Having Issues with My Headlights

qmaster · #1 (**permalink**) 02-20-2012, 08:30 PM

I have been having some issues with my headlights over the past few months. I cannot find the root of the problems but the symptoms are that only the high lights work. When I pull the switch for the lows, they come on for about half a second and then immediately go off (both lights).

I have been talking with the BD people, and I just replaced the relay to no avail. I bought a new switch, but for some reason they redesigned it since they built my car (early around #60 or so) so the new switch does not work with the original harness.

I am thinking that it may be the fuse for the lows and I found the fuse box, but I am not sure how to get the fuse out to inspect/replace it.

One other thing to note, I converted the lights to HIDs soon after I bought it a few years back.

Any help is GREATLY appreciated.

Jason

Cashburn · #2 (**permalink**) 02-20-2012, 08:37 PM

Sounds like he ballasts on your HID kit.

qmaster · #3 (**permalink**) 02-20-2012, 09:27 PM

I was thinking it was probably the ballasts or the ground, but if it affects both headlights equally. So could both ballasts suddenly have gone bad at the same time?

Thanks.

Jason

6t8stang · #4 (**permalink**) 02-21-2012, 04:46 AM

Can you apply power & groiund to the headlight harness (switch + between pins for high & low) where you plugged in your HID kit to see if the problem is at the front of the car (bulbs, ballests, etc) or if it's something to do with fuses/relays/switch?

6t8stang · #5 (**permalink**) 02-21-2012, 04:47 AM

Also, does your HID kit have a direct connection to the battery?

trularin · #6 (**permalink**) 02-21-2012, 06:36 AM

What size wire did you use? Too small will allow it to over heat and loose connection.

The fuse may be of several types, some should be pulled with the plastic tool that comes with them. Glass; I use a small plastic prybar. Large prong type I use needle nose pliers. And the small blade type I use the tool that comes with most kits.

May I recommend check ground first - keeping in mind that an eyelet near the headlight to a frame piece does not signify ground. I put an Ohm meter between my chassie grounds and the battery - just to make sure.

Delivery of power is next - if you have a meter, read the voltage. Better, read it and wait. If the power drops off slowly, you may have a wire overload and it heating up. If it is quick like a snap, might be a fuse. DO yo have the right size fuse installed?

Well I hope this helps.

qmaster · #7 (**permalink**) 02-21-2012, 09:28 PM

Sorry to say, but I did not install the HID conversion when it was done a few years back, and my knowledge of how it was wired up is a bit fuzzy.

I am sure that the wire gauge is fine, as it worked for over a year. Then all of a sudden, the lows started going off an on every few minutes, and now then go on for a second and then immediately off.

I would like to start with the easy stuff, like the fuse. I know how to open the fusebox and I found the lows sticker, but I cannot actually find the fuse to remove and replace it. Can anyone tell me how to remove the fuse from the fuse block? If that does not solve it, then I think I would need to check the ground next.

Also I do not know if the headlights are connected directly to the battery, but they do not work when I turn off the kill switch, so I guess that means that it is not connected directly to the battery.

Jason

ERA 778 · #8 (**permalink**) 02-22-2012, 07:14 AM

IF you've had intermittent working of the lights in the past and now they work for a second or so, I doubt if it's the fuse - once blown it never works again. You've probably got a bad connection, just like several posts above are suggesting. You're going to have to trace out every wire and confirm each connection. It's not fun and it usually isn't quick, but there's probably no other path to follow. Do you know how to use an ohm-meter?

Good luck!

Dirty Harry · #9 (**permalink**) 02-22-2012, 02:49 PM

I had a similar problem that I found to be where the plug fits in to the floor mounted dimmer switch. One wire had a poor connection that eventually created enough heat to distort the plastic to allow the terminal to break contact intermittently. I may also have dislodged the plug with my foot at some point, too. Anyway, worth checking, if you have the dimmer switch on the floor.

Rwillia4 · #10 (**permalink**) 02-23-2012, 09:07 PM

It is not the fuse they only work or don't work. It could be the connection on the back of the fuse.
I would guess your problem is not in the car but under the hood where the hid componets are. I installed HIDs on my car (and love them). The original wire harness needs to be adjusted to get it to work. For my kit I had to pull the high beam wires out of the harness to get the HID mirror to flip up for hi beams soem kit have a halogen hi and HID low so you will need to see what you have.
All kits require a ground. Mine is up near the radaitor. To me the progressively less functioning lights sounds like a ground wire slowly giving up. The easiest way to begin to isolate the problem is to get a multimeter and test to see if you have power at the ballest (little black box near the headlights). If you have power there then the problem is not in the stock system but somewhere past this point.