Headlight trouble

I noticed i had a headlight out on the nearside yesterday so went and got a new bulb.

Fitted this morning but the problem remains. I cant see that the old bulb was blown when i removed it so now im stumped!

Are there separate fuses for each headlight or is this potentially going to be a wiring issue?

Thanks in advance.

Have you checked the fuses?
That got to be the logical place to start, filament collapses causing a short blowing fuse.


Lynall

Yep, they do have separate fuses.

The back of your fuse box cover will show you what's what.

On mine, (1994 300tdi) they're 7.5 amp, one fuse for each side dipped beam, and another for each side high beam.

:doh: Landy ownership is going to be a slow process for me isnt it?!

Thanks chaps, will have a poke about with the fuses.

Check the live feed. There is probably a bullet connector somewhere hanging around behind your light in the wing. These can come lose and corroded

Or if you're really lucky, a previous owner has bodged the wiring - which usually involves scotch-blocks, badly crimped connectors, or wires twisted together and wrapped in sellotape!

instantsquid said:

Or if you're really lucky, a previous owner has bodged the wiring - which usually involves scotch-blocks, badly crimped connectors, or wires twisted together and wrapped in sellotape!

Click to expand...

Lucky ...... oh yeah I see











what happened to ya <sarcasm> ?

Bugger! Forgot about that!

Got same prob on mine n/s keeps blowin fuse. Cant decide whether the fault is behind wing or dasboard. wiring up to fuseboard seems ok. switched units over in case it was dodgy sealed beam but fault still on n/s. Any suggestions on easiest place to start, wing or behind dash????

Progress has been made. Its a loose connection somewhere. Went over a pothole tonight and the light came on.

petit_pablo said:

Progress has been made. Its a loose connection somewhere. Went over a pothole tonight and the light came on.

Click to expand...

I LOVE potholes.



Just for that reason.
Oh, and for making my leafes smooth again, but for this I need lots of em...

philvy said:

I LOVE potholes.

Click to expand...

Me too, saved me from having to find the fault!

petit_pablo said:

Me too, saved me from having to find the fault!

Click to expand...

Just always carry a spare pothole, and everything's fine!-)

Oh the irony!
I was searching defender headlight issues and found my old thread.

Well its still the nearside thats the problem.

Changed bulb and replaced the connectors into the bulb as they had corroded. Still no light. Checked fuses and the dipped beam fuse had blown (was also a 10a not a 7.5a). Not having any spares fuses to hand i tried the fog light fuse in its place and the light briefly flickered on then blew the fuse.

Im guessing i have a broken wires/connector somewhere now. And i bet its in the wing!
Typically its MOT times at 9.30am tomorrow. Temped to whack a big fuse in n hope it holds for the test then fix it after.
Any pointers?

Have you got a multimeter? If not go buy one as your gonna need it!

A bigger fuse will just goose the next weakest point in the loom which will make fault finding twice as hard!

or a 5w bulb with a couple of flyleads.

ok quick update.

Its not an earth fault as the full beam works ok. So im asuming i have a short on the live to the dipped beam.

Thinking i might just chop into the loom and run a new wire.

Lyndon - yes i have a multimeter.

Before you chop into the loom, is it worth stripping the loom out of the nearside headlight, and looking to check there is no bare wire that has rubbed, or obvious damage?

As you say it does sound like a short on the dip beam wire, that is blowing the fuse.

Or perhaps it is worth checking whether there is a short with the meter in the plug for the dip wire and the earth, and wiggling the loom till the bleeping stops.

I have OCD about wiring, and would much rather fix it properly than put a runner wire over the top, unless it is a get you home fix.

Head light has been rewired as the plug had corroded and the plastic melted which was where i though the problem was. Thats all insulated and tidy.

This has been developing for a while which is why i suspect a cable has been rubbing somewhere and is shorting now. Suppose i should test the dip beam wire to earth first.