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Headlight Problem

Cherokeekid88

NAXJA Forum User
Location
North Carolina
I have a set of Autopal 200mm lamps and the eautoworks harness...couple weeks ago, I noticed that my low beams would work but as soon as I turn on my high beams, both my headlights would cut off until I switched back to the low beams...then not long after that, the headlights wouldn't work at all...The side markers and running lights still work fine when I pull the switch....

I was told that it might not be the headlight switch and that is sounds like my 2 relays that came with the eautoworks harness are bad and need replacing...Wants to get some more opinions before I dump more money into the wrong thing....
 
Do the relays click when you turn the headlights on?
If you have a VOM (multi meter) you need to test the signal wire ( relay terminal 85 or 86 depending upon how it's wired) going from the factory headlight harness to the aftermarket wire harness relays to see if you are getting voltage.
If 11.5-13.5V is there then check the ground connection (85 or 86) for the relays and the additional 12V power source (terminal 30) for the headlights.
IF all of those check out then you will need to measure resistance across the relay coil to see if the relay coils are bad....
 
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Not sure how you have it wired with the relays, but this failure mode sounds just like a stock wiring overload.

If the headlight switch is overloaded it has a thermal breaker that switches off until it cools, then back on. High beams overload, it switches off, but low beams work, until it just gets too hot, then everything goes off until it cools.

The tipoff is to stick your finger behind the knob and touch the metal post, if its hot thats the problem.
 
went outside last night and pulled the relays and found that one of the tabs inside of the relay was rust colored and on the connections that go into the two relays were really dirty and rust colored...not sure if the connectors and realys are toast or what....not sure on this one....
 
You need to start testing for bad connections, loss of voltage or bad grounds....
With the headlight switch ON you need to test the relay connectors to see if you have voltage and ground at terminal 85 or 86. Depending how the harness is wired; one will be ground and one will be positive.
If the ground and positive are good there is either a bad connection between the connector and the relay or the relay is bad.
If there is a bad ground trace it back to the chassis and check for a loose or dirty connection; if the positive is missing you need to go back to where the aftermarket harness is connected to the factory headlight harness and check for voltage and dirty connections....
If there is no voltage at the factory harness then its either a blown fuse, bad headlight relay or bad headlight switch.
 
Thanks Charles,
I am off on Friday, so I am gonna track it down. I have all the stuff off to get to the headlight switch just incase and I am thinking that the relays are both bad...any recommendations for good relays? I would like to go ahead and buy some anyways, just to have as spares if I need.
 
Depending upon what the relay style is for the aftermarket harness.... the 1" square BOSCH 30A relays are among the best there are.... which is what I use.
Relays generally dont go bad at the same time; so I would check for bad grounds or a blown fuse supplying power to the relays.
 
I forgot to mention that I did check the 2 grounds last night. Seemed fine to me...I am a total newb when it comes to electrical, I am suprised that I was even able to get harness together and working...but I am guessing just check the fuse under the dash for the headlights?..I thought maybe there was an inline fuse in the harness, but I didn't see one.
 
The aftermarket harness SHOULD have a fuse inline....
My guess would be probably a 20-25A depending upon the guage of the main power source feeding the harness relays....
Check any wiring at the battery terminal that is not factory; one of them should be the power source.
 
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