94 Cav flashing headlights

[HARLEY1]

sometimes at night if I have my high beams on for an extended amount of time -the headlights will start flashing and then they will go off.
I had to drive home holding the high beam switch on.

[Decipha]

that sounds like a safety feature.. its incase u accidently forget your high beams on they shut off for you automatically

[89Sunbird]

I agree. Why would you be driving on high beams anyway??

[muff34]

A SAFETY FEATURE where your headlights go out because the highbeams have been on too long ............LOL . Come on people get out of the city for a while. Harley sounds like you may have headlight switch or related lighting relay going for a crap. Do a forum search here you may find info you are looking for in regards to replacement

[Decipha]

his headlights don't go out, his highbeams go out... read the original post

if the switch or relay was bad they wouldn't come back on when he holds the highbeam switch on

[shakewell]

Originally Posted by Decipha

his headlights don't go out, his highbeams go out... read the original post

if the switch or relay was bad they wouldn't come back on when he holds the highbeam switch on

Could still be the switch. I had this exact thing happen on a Grand Am (not a cav, I know, I know) and the switch was going bad. I just question the idea of driving a long time with the high beams on in the first place.

[muff34]

Originally Posted by Decipha

his headlights don't go out, his highbeams go out... read the original post

if the switch or relay was bad they wouldn't come back on when he holds the highbeam switch on

ya I did re-read it did you ? he says "the headlights start flashing and then they will go off." not my high beams start flashing then go off. if highbeams went off and just down to low beam it`s no biggy ,but if headlights go off ,well "Houston we have a problem" One keryword will change the whole post here ........high beam or headlight

[muff34]

one other thing I have discovered in reading post again "I had to drive home holding the highbeam switch on". what was happenning here is that the person was activating the "flash to pass " mode in the headlight switch which also leads me to beleive headlight switch is going bad . But that`s just my opinion.
Muff

[yhandor]

Yea I have been having problems with my low beams lately.....when i switch it to hi beam, the switch seems hard to click....and sometime when i start the car and flick my lights on, low beams wont come on until i play with the lever a bit......I dont know what it is but i need to find out soon.....

[shakewell]

Originally Posted by yhandor

low beams wont come on until i play with the lever a bit......I dont know what it is but i need to find out soon.....

It is the switch. Replace it.

[HARLEY1]

Originally Posted by muff34

ya I did re-read it did you ? he says "the headlights start flashing and then they will go off." not my high beams start flashing then go off. if highbeams went off and just down to low beam it`s no biggy ,but if headlights go off ,well "Houston we have a problem" One keryword will change the whole post here ........high beam or headlight

Correct I drive country roads in Indiana - no street lights - a lot of deers crossing the roads - sometimes I have high beam on for a long time - then the headlights flash and then I have no headlights at all - Dealer installed new switch - still did not resolve problem - I have to make sure I don't use
high beam for to long as fear of sitting on the side of road with no lights

[muff34]

Originally Posted by HARLEY1

Correct I drive country roads in Indiana - no street lights - a lot of deers crossing the roads - sometimes I have high beam on for a long time - then the headlights flash and then I have no headlights at all - Dealer installed new switch - still did not resolve problem - I have to make sure I don't use
high beam for to long as fear of sitting on the side of road with no lights

Did you tell them to just replace it or did they go ahead on there own and do it. Did they give you the old one back ? What I`m getting at is are you sure you got a new one ? Does your car have daytime running lights and do they work correctly? will the high beams come back on if are off for a few minutes, or even the low beam for that matter? it must be a relay getting to hot . go back to dealer and ask about drl relay or fog light relay for your car .

[shakewell]

If I remember a 1994 correctly, your car has a headlight switch on the dash and a high beam switch when you pull back on the turn signal stick, right?

If this is correct, did the dealership replace the headlight switch or the turn signal switch? Without a wiring diagram in front of me I don't know if power to the low beams goes through the high beam switch, but it could.

If I'm on the right track with this, I recommend you replace the turn signal switch - especially if it feels physically hard to move.

[muff34]

Originally Posted by shakewell

If I remember a 1994 correctly, your car has a headlight switch on the dash and a high beam switch when you pull back on the turn signal stick, right?

If this is correct, did the dealership replace the headlight switch or the turn signal switch? Without a wiring diagram in front of me I don't know if power to the low beams goes through the high beam switch, but it could.

If I'm on the right track with this, I recommend you replace the turn signal switch - especially if it feels physically hard to move.

you could be on to something there as my `91 bird had the headlight switch on the dash as you say and the high/low on the turn signal . altho Autozone shows `91 -94 cavs have it on stick???? they also have a listing for a headlight relay, which I`m guessing if it gets hot will cut out.