Headlight Woes

angelfly · Feb 28, 2008

So I am having some headlight problems and I can't figure it out

So my drivers side headlight is mass bright and works perfect but my passenger side is very dim in low beams and nothing in high beams

SO I have replaced both the light sockets both headlights themselves, and gone through the whle wiring harness and there is no loose or bad connections anywhere:eeek: :eeek:

So what is the problem, the relay???? This is driving me crazy, I can't drive at night cause I can't see at all!!!! Also when I have my lights on my battery dies extremely quick

I am about to just buy a whole new harness and go from there:booo:

ANy help would be very much appreciated!!!!:beer: I need it fixed by friday night

pokey · Feb 28, 2008

angelfly said:
So I am having some headlight problems and I can't figure it out

So my drivers side headlight is mass bright and works perfect but my passenger side is very dim in low beams and nothing in high beams

SO I have replaced both the light sockets both headlights themselves, and gone through the whle wiring harness and there is no loose or bad connections anywhere:eeek: :eeek:

So what is the problem, the relay???? This is driving me crazy, I can't drive at night cause I can't see at all!!!! Also when I have my lights on my battery dies extremely quick I am about to just buy a whole new harness and go from there:booo:

ANy help would be very much appreciated!!!!:beer: I need it fixed by friday night

sounds like you have a short to ground somewhere in the harness but not enough to blow the fuse. all the grounds ok? what happens to the pass light if you unplug the drivers side? Check out your highbeam switch as well.

84Toyota4x4 · Feb 28, 2008

Did you check the left and right headlight fuses under the hood? I know on a working truck if you pull one, it will cut the light output in half in low beam. Dont know what it does to the high beam though. Just a thought

~T.J.

GaryTJ · Feb 28, 2008

almost always, what you are describing is caused by a bad ground at the weak headlight. pull the gound and clean it.

angelfly · Feb 28, 2008

GaryTJ said:
almost always, what you are describing is caused by a bad ground at the weak headlight. pull the gound and clean it.

From what I can tell, I replaced the whole socket assembly with a brand new one, and I thought I redid I all the wiring:eeek: But. . . your saying its a gounding problem??? Where would the ground kinda be??? is it coming off the light harness or is it usually nessled farther back??

Thanx guys:beer:

Not Jobless · Feb 28, 2008

angelfly said:
From what I can tell, I replaced the whole socket assembly with a brand new one, and I thought I redid I all the wiring:eeek: But. . . your saying its a gounding problem??? Where would the ground kinda be??? is it coming off the light harness or is it usually nessled farther back??

Thanx guys:beer:

Grounds are typically kept close to the source of the power draw, meaning the ground wire connection should be within about 12 inches of the headlight assembly. The ground wire will most likely be screwed into the body.

angelfly · Feb 28, 2008

Jobless said:
Grounds are typically kept close to the source of the power draw, meaning the ground wire connection should be within about 12 inches of the headlight assembly. The ground wire will most likely be screwed into the body.

I wish I could go out and look but oh well tomorrow, but thanx guys I think I know exactly the spot that you talking about! So should I Kinda like sand down the metal and replace the connection and maybe screw???

bigd9247 · Feb 28, 2008

How old is the battery? It shouldn't die very fast with the lights on... I'd think you've got two seperate issues going on. The first is your headlight issue. The second is a bad battery or alternator (or bad connection somewhere in between).

angelfly · Feb 28, 2008

bigd9247 said:
How old is the battery? It shouldn't die very fast with the lights on... I'd think you've got two seperate issues going on. The first is your headlight issue. The second is a bad battery or alternator (or bad connection somewhere in between).

Man I got a red top optima brand new and a 3 month old 72month carquest special!! So the battery isn't the problem, I got the alternator tested at smackes, and they said it was even the higher output of the 2 stock replacements! So I have no idea I actually we did more wiring yesterday and havn't gone on a decent drive to see if it dies with the lights on still:eeek: :eeek: But I think I might have it figured out the retard that had it before me seemed to have wired some major power lines into the headlights wires:looser: so we will check it tomorrow and c what happens if not I am just gonna rewire the whole headligts with 2 toggles or sumthing for high and low:awesomework: