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Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated [Re: RobX4406] #1523206 10/25/13 10:01 PM 10/25/13 10:01 PM
Joined: Sep 2007 Posts: 14,889 up yours Supercuda About to go away
Supercuda About to go away Joined: Sep 2007 Posts: 14,889 up yours	Only one wire should be hot at any time. One for lows or one for highs. I would test at the switch and at the socket for the lights. Sounds like you may have an issue at the high beam power splice under the hood. Again, the ground circuit SHOULD be ok, but since the current is doubled up in high it doesn't hurt to double check it, but you'd usually have weak lights with a poor ground, not completely zero light. They say there are no such thing as a stupid question. They say there is always the exception that proves the rule. Don't be the exception.

Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated [Re: Supercuda] #1523207 10/25/13 10:04 PM 10/25/13 10:04 PM
Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 12,271 Overpriced Housing Central RobX4406 I Live Here
RobX4406 I Live Here Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 12,271 Overpriced Housing Central	Check the bulkhead connector as well because it's a separate wire for each circuit from dimmer to headlights Check power in and out of dimmer in each setting with headlight disconnected, no load. Continuity test or whatever to determine the dimmer is OK

Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated [Re: MONC] #1523208 10/26/13 01:23 AM 10/26/13 01:23 AM
Joined: Aug 2011 Posts: 1,028 NB, Canada M moparfan53 super stock
moparfan53 super stock M Joined: Aug 2011 Posts: 1,028 NB, Canada	I had the exact same problem with my '69 Charger. After checking switches, bulkhead connectors etc, it turned out to be a corroded/dirty terminal in the wiring connector beside the battery. Regarding the circuit breaker in the h/lamp switch, I had one go bad in another car. In that case, the high beams would come on for a few seconds, then go out. Let us know what you find. 7901079-69chargerharnessconnector.jpg (58 downloads)

Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated [Re: Mopar-Al] #1523209 10/26/13 03:49 PM 10/26/13 03:49 PM
Joined: Apr 2004 Posts: 3,653 The Historic Hudson Valley MONC OP master
MONC OP master Joined: Apr 2004 Posts: 3,653 The Historic Hudson Valley	Quote: I can only give my info learned that happened on my 72 cuda years ago. I went through the same issue. Everytime I hit the brights, they quit working. A guy at the dodge dealership told me my voltage reg was putting out too much and running wide open full charge. Turned out the ground was bad on the volt reg and was the culprit. I went through 2 regs before I finally got the gremlin. I changed all that everyone else said also Thanks very much for the reply. This feedback is helpful. As I have found most of the time my electrical gremlins had to do with bad grounds. The fact the car was just painted makes me lean toward this as well. That's why I asked if the hi-beam dimmer switch needed to be grounded as well.

Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated [Re: moparfan53] #1523210 10/26/13 03:52 PM 10/26/13 03:52 PM
Joined: Apr 2004 Posts: 3,653 The Historic Hudson Valley MONC OP master
MONC OP master Joined: Apr 2004 Posts: 3,653 The Historic Hudson Valley	Quote: I had the exact same problem with my '69 Charger. After checking switches, bulkhead connectors etc, it turned out to be a corroded/dirty terminal in the wiring connector beside the battery. Didn't think of this either. Thanks very much. Will check that out too

Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated [Re: MONC] #1523211 10/26/13 09:14 PM 10/26/13 09:14 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 6,224 JERSEY RJS master
RJS master Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 6,224 JERSEY	UPDATE with my Demon today!!! Went back out to the garage and pulled out the headlights to meter the pigtails again. I do have power on Violet for low beams and red when in Hi Beam mode. So I took the forward harness off the bulkhead and unwrapped it again but still saw no physical problems. So now I put the meter on OHMs and started checking the Red wire from headlight pigtail back to bulkhead connector and what do I see? Wait for it, NO CONTINUITY!!!!!!!! Started to sex-up the wire (wiggle it) and it was making and breaking. Bad crimp on the RED at the bulkhead side of the forward light harness. Now Hi beams and Low beams like everyone else. Thanks for this thread to motivate me again and thanks for the help from people with suggestions. Ron Last edited by RJS; 10/26/13 09:15 PM.

Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated [Re: RJS] #1523212 10/27/13 04:22 PM 10/27/13 04:22 PM
Joined: Apr 2004 Posts: 3,653 The Historic Hudson Valley MONC OP master
MONC OP master Joined: Apr 2004 Posts: 3,653 The Historic Hudson Valley	Ok well we got RJS' light problem fixed now mine. I first went to the connection by the battery as that was the easiest to get to. The connections were all gummed up. I cleaned them the best I could put some dialectric grease in there and now... When I activate lights the high beams go on , BUT should the lows go off or stay on?? I haven't had a car with 2 lights on each side in a while I can't recall

Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated [Re: MONC] #1523213 10/27/13 04:37 PM 10/27/13 04:37 PM
Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 2,914 Calgary, Alberta Canada a12rag master
a12rag master Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 2,914 Calgary, Alberta Canada	Your low beams should stay on when you hit the high beams - that is why the low beam headlight has 3 connection points : 1) ground, 2) low beam, 3) low beam with high beam If the headlight goes out with the low beam, check the bulb . . . probably bad filament for the high beam circuit. Cheers Mark

Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated [Re: a12rag] #1523214 10/27/13 05:54 PM 10/27/13 05:54 PM
Joined: Sep 2007 Posts: 14,889 up yours Supercuda About to go away
Supercuda About to go away Joined: Sep 2007 Posts: 14,889 up yours	Quote: Your low beams should stay on when you hit the high beams - that is why the low beam headlight has 3 connection points : 1) ground, 2) low beam, 3) low beam with high beam If the headlight goes out with the low beam, check the bulb . . . probably bad filament for the high beam circuit. Cheers Mark The low beam bulb has two filaments, one for lows and one for high. So it should turn off the lows and turn on the highs when the high beam is selected by the dimmer switch. IOW, in high beam mode you should have all four lights lit up. They say there are no such thing as a stupid question. They say there is always the exception that proves the rule. Don't be the exception.

Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated [Re: Supercuda] #1523215 10/27/13 08:10 PM 10/27/13 08:10 PM
Joined: Apr 2004 Posts: 3,653 The Historic Hudson Valley MONC OP master
MONC OP master Joined: Apr 2004 Posts: 3,653 The Historic Hudson Valley	Thanks Would 1 low beam bulb not having a good high beam filament cause both not to light up? I noticed I have 3 newer bulbs and what looks like an original GE bulb in one of the low beam spots.

Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated [Re: MONC] #1523216 10/27/13 11:06 PM 10/27/13 11:06 PM
Joined: Sep 2007 Posts: 14,889 up yours Supercuda About to go away
Supercuda About to go away Joined: Sep 2007 Posts: 14,889 up yours	Quote: Thanks Would 1 low beam bulb not having a good high beam filament cause both not to light up? I noticed I have 3 newer bulbs and what looks like an original GE bulb in one of the low beam spots. Nope, if one's out then that's all that will not light up, assuming no one funked up the wiring. They say there are no such thing as a stupid question. They say there is always the exception that proves the rule. Don't be the exception.

Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated [Re: Supercuda] #1523217 10/28/13 12:50 PM 10/28/13 12:50 PM
Joined: Apr 2004 Posts: 3,653 The Historic Hudson Valley MONC OP master
MONC OP master Joined: Apr 2004 Posts: 3,653 The Historic Hudson Valley	Then I suspect it's more than a bulb issue. So now I have alternating lighting bulbs. Outers ( low) are on when light switch from dash goes on and inners (high beams are off) Inners ( high) go on when hi beam dimmer switch clicked but Outer bulbs (lower) go off... I am thinking it still could be that electrical connector by the battery. It's real tough to clean all the gummed up female connectors. The male spades cleaned up nice. Tried getting the female connectors out of the housing but couldn't.

Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated [Re: MONC] #1523218 10/28/13 11:46 PM 10/28/13 11:46 PM
Joined: Sep 2007 Posts: 14,889 up yours Supercuda About to go away
Supercuda About to go away Joined: Sep 2007 Posts: 14,889 up yours	there is a tab on the female terminal that engages the housing you need to depress to get it out. You can see it in this picture http://www.rowand.net/Shop/Tech/images/AutomotiveElectricalConnector-Packard56.jpg a bit of info on how to release them http://www.rowand.net/Shop/Tech/images/AutomotiveElectricalConnector-ManualPage.jpg They say there are no such thing as a stupid question. They say there is always the exception that proves the rule. Don't be the exception.

Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated [Re: Supercuda] #1523219 11/05/13 12:23 PM 11/05/13 12:23 PM
Joined: Apr 2004 Posts: 3,653 The Historic Hudson Valley MONC OP master
MONC OP master Joined: Apr 2004 Posts: 3,653 The Historic Hudson Valley	Appreciate the info Supercuda. I knew there was a tab to release, but have had difficulty in the past getting them to release, and now my old eyes can't see that close anymore, making it more difficult. Good info though, thanks.

Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated [Re: MONC] #1523220 11/05/13 12:49 PM 11/05/13 12:49 PM
Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 5,159 CT GTX MATT master
GTX MATT master Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 5,159 CT	Maybe I'm pointing out the obvious here and missed part of your problem, but '69 and up the low beams always go off when the high beams are on. '67 and '68 all four will stay on. Now I need to pin those needles, got to feel that heat Hear my motor screamin while I'm tearin up the street

Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated [Re: GTX MATT] #1523221 11/05/13 02:09 PM 11/05/13 02:09 PM
Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 11,543 chicagoland,usa B buildanother I Live Here
buildanother I Live Here B Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 11,543 chicagoland,usa	As pointed out, the low beam low filament gets switched to high filament when high beams are activated. All 4 bulbs should light.

Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated [Re: buildanother] #1523222 11/10/13 02:22 PM 11/10/13 02:22 PM
Joined: Apr 2004 Posts: 3,653 The Historic Hudson Valley MONC OP master
MONC OP master Joined: Apr 2004 Posts: 3,653 The Historic Hudson Valley	* UPDATE * Fixed the issue. It was that connector by the battery. Went back and cleaned it up some more and now when high beams are one, all 4 lights are on, low beam only the lows are on. Thanks to everyone for their insights and special thanks to Moparfan53 for the pic reference and the answer to my problem Onto much bigger issues...

Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated [Re: MONC] #1523223 11/10/13 09:07 PM 11/10/13 09:07 PM
Joined: Aug 2011 Posts: 1,028 NB, Canada M moparfan53 super stock
moparfan53 super stock M Joined: Aug 2011 Posts: 1,028 NB, Canada	Glad to hear you got it fixed.

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