High beams won't stay on

ned032002 · #1 02-07-2008, 06:31 PM

If I pull the lever towards me and hold it then they stay on but if I try to lock it by clicking the lever they don't stay on. If the lever is bad (if that's the problem) how hard is it to replace?

Edit: I just went out and just to check to see if maybe I was doing something wrong but I'm not (i don't think). With the key in I turn on the headlights, the pop ups go up and the lows are on. Now when I pull the lever to turn on the high beams the blue indicator comes on in the instrument cluster but the head lights go out. If I pull the lever again the lights come back on w/ the low beams. Now I'm not familiar w/ the pop up lights, do the low beams and the high beams use a different bulb? Could they both be blown then? What should I check to try to fix this? I've never seen what the car looks like w/ the high beams on so I don't know what to look for. Also I've been reading on the Combination switch removal and it's not an easy task.

ned032002 · #2 02-07-2008, 10:06 PM

Heres a couple of wiring diagrams from my Chilton's manual

Page 1

Page 2

ned032002 · #3 02-09-2008, 07:04 AM

Any ideas?

ned032002 · #4 02-10-2008, 08:34 AM

I still need help on this problem. I see that many people have read this thread but there are no suggestions posted. I seriously can't figure this out.

JoeShmoe · #5 02-13-2008, 09:55 AM

Sorry Ned, hadn't seen this thread on here. Well I thikn you just need to replace your bulbs. If both your HIs and LOWs come from the same bulb then that means that there are to filaments in the bulb. As soon as you turn on the HIs the power to the bulb increases and jumps to the thicker filament and the smaller filament (your LOWs) lose power IIRC. So that would explain why your LOWs cut off when you go with the HIs. So just replace the bulbs and I would be pretty sure that would fix it.

SilvrEclipse · #6 02-13-2008, 12:52 PM

Do the lows normally go out with the highs on? I would pull the bulbs out and test the plug with a test light to see if the right wires are getting power for the highs/lows. If you have power at the plug then the bulb is messed up. If not then you know its a problems in either the switch or wiring.

Also if you had higher wattage bulbs in there make sure the wiring harness didn't melt.

david-b · #7 02-13-2008, 01:48 PM

I have to agree here. Seems like the bulbs themselves are bad. Get them tested out and make sure there is power going to the bulb socket.

ned032002 · #8 02-13-2008, 08:04 PM

Will the test light just just get brighter as the lever is pulled from low to high? And what terminals do I test?

JoeShmoe · #9 02-13-2008, 10:08 PM

Well if you can check the bulbs by eye then I would recommend you do ti. If not, I would check the bulbs for continuity with a multimeter. There should be two pairs of exposed areas where the connectors go to.

tfoti · #10 02-13-2008, 10:38 PM

90s and 91s have sealed beams. I would say it's the switch since the highs come on when switch is pulled but go back to lows with the switch supposed to be on. Not unheard of but not common.

SilvrEclipse · #11 02-13-2008, 10:49 PM

The high and low beams should be 2 different wires.

JoeShmoe · #12 02-14-2008, 06:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SilvrEclipse

The high and low beams should be 2 different wires.

Don't know, haven't really looked at what wires are in the plugs. On my nissan I only use one bulb with like three wires, maybe,and don't hang me if its wrong, but maybe on of the wires is a constant ground and the other too are for power to the bulb (each carrying a different current.)

Quote:

Originally Posted by tfoti

...the highs come on when swtich is pulled but go back to lows with the switch supposed to be on.

I think he said if he engages the highs, the switch will stay but he won't have any lights.

SilvrEclipse · #13 02-14-2008, 07:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeShmoe

Don't know, haven't really looked at what wires are in the plugs. On my nissan I only use one bulb with like three wires, maybe,and don't hang me if its wrong, but maybe on of the wires is a constant ground and the other too are for power to the bulb (each carrying a different current.

This is how they should be wired if the lows and highs use the same bulb.

ned032002 · #14 02-15-2008, 07:25 AM

New bulbs fixed the problem. Thanks guys.

The chances of both bulbs not working seemed to out there for me to even consider that being the problem.

JoeShmoe · #15 02-15-2008, 07:27 AM

No prob Ned.

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