Headlight Woes

[B. Wilson]

1999 Regal LS, the headlight won't come on. Covering the sensor doesn't work, I can see the parking lights come on, but no headlights. Pulling the DRL fuse doesn't let the headlights come on either, again, the parking lights come on, but no headlights. High or low beam. All bulbs are good. I'm getting 12VDC to the bulbs, the disconnect is further down the line. Could the turn signal/dimmer switch be bad?? When switching between high and low beam, I get no indication on the dash for high beam. Come to think of it, the switch doesn't make any noise when switched, is it supposed to click or something?? It's got to be something simple!!

Thanks !!!
B. Wilson

[BNaylor]

When you pull the multifunction switch (MFS) back to high beam you should hear a clicking sound so the MFS is a good possibility. What happens when you turn on the headlights manually at the headlamp switch at the dash? Regardless of the auto headlight system the headlights should come on in manual.

I replaced the MFS in our '99 Regal LS over two years ago for a similar issue but no high beams only. The low were working fine.

[B. Wilson]

Even when using the manual headlight switch the headlights don't come on. I can't think of anything else that would cause this kind of problem. With the DRL fuse pulled, the headlight should come on with the manual headlight switch, but they don't. This beats the hell out of me!

[mt_100]

The MFS can cause headlights not to work if it is bad.

[BNaylor]

Originally Posted by B. Wilson

This beats the hell out of me!

Well you can check the 12 volt input to and output from the headlamp switch and then the input to the MFS. From the MFS it is a direct shot to the headlights with no relays. The headlamp switch is easy to access once you remove the plastic cover on the left hand side of the dash for troubleshooting. Then you can access the pins/contacts and connector for the MFS which is shared with the ignition switch assembly. Located under the steering column. Just remove the kick panel for access. However, I would recommend using a GM wiring diagram from the factory service manual. Other than that you can start replacing parts.

[B. Wilson]

Thank you for all the ideas for fixing my problem. I went to a junk yard and found an entire steering column for $45. Swapping out the switch was easy, thanks to the how-to I saw on this forum. Fixed the headlight problem, piece of cake.