Headlights

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S

sdy

New Member
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23
Location
Skipton, N Yorks
I have a series 3. Both my headlights are not working. Bulbs ok. I have checked the fuse and had the dash off to check that the headlight wire has not come loose from the rear of the switch. All seems fine. The sidelights etc all work when I switch them on. I am thinking that perhaps the switch (for the headlight setting) may be broken. I have thought of disconnecting the wire for sidelights from the blade at the back of the switch and connecting the headlight wire onto the sidelight blade at the back of the switch and turning the switch onto sidelights which should then light up the headlights - that way I can see if there is an issue between the switch and the headlights themselves. Does anyone foresee a problem with this approach?

Thanks​
 
Hello

Can't see that being a problem or you could get hold of a multimeter and put it across the positive feed to the light with the switch on you should get a reading then working back to the switch check all the connections...I had a similar problem with my side lights, in the end it was a bad earth
 
Just get a short piece of wire, unplug the switch and use the wire to link the + to the headlight connection on the switch connector, I think the + is a brown, just go from there, if yer lights still wont work then its quite likely to be an earth, try rigging a temporary earth to see if you can get them to light.
 
Those nasty 4 way bullet connector joiners hidden under the wings have a tendancy to fall apart. Are the headlights broken on dip and main? It'd help to know.
 
Your diagnostic technique will eliminate the lighting switch only - the circuit then goes through the dim/dip switch to the headlights and back to earth. It seems unlikely that both headlight earths have gone so I'd have a look at the dim/dip switch. A multimeter would help but you could just as easily use a spare bulb, holder and couple of lengths of wire. More details available if you need 'em.
 
If your spots are working then the dim/dip switch is working on main beam at least. Fault must be between dim/dip switch and earth. You'll just have to get grubby and follow the wiring through - still could be the connectors between switch and lamps or poor earths - are you sure both headlamp units actually work?
 
Right. It is not the switch that is faulty. I tried the headlights today and still they do not work at all on dipped. On main beam though, both headlights came on main beam and then without any touching of switches by me the right one lost main beam and was just on dipped beam. I then pulled the dipper stalk and both headlights went out. Any further suggestions gratefully received.
 
I'd almost guarantee it's a bad earth. Do your spots run through a relay? That can cause problems if there's a bad earth somewhere in your lighting circuit as you may have current trying to go to earth down allsorts of routes.

Either check all the earths you can find & give them a good clean and a smearing of vaseline, or (& it's often easier) run one or two new earths from the exisitng wiring to fresh (or known good) earth points. Only do one at a time though as otherwise you won't know where the original fault was.
 
I don't know if the spots run through a relay. They were fitted when I bought it. How do I check the earth? From where should I try and re earth? As much detail as possible would be great. Thanks.
 
Don't take this the wrong way chap, but if you need more guidance on that you are probably not the best person to do it.

You might just confuse things further.

Do you know anyone nearby who has a scooby about elecktrickery?
 
None taken. Don't know anyone local but could no doubt find someone if need be. Is it possible to give me some basic guidance and if I think it's too much for me I'll haver to find someone. Thanks.
 
Do you have a voltmeter? I am no auto electrician, but I would start at the lights, take the connector off, see if you get 12V or there abouts there when beam is on. If you do get a good 12v, problem with the lights. If you don't get a reading at the lights, check the earths first - wherever the earth is at the minute, take the wire off, check for continuity, clean up the earthing area and the terminal (replace wire and terminal where needed). If still not working, try grounding it somewhere else. If not working after that, trace the wire back until you do get 12v to find where the break is.
 
7 quid gets you Maplins cheapest meter - reasonably easy to use, just set it to 20v dc, connect the black terminal to the -ve terminal of the battery (or any clean metalwork on the chassis/bodywork) and use the lead connected to the lower red terminal to look for 12v.
 
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