Headlight Issues

[69R-CODE 25]

All,

 

I have been having a few electrical gremlins. Let me preface my question with what I am dealing with. I have a restored the underdash wire harness (mid-life wire harness) new firewall forward wire harness, new headlight switch, new headlights, new fuses, new dimmer switch.

 

Issue #1

Low beam lights, parking lights, and turn signals all work fine when you pull headlight switch out.

When I switch to high beam the low beams go out and the high beams do not come on. All other lights work fine.

 

Issue #2

Circuit Board lights do not work (granted its the original printed circuit board) I have a new one on order but they use to work before I connected headlights. (Made me think I blew a fuse)

 

I checked the fuse panel with a test light and I am only getting power on one side of the fuse on two fuses. (keep in mind these are new fuses installed by mid-life) I feel they are the correct fuses and should be new.

 

Any ideas?

[therebel 10]

If there is power on one side of the fuse and not the other, than the fuse is bad. Sometimes new ones are bad out of the box. OHM test the fuses. That is the only way to tell if they are good.

[69R-CODE 25]

With the fuse out, there is still only power on one side is that correct?

[1969mustang 10]

With the fuse out, there is still only power on one side is that correct?

 

Yes that is correct.

I am having a similar problem with my high beam lights. The low beams work perfect but when I switch to high beams they come on for a couple of minutes, flicker on and off, the all headlights go off completely. If I tap the dimmer switch and put them back on dim the dims come back on and they work perfect. I'm thinking I need to replace my dimmer switch because I'm still using the original.

Edited August 29, 2013 by 1969mustang

[69R-CODE 25]

Checked the fuses. You are correct. Two of them were bad. Still did not fix the low beam going out when high beam is engaged. I have looked for grounds on the headlight harness and can not find any. Could that be my problem?

[therebel 10]

Headlights ground back through the harness and then to ground somewhere but without a schematic, I cannot tell you exactly where. There won't be one in the bucket. Sounds like your dimmer switch on the floor may be bad.

Edited August 29, 2013 by therebel

[Kris 90]

your low beams should shut off when your high beams are engaged, thats how mine worked before I tore my car down to rebuild it. Sounds like it is working correctly to me.

Edited August 29, 2013 by Kris

[Mike65 475]

I would try another head light switch, it sounds to me like it is no good.

[therebel 10]

your low beams should shut off when your high beams are engaged, so it sounds like it is working correctly to me

 

Mine didn't. All four where on when I hit the highs. Newer vehicles normally cut the lows when the highs are on but I didn't think our cars did that.

 

OP, do your lows have a two or three prong connection? If two then they should go out when your turn the highs on. If three then they should stay on from what I remember.

[69R-CODE 25]

I have read all four should be on when on high beam.

[Midlife 814]

Headlight switch is not the cause of the high beam failures. The headlight switch provides power to the dimmer switch, which simply switches it over to low beams or high beams. If low beams work and high beams don't, it is likely the dimmer switch that is bad. To test it, unplug the switch and jumper the red/orange wire to the red/black wire (high beams). If high beams work, then switch is definitely bad.

 

The two bad fuses: do you think they were bad when I provided the harness? I check continuity across all fuses during my final checkout procedure. I will willingly provide replacements upon request.

[69R-CODE 25]

No the fuses were good. I found an exposed wire on my headlight extension. You did a great job! I'm going to get a new dimmer switch and report my findings

[shaun071 62]

Was there a clicking coming from the headlight switch? Also do you have higher wattage headlights fitted? I had a similar problem when I converted my lights over to halogen lights. The headlight switch has an inbuilt circuit breaker and if you fit higher output lights without fitting relays to the headlight circuit the breaker will trip when you turn high beam on.

[69R-CODE 25]

I have not heard a ticking. I am using halogen bulbs I got from autozone . I went and got a new dimmer switch today also and still have the same issue. You think the Halogen bulbs are the problem?

[69R-CODE 25]

forgot to mention. I am using Sylvania Part # H5001XV and H5006XV for high and low beams.

[Midlife 814]

I have not heard a ticking. I am using halogen bulbs I got from autozone . I went and got a new dimmer switch today also and still have the same issue. You think the Halogen bulbs are the problem?

Absolutely. Halogen lamps use more current than the headlight switch/circuit breaker was designed for. If you want to continue using Halogen lamps, you'll need to use a relay directly off of the battery and the trigger signal will be the headlight signal. You'll need one relay for low beams and another for high beams.

[69R-CODE 25]

Figured out my problem. The person who installed my firewall forward wire harness got two wires backward when re-pinning the connectors. After much checking I pulled out the diagram and double checked and found his mistake. It works fine now and everything lights up! Thanks for all the help and info.

[danno 128]

It sure sounds like you have a dimmer switch problem.

 

And all for headlights are on for high beam. There are 2 filaments in each of the low beam light bulbs, one for high and one for low. So the low beam light bulbs might have one filament broken so maybe it looks like it works for the high beam and does not for the low beam.

[Midlife 814]

Figured out my problem. The person who installed my firewall forward wire harness got two wires backward when re-pinning the connectors. After much checking I pulled out the diagram and double checked and found his mistake. It works fine now and everything lights up! Thanks for all the help and info.

 

I know that the Alloy Metal reproductions have two green/black wires of the same gauge (high beams and washer pump), but switching those two wires doesn't account for your original issue. Can I ask which two wires were backwards?

[69R-CODE 25]

It was the two green black wires. they say in the instructions that one is bigger gauge than other. the bigger one needing to be on the #5 pin. The guy who wired my car had them backwards. i also found some of the pins not all the way pulled through only making partial contact.

[69R-CODE 25]

OK. I have more problems. Now that I have fixed the headlight problems, I have other problems.

 

I do not have power going to my oil pressure indicator. And I am blowing my courtesy light fuse.

 

 

When I first hooked everything up correctly. All my gauges seemed to work fine. I had oil pressure indicator, fuel gauge, and temp. (This is a w/tach car).

 

When I put a test light on the fuse tabs I get power on some and none on others.

 

Where do you even start?

 

These parts I have replaced:

New CVR

New Headlight Switch

New Dimmer switch

New Printed Circuit Board

New Headlight Harness

New Headlight Extensions

New Voltage Regulator

New Ground Strap

New Battery Cables

 

Help Please!!!

[69R-CODE 25]

I forgot to post what things work and what does not:

 

Things that work:

Headlight (High Beam & Low Beam)

Parking lights

Turn Signals (front and rear)

emergency flasher

Marker lights

Tail Lights

Brake Lights

Dash lights

Heater motor

 

 

Things that do not work or have problems.

No oil pressure indicator light (worked before now it does not)

Both 20 amp fuses show no power

4 amp fuse shows no voltage when tested

14 amp courtesy light works for a while then blows fuse

Clock does not get voltage (I believe on the same fuse as couresy light

Gas gauge moves from burried empty to on the E when key is on.

Have not ran the car to see if water temp gauge works.

[LoneWolf2U 136]

For the courtesy lamps, check for a pinched or grounded wire.

The guages need to have the centering spacers installed.

When you replaced the printed film, Did you recheck all of the pods for center?

[69R-CODE 25]

The Gauges have the centering spacers still installed. I assumed they were centered if they were still on? I did look at them and they seemed not to be touching. I did not want to remove the spacers for fear they would tear or break.

[danno 128]

With the key in the "run" position, both side of every fuse should have 12 volts. If only one side of a fuse has voltage, the fuse is blown. This is the place to start. You could have a bad key switch, because the voltage goes from the battery, to the key switch, then to the fuse panel. 2 of the fuses do not go through the key switch, the should have voltage on them even if the key is off.

 

For the oil pressure light, if you disconnect the wire that attached to the oil pressure sense switch ( near the fuel pump), and short between this wire connector and ground, the oil light should go on. You also need the key in the "run" position. If you put a voltmeter in this cable connector pin, you should get 12 volts.