1.As always, DISCONNECT THE BATTERY. Then start by removing the six screws on the back of the Pod. I found it easiest to use a 2” long Phillips bit (like you would put in a cordless drill) There was no handle to get in the way, and I was able to just twist it between my fingers as the screws aren’t in that tight.

 

2.Once the pod is open remove the 3 screws that hold the Switch Box onto the back of the pod.

 

3. Next remove the 2 screws that hold the Light Bar onto the Switch Box

 

4. Now remove the 2 screws that hold the Wiring Panel onto the Switch Box. Once the screws are out, pull the Wiring Panel off of the Switch Box, be careful not to lose the spring (Yellow arrow). This may also be a good time to replace the Light Bulb (green arrow).

 

5. The Switch Box is now free of the Pod and the Wiring Panel. You now have access to the 3 white Contact Blocks. The “Off” (left) and the “Headlight” (right) are the two that are going to be swapped (Blue Arrows).

Notice that the “Off” Block has no contacts, the “Parking Light” Block has one contact, and the “Headlight” Block has 3 Contacts (Parking Lights, Headlight Motors, and Headlight Bulbs).

Also notice the small Springs (Green Arrows) under each Contact. The Contacts in this photo are good, but the ones in Melissa’s car were melted into the Contact Block and no longer would spring up and make contact the Wiring Panel.

 

6. By holding the switch in place, you can lift the white Contact Block out of the black slider. Be careful, because once the white Contact Block is removed the Switch Button will come free of the Switch Box. Remove the Contact Block for the “Off” Switch and the “Headlight” Switch. Move all of the contacts from the melted “Headlight” Block and reinstall them into the unmelted “off” Block.

Then reinstall your “New Headlight” Block in the upper position, and install the melted Block into the “Off” position.

 

7. Reinstall the Wiring Panel onto the Switch Box, and then replace the spring (Step 4, yellow arrow).

8. Reinstall the Light Bar.

9. Reattach the Switch Box onto the Pod Back Cover

10. Reattach the Pod halves together.

11. Hook up the battery and check your work.

[Hondasucks]

this looks like a good article for the USRM

[subdudext6]

Very nice guide !