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Headlights all OFF when high beams activated * UPDATE* #1523186
10/25/13 02:51 PM
10/25/13 02:51 PM
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The Historic Hudson Valley
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When I turn on the headlights from the instrument panel switch, the low beams go on as expected.
When I click on the high beams from the high beam switch on the floor not only do the high beams NOT go on, the low- beams go OFF too.

I replaced the high beam switch already so I know it's not the switch?

Could it be a grounding issue on the high beam switch?

Anyone have the same issue, or have suggestions on what to check.
Going to try and work on car over the weekend.

TIA

Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated [Re: MONC] #1523187
10/25/13 03:54 PM
10/25/13 03:54 PM
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Rio Linda, CA
John_Kunkel Offline
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The headlamp switch has a built-in circuit breaker, it's probably tired and won't carry the extra

The floor-mounted dimmer switch doesn't need to be grounded.


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Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated [Re: MONC] #1523188
10/25/13 04:03 PM
10/25/13 04:03 PM
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denfireguy Offline
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I would double check with a voltmeter to see if the voltage goes away at the switch. The wiring sockets for the switch are notorious for corroding with all the tracked in water and snow that soaks in there. Make sure they are clean.
Also, this would not be the first time a defective switch made it into the marketplace.

Craig


2014 Ram 1500 Laramie, 73 Cuda
Previous mopars: 62 Valiant, 65 Fury III, 68 Fury III, 72 Satellite, 74 Satellite, 89 Acclaim, 98 Caravan, 2003 Durango
Only previous Non-Mopar: Schwinn Tornado
Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated [Re: denfireguy] #1523189
10/25/13 04:16 PM
10/25/13 04:16 PM
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This happened to me once when I was doing 60 mph down an unlit country lane in pitch darkness. Switched main beam on and all the lights went out. Slammed the brakes on and stopped in the middle of both lanes. Couldn't get the lights to work at all and had to wait for another car to come behind me and use the light from his headlights to get me onto a street lit road. Removed the floor switch the next day and cleaned all the connections and used some electrical grease and it's been ok since then.


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Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated [Re: John_Kunkel] #1523190
10/25/13 04:33 PM
10/25/13 04:33 PM
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Quote:

The headlamp switch has a built-in circuit breaker, it's probably tired and won't carry the extra

The floor-mounted dimmer switch doesn't need to be grounded.




Did you mean the high beam switch/dimmer has a built-in circuit breaker or the switch at the dash?

Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated [Re: Mick70RR] #1523191
10/25/13 04:35 PM
10/25/13 04:35 PM
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Lincoln Nebraska
RapidRobert Offline
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What make/year vehicle are we working with? Mind the colors at www.mymopar.com Seperate the bulkhead connector that has that circuit & see if the high beam wire is hot when it's supposed to be. That'll tell you to work toward the headlight connectors up front or back inside toward the dimmer switch for the open. Wires go bad at the terminals/connectors on the ends (unless there's frayed insulation from rubbing or heat/broken strands from flexing/burnt strands/insulation from excessive amperage flow which ain't the case here)so check the terminals either forward or inside from the bulkhead (& the open might be in the problematic bulkhead, an easy fix)


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Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated [Re: denfireguy] #1523192
10/25/13 04:36 PM
10/25/13 04:36 PM
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Quote:

I would double check with a voltmeter to see if the voltage goes away at the switch. The wiring sockets for the switch are notorious for corroding with all the tracked in water and snow that soaks in there. Make sure they are clean.
Also, this would not be the first time a defective switch made it into the marketplace.

Craig




I did check the wires and connections for corrosion that go into the high beam switch/dimmer, they all looked good from what I could see.

When you say check to see if the voltage goes away at the switch, you mean at the wires that connect to the high beam switch/dimmer, correct?

Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated [Re: MONC] #1523193
10/25/13 05:57 PM
10/25/13 05:57 PM
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Rio Linda, CA
John_Kunkel Offline
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Quote:


Did you mean the high beam switch/dimmer has a built-in circuit breaker or the switch at the dash?




The headlamp switch (on the dash) has a built-in circuit breaker.


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Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated [Re: RapidRobert] #1523194
10/25/13 06:29 PM
10/25/13 06:29 PM
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Quote:

What make/year vehicle are we working with? Mind the colors at www.mymopar.com Seperate the bulkhead connector that has that circuit & see if the high beam wire is hot when it's supposed to be. That'll tell you to work toward the headlight connectors up front or back inside toward the dimmer switch for the open. Wires go bad at the terminals/connectors on the ends (unless there's frayed insulation from rubbing or heat/broken strands from flexing/burnt strands/insulation from excessive amperage flow which ain't the case here)so check the terminals either forward or inside from the bulkhead (& the open might be in the problematic bulkhead, an easy fix)




69 Charger.
Didn't understand what you meant by mind the colors?
Are there wiring diagrams available on mymopar?

Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated [Re: MONC] #1523195
10/25/13 07:06 PM
10/25/13 07:06 PM
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Lincoln Nebraska
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Quote:

69 Charger.
Didn't understand what you meant by mind the colors?
Are there wiring diagrams available on mymopar?


My bad I meant to say find the colors. yes, click on mymopar tools/reference then scroll down a bit & click on wiring/electrical then click on mopar wiring diagrams then click on the group that covers your year (69) then schematic A will have the rear half & schematic B will have the front half. I like to bring both of em up then I can click on either header on the bottom of my screen to easily pull em both up as that makes it easier to trace a wire as each schematic has a cutoff on the diagram. EDIT ohmed a 3 terminal headlight today & got 1.7 ohms side to side & 2 ohms from one of the side (parallel) terminals to the odd one & 2.2 ohms from the other side terminal to the odd one

Last edited by RapidRobert; 10/26/13 08:34 PM.

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Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated [Re: RapidRobert] #1523196
10/25/13 07:25 PM
10/25/13 07:25 PM
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I have the same problem with my 71 Demon, changed the dimmer switch first but still NG
Then I changed the headlight switch still NG
Traced, cleaned and untapped the forward light harness still NG
I have power on one side of the connector at the headlight and then on the other side as you switch from Hi to low beam. The indicator works in the dash when in Hi mode.
Even changed both headlights in the off chance.
Had to walk away for another time.
Ron

Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated [Re: RJS] #1523197
10/25/13 07:32 PM
10/25/13 07:32 PM
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Quote:

I have power on one side of the connector at the headlight and then on the other side as you switch from Hi to low beam.
Even changed both headlights in the off chance.



If there's fire to both of the respective headlite terminals when you hit hi/low & the headlites themselves are good all that is left is the black (3rd) ground wire circuit


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Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated [Re: RapidRobert] #1523198
10/25/13 07:34 PM
10/25/13 07:34 PM
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Quote:

Quote:

I have power on one side of the connector at the headlight and then on the other side as you switch from Hi to low beam.
Even changed both headlights in the off chance.



If there's fire to both of the respective terminals when you hit hi/low & the headlites are good all that is left is the black (3rd) ground wire




With my car (2 headlight system) show both wires be hot or switch from one to other?
Mine the power switches from one to the other.
Thanks Ron

Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated [Re: MONC] #1523199
10/25/13 07:42 PM
10/25/13 07:42 PM
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Slotts Offline
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If you have a short via the wiring on the high beam side, the internal circuit breaker will open. The question is if you gave it enough time in that condition to see if the lights come back on and then off again without touching anything. That would show the breaker trying to work. Once the arm cools down, it should make contact again.

I clean lots of corrosion build up between the two breaker contacts all the time. You can test the breaker only without taking the switch apart. Disconnect the switch connector from the switch. You can check the breaker separately by using an ohm meter and connect one lead to the top vertical terminal on the headlight switch. Touch the other lead to the small tab that is rolled over to the right of the bottom horizontal terminal. That will test to see if there is resistance (corrosion) going across the breaker. That should read 0 ohms.

Then connect the second lead to the bottom horizontal terminal and read that impedance with the switch in the headlight on position and that too should read 0 ohms.

While you are testing the switch, take a look at the two inner terminals to see what sort of reading you are seeing. Once again, your meter should read 0 ohms. The parking lights are fused and do not run through the internal relay.

Anything less than 0 ohms and shows a negative reading is reducing the light output of either the headlights and or parking lights.

Jim

Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated [Re: RJS] #1523200
10/25/13 07:45 PM
10/25/13 07:45 PM
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The red wire at both lights would be hot on high beams & the violet wire with tracer at both lights would be hot on low beams. The third wire (black on each headlight) connect together then T to a ground


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Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated [Re: RapidRobert] #1523201
10/25/13 08:22 PM
10/25/13 08:22 PM
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You realize that the head light circuit is the same high or low for both ground and up to the dimmer switch. Only the supplied voltage changes between high or low, so ground should be ok if the lows work. the floor mounted dimmer or the wiring to the lights is your issue.


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Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated [Re: RJS] #1523202
10/25/13 08:27 PM
10/25/13 08:27 PM
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Quote:

I have the same problem with my 71 Demon, changed the dimmer switch first but still NG
Then I changed the headlight switch still NG
Traced, cleaned and untapped the forward light harness still NG
I have power on one side of the connector at the headlight and then on the other side as you switch from Hi to low beam. The indicator works in the dash when in Hi mode.
Even changed both headlights in the off chance.
Had to walk away for another time.
Ron




Well that's encouraging ...

Thanks for the other replies, I'll see if I can do some further testing of the headlight switch in the dash, check wiring at bulkhead etc..

Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated [Re: RapidRobert] #1523203
10/25/13 08:29 PM
10/25/13 08:29 PM
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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

Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated [Re: Supercuda] #1523204
10/25/13 09:40 PM
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Quote:

You realize that the head light circuit is the same high or low for both ground and up to the dimmer switch. Only the supplied voltage changes between high or low, so ground should be ok if the lows work. the floor mounted dimmer or the wiring to the lights is your issue.




OK so if I follow what your saying since the low works the third wire (ground) at the headlights is good

Then when you tap the dimmer I see with a meter the power come off the wire that lit the low beam and the wire to the other filament is hot but the high filament doesn't come on so the dimmer switch is the culprit because both of those wires should have stayed hot???

The dimmer is new but that doesn't mean much nowadays.

I'm still confused


Re: Headlights - all OFF when high beams activated [Re: RJS] #1523205
10/25/13 09:48 PM
10/25/13 09:48 PM
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Nope

When the low beam is on the violet wire will be hot. In high beam the violet goes dark and the red wire should go hot.

I'd run a fused hot to the dimmer input and see if you get any action at the headlights. Will help you figure out where the issue lies, upstream or downstream from the dimmer switch.

The ground get double the load in high beam on 4 headlight cars with stock wiring IIRC.

The headlight wiring circuit on these cars sucks in factory form. Voltage dropping POS

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