Headlights dont work :(

[Mobilemick]

2nd the switch idea,  dodgy terminal touching inside, would cause this,

what car u got ,  got a wiring diagram for a rx7

Mick

[doddy]

question - are the lights supposed to work regardless of the ignition switch?
That\'s what I have - fully functional main/dip beam with up/down as well.

Then with the ignition switch the light switch works as in turns lights on and off, but somehow the dip beam relay is totally out of the equation.

i.e. for example:
Get into car.
Pop lights up then down.
Turn lights on to side then dipped beam.
Flip the main beam jobbie.
Then back again.

Everything to this point works 100%
Lights are up and on dipped beam.

turn ignition switch to IG

AAAAAAGH F*** S*** B**** Q*** (I made that last one up)

Lights are now on main beam.
Main beam indicator is on.
Dip/Main flipper does nothing.

I didn\'t think there was any ignition 12v to the light switch, since they work 100% with the key out.

btw what\'s "Latch CCT" in the wiring diagram to the dipped beam relay?

[doddy]

oh and it\'s an \'89 Turbo II in faded red, with a strong engine and leaky clutch hydraulics.

[grinder]

right then - the clutch is an easy fix - dont worry too much about that

the lights very strange

they shouldnt work without the key to IG - so you have something wrong somewhere

first thing - remove the switch - then let us know what happens

there should be 12v at the back of the switch - but only with the key in IG ( i think )

if you have a dodgy switch then this could cause lots of probs

there is a white block connector what the switch plugs into - i can tell you what most of the contacts do inside this ( its all wrote down at home )

to be honest - the switch controls everything - so it does sound like a dodgy switch

Stu

[doddy]

know what I\'m beginning to think I should check the switch :o

So they definitely shouldn\'t work with key out!?  That\'s good news in a perverse way.  I also discovered that the main fuse is not in fact corroded in, but is held in by two screws by design :/ Since the fuse was broken I assumed that someone else had discovered it was corroded in; seems that they weren\'t as bright after all.

The whole dash area has to be the weakest point of these cars eh? Those plastic posts in behind holding EVERYTHING on are like something out of a chinese toy no?

Hey do you think it\'s wise to with-hold full membership fee until I get this fixed? If I don\'t ever fix it the regular rotary magazines would do my head in! lol

[doddy]

There\'s no reference to the ignition switch in any of the headlight wiring diagrams I\'ve seen?

[grinder]

hummmm i know what you mean about the switch on the wiring diagrams

i have to admit im not 100% sure what they do if you operate the lights with NO key in the ignition

im sure they dont work though - although i could be wrong ( and usually are )

the switch is the key i think - and its only a 10 min job to remove

take off the cowl - leave all the switches in place and just unplug them

pity you arent a lot closer - i could have bobbed down and tried a few switches

there is an easier way to check

stick your head under the dash - and there will be a loom that comes from the light side - follow this to the footwell and it plugs into another loom - you could always unplug it at this point

[doddy]

well all I mean is that starting and charging diagram for example usually has the ignition switch on there, particularly for the ST position, but just importantly for the ignition itself...

But the headlight circuit diagrams don\'t seem to have the switch on there.

Also my 93 Honda Accord lights do the full range with no key in...

I\'ll try the switch tonight.  I\'ll have to mess around with a bit of wire though, because with ignition on the switch does turn the lights completely off.

[grinder]

hummm start with the cheapest which is the switch

lets get that out of the equation first

[Mobilemick]

Maybe the wiring diagram just shows a line with 15 on it,  That will be the ignition,

[doddy]

Major Update for you guys:

I took the switch out and tested the plug with one of those automotive testers (cracker tool).

The Haynes didn\'t really match the plug pins but I worked out the main ones anyway.  Got headlights on and the fault was still there - everything fine with no ignition then turn that on and no dipped beam.

Interesting point is that with ignition on and lights off I could use the main beam flipper to flash main beam - when I did this the head light pin in the plug would reverse polarity...

Anyway - I played around with side lights and the light motors then tried the head lights one last time.

And it worked!

Difference was that the side lights stopped working.  I may have blown a fuse to that (and the dash light, and possibly the head light washers) and that\'s made all the difference.

Full Main-Beam/Dipped-Beam functionality has been restored, and as it sits I can surely wire the side lights in myself for the mean time.

Happy Days :Thumbsup!

[grinder]

you might have blown the side light fuse - i did that loads of times when testing mine

glad you like the testing tool ( is that the ebay one i told you about )

my prob was that i was only getting 9.5v at the switch and that wasnt enough to power the lights at all - so i had to rewire that in from the fuse ( keeps it need and if the fuse blows it nice and safe )

it worrying that you have fixed it and 2 sparkies couldnt

have a look in the fuse box there is an ILLUM fuse that does the dash lights - i keep blowing mine for some strange reason

cant figure out why the pin swapped polarity though ?

you can use the tester though to power the side light feed from the switch to confirm if you have a blown fuse or not

Stu

[doddy]

Yes that wee Sealey job is great.
Did I tell you I got two of those in the post? For the price of one :>

I think if that thing helped me fix the lights I\'m gonna hang the unopened one on the wall!

Good to hear that it\'s easy to blow fuses. Makes sense in a way: that tool probably just fires a full 12v to the probe.

Yeh I already tested the side light feed with the probe and they are definitely out.

If I have to I might wire in the side lights with my own fuse or something.  (Just realised I can\'t do it straight from the battery - \'Volvo style\' at least runs off the ignition switch DOH).

[grinder]

you got 2 of them - blimey - thats impressive !!

get the fuse changed and work from there !!

and i think the prob just fires 12v as you said - be careful though - i managed to fry the headlight switch with one in about .5 seconds !

[doddy]

Right I had another bash at the car...

(I\'ve discovered that getting stuck into a few beers helps me get on with sorting my house out and occasionally working at the car too - otherwise I day dream too much :> )

Good news.
- Got an ignition switch; the car starts and runs fine.

Bad news.
- The headlights worked totally fine after I blew a fuse, which took out the side lights.  This also took out the indicators!! :mad:  I investigated the fuse box and two 15A fuses around the 30A power window fuse were blown.

They are ILLUM and TURN.

BOTH have to be good to get indicators and this then breaks the headlight circuit again.

So ditching sidelights to fix headlights won\'t work since this takes out indicators too (wouldn\'t get through MOT with no side lights anyway I guess).

The best diagrams I have are this stuff:
http://www.idod.co.uk/images/FuelControlHarness.jpg

So maybe the fuse box is corroded?
Or it\'s just plain old corrosion in the loom somewhere :eek