Where are the headlight relais?

[stickedy]

Could be a dumb question, but where are those headlight relais? My right headlight is very dim, so I guess a failed relais is the cause as I read this here in many threads. Because I have at least 3 donor cars, I would have enough relais here, but I don't know how they look and where they are. Thanks!

[kayakertom]

The relays are behind the dash display for ea82, They are circular/button like in shape. Have you checked your headlight ground wires?

 

Could be a dumb question, but where are those headlight relais? My right headlight is very dim, so I guess a failed relais is the cause as I read this here in many threads. Because I have at least 3 donor cars, I would have enough relais here, but I don't know how they look and where they are. Thanks!

[jacobs]

I can almost guarantee you have a poor ground on your headlight.

[Cougar]

The problem may be with the relay which is located about in the middle of the dash. Look for a group of 4 relays mounted together. The middle ones are for the lights on each side of the car.

 

I would check the voltage getting to the headlight middle lead and ground before going after a relay. If the voltage on the wire is 12 volts with the light on then you have a bad ground and not a bad relay. If the voltage is low then replace the relay.

[hooziewhatsit]

does anyone know exactly where the ground is for the headlights?

 

Probably have to trace the wire back from the relay to ground, since subaru's use a switched ground system, right?

 

(my 88 GL has the same problem, a dim passenger side headlight)

[Cougar]

The ground is made through the light switch. Before you start tearing into that you should first confirm that the ground is really the problem. First check the voltage on the middle lead to the lights while the lights are on. You should see 12 volts there with reference to a good ground. If you don't have proper voltage then check the relay for that side. Another thing you can do to prove the ground is to use a ground jumper tied to the outside leads of the light. If the ground is bad then the jumper should make the light work correctly and then you need to check the light switch connections to ground.

 

Be sure to check the connector to the light also for burned contacts as this is a commom failure point.

[Cougar]

Most of the time this kind of trouble is due to bad socket connections to the bulb. If one side of the lighting is ok then the connection ground for both sides is most likely ok though it is possible there could be a faulty connection between the two sides. To see if the connection to ground really is the trouble and not the bulb socket check the voltage to ground on the ground wire going to the dim light while the lights are on. If there is very little voltage on the ground wire then the ground is ok and the socket is the trouble. Also verify that full voltage is getting to the light.