Low Beams don't work

[rick_hake]

I have a 93 Loyale and my low beams started going out intermittingly and now they have quit altogether. So I am stuck running daytime only and several of my responsibiltys require night time running around.

 

The switch is on the left side turn-signal bar, and everything else works fine.

This car has some other minor problems but I am on fixed income and in no shape to financially upgrade at this time so it seems I have some options.

1. Park when dark. (not my preferred choice)

2. Pull and fix the turn signal switch. (Need advice to do this one)

3. Cut and splice wires directly from headlight socket to a dash mounted switch using the line that powers the brights. I don't need the brights so whenever I turn the switch on it would be the bright setting but the dimmer setting for the lights.

4. Buy a new switch assembly (Probably cost's prohibitive)

 

I am ready to hear any advice on my options or options I haven't thought of.

Thanks in advance - Rick

[TomRhere]

You didn't mention doing so,,, so I have to ask.

Have you tried new bulbs?

[edrach]

You didn't mention doing so,,, so I have to ask.

Have you tried new bulbs?

I'm with Tom on this. I had a similar situation when both low beams failed at the same time.

 

After I changed the bulbs, and they failed again shortly after I suspected something else. It turned out to be a faulty voltage regulator in the alternator allowing the voltage to climb to almost 18V causing the low beams to fail prematurely. I was fortunate not to lose anything else (like the ECU).

[rick_hake]

I haven't actually replaced the bulbs but I did check the filaments which looked ok.

My understanding is that the circuit is always hot but only works when the switch provides a ground.

With the key on all three wires to the bulb are hot so if I knew which one was to the low beam I could run a ground to see if it lights up.

I guess I will buy one bulb to at least test it. It sounds like the cheapest fix both in time and labor.

Thanks

[jrfan]

The best way to check a bulb is with an ohm meter.

Good Luck.

[edrach]

I haven't actually replaced the bulbs but I did check the filaments which looked ok.

My understanding is that the circuit is always hot but only works when the switch provides a ground.

With the key on all three wires to the bulb are hot so if I knew which one was to the low beam I could run a ground to see if it lights up.

I guess I will buy one bulb to at least test it. It sounds like the cheapest fix both in time and labor.

Thanks

If you have a digital voltmeter you can check the continuity of both filaments before you spend money on a bulb you might not need.

 

Sounds like you have a voltmeter since you determined all three wires are hot. I wouldn't ground any of those terminials until I know for sure which one is the ground lead.

[rick_hake]

If you have a digital voltmeter you can check the continuity of both filaments before you spend money on a bulb you might not need.

 

Sounds like you have a voltmeter since you determined all three wires are hot. I wouldn't ground any of those terminials until I know for sure which one is the ground lead.

 

I have a voltmeter so thanks for that suggestion. All three of the leads to the bulb are hot which suggest that the return line to the switch would be energized when the switch turned on opening the circuit to ground.

 

I suppose I could try grounding them one at a time until I found the line to the dim light setting. But first I will do the continuity test.

Thanks again.

[Cougar]

Power to the headlights is provided on the center wire of the plug to the bulbs. There is also a relay in the power lead so the wire isn't always hot. The switch turns on the relay and also provides a ground to the selected light.

[renob123]

I have a 93 Loyale and my low beams started going out intermittingly and now they have quit altogether. So I am stuck running daytime only and several of my responsibiltys require night time running around.

 

The switch is on the left side turn-signal bar, and everything else works fine.

This car has some other minor problems but I am on fixed income and in no shape to financially upgrade at this time so it seems I have some options.

1. Park when dark. (not my preferred choice)

2. Pull and fix the turn signal switch. (Need advice to do this one)

3. Cut and splice wires directly from headlight socket to a dash mounted switch using the line that powers the brights. I don't need the brights so whenever I turn the switch on it would be the bright setting but the dimmer setting for the lights.

4. Buy a new switch assembly (Probably cost's prohibitive)

 

I am ready to hear any advice on my options or options I haven't thought of.

Thanks in advance - Rick

 

If I were in your situation with my Brat, I'd consider aiming my brights really far down as a Band-Aid until I found the real problem. There are obvious downsides, but it's something to consider if you have responsibilities at night.

 

Jacob

[rick_hake]

Well the bulbs were good so my final solution was to wire the high-beam wires to the low beam side. My low beams are bright enough to drive with and I spliced extra wire on each wire cut so I can put things back like it was should I choose to do a real fix someday.

I will admit its strange to drive into traffic and look down and see my high-beam indicator lights on. It will be a while before I am use to that, and then that should screw me up when I change cars and the high-beams are really on.

Thanks to everyone with their advice and help. I love this site, and I am becoming as much a soobie fan as I was a vw fan in the olden days when they were cheap.

Rick

[Niku-Sama]

you know you could probally go to a yard and pull a new switch off of a car there, theres 2 pluses to that.

 

1

its cheaper generally

 

2

you take it apart in the junk yard and learn to do it right at home. if you mess up and crack a pannel its not as much as a big deal if you did it to your car

[john in KY]

I like the wrecking yard solution. Just pull the entire combination switch and snatch the headlight relays just in case. Basically all you need is a screwdriver, steering wheel puller and a socket to fit the wheel nut.

 

My guess is either the combination switch has partially failed, not completing the ground, or the relay has failed.

[zyewdall]

I like the wrecking yard solution. Just pull the entire combination switch and snatch the headlight relays just in case. Basically all you need is a screwdriver, steering wheel puller and a socket to fit the wheel nut.

 

My guess is either the combination switch has partially failed, not completing the ground, or the relay has failed.

 

I was just going to suggest that it might not be the switch at all, but the relay. My Justy is doing exactly the same thing. Its obviously not the bulbs, since they do come on sometimes... but i have no idea where the relay is... I haven't taken the switch apart to verify that it's working yet either... but that's the next step, I guess.

 

Z