2000 RS - headlight issue

[ReZPunK]

right side headlight dim, replaced the socket, tested relay, fuse, did voltage drops all around,

getting power to the socket

all drops less than .5 volts

next clue, the fog lights wont shut off when switching from low to high, they stay on.

and only the right side head light is dim. the drivers side light is fine.

should i be looking towards the switch or is there another circuit i am forgetting.

help me STM you're our only hope!

im all done working on it tonight, no garage and its cold as fark.

 

[Rightseat]

you tested at the lites, that's not the prob

zis issue ees soundin switch-related 2 moi :icon_scratch:

probage in region of switch sounds productive

we all expect full report on the morrow

 

[ReZPunK]

would a bum switch cause only one light to be messed?

i can see that becuase the fog lamp circuit is run off the right side headlight circuit..

can anyone verify this?

 

[ReZPunK]

additional info.

the hi/lo indicator is working fine

when switching from hi to lo there is very little change in the dimness of the light, but it appears to switch beams, switches slowly, but still no change in the briteness.

 

[MrToad]

Headlights switch (relay) on ground side. Unless headlight socket cooked, suspect switch/ground problem.

JT

 

[ReZPunK]

ok so mitchell is very vague on where the grounds for the headlghts are. just says location center dash.

are the grounds switched at THE switch on the column?

sorry if i am making little sense. i am tired, cold and frustrated.

 

[inski]

I'll see if I can find exact info and post it or call you today or tonight. In the mean time

Measure continuity relay ground to to chassis. Should be very low, like one ohm. remember power has to be off. call me 2108732 and remind me to look up the wiring diagram.

 

[inski]

I tried to copy the diagrams to a usb chip but it didn't work. I'll try again Monday with the other computer, maybe Alldata. After looking at another RS I noticed the right side harness goes in the fender. I believe your car has had right front fender repairs due to an accident via L-town. I'd follow that harness and check its integrity. Put the high beams on and fogs and start giggling shit until you notice something happening. look for splices, scotch locks, large wads of tape, ect.

The details are conflicting but may be caused by one issue....

Fog light on with high beam= short to power, or someone used the fog power for the high beam power, or vice-versa.

Slow change, dim, no change when switched to hi-beam=weak ground, slight short to ground.

Do a volt check right inside the socket. What does the meter say on high beam? What does it say on low beam? (3 wires, one power hi-beam, one power lo-beam, one is ground)

Do an omhs check from ground side of socket to battery ground. What does it say?

Have you swapped the relay with a known good one?

 

[ReZPunK]

is it possible (since i only changed one) that the other socket is bad even tho the light seems to be working fine?

i jiggled, wiggled, cleaned grounds behind the light, tested and prodded. i am totally missing something, and getting rather frustrated at the whole thing.

i even have the fender off to see the harness that is under there. it all looks good.

oh one thing i didnt try is a resistance check from fuse box to socket. brb

 

[ReZPunK]

ok so from the fuse box to the light on the white and blue line according to the mitchell diagram, shold be a direct shot. i am getting infinite resistance from the blue and white at the box to the blue and white at the light.

ARGH i suck at electrical diagnosis.

 

[ReZPunK]

im officially done with it.

time to pay someone to fix it for me.

thanks EMCC for giving me all the skills i need to be a technician. :angry4:

wasted two years of my life in that school for what?

 

[inski]

Dont say that. We're walking proof Maine's Tech Colleges are just as good as Wyo Tech or UTI. I know, I have two of them working with me. Wyo being slightly better than ME, and ME being WAY better than UTI. But we paid $18,000 less than them. Now who's smarter!?! Us. :headbang:

You didn't have good diagrams or a diag step chart . Electrical work is like tranny work. It takes tons and tons of practice, and sometimes its still a huge struggle. Never never easy. Often times it takes help from a peer. I'll be pulling my hair out when someone comes along and makes a profound "did you check this or that?" And it suddenly all makes sense. You didn't have that help.

I did not fall off the roof this year. *knocks on wood*

 

[ReZPunK]

ok so im not done with it, i swapped out the switch, no change still broken

also a few days ago i noticed the rear running lights are gone now.

brake, blinker and reverse still work, but no running lights.

ponder....

 

[Rightseat]

u needa auto exorcist

 

[Pedro]

ok so im not done with it, i swapped out the switch, no change still broken

also a few days ago i noticed the rear running lights are gone now.

brake, blinker and reverse still work, but no running lights.

ponder....

meeces?

 

[ReZPunK]

Blown Fuse. just weird it blew now...

might be related, might not.

but fixed for now.

still left friggin with headlights, cold and tired again, done for the night

 

[ReZPunK]

i found the problem!!!!!!

there were 6 wires all melted together in the harness on the otherside of the car.

this RS was damaged in the front before i bought it, and something tells me the body guys didnt give the harness a good looksee,

this explains why lines were getting power when they shouldnt havce and why it was acting all flaky..

sorry if my tpying isn't good, im friggin cold form laying onmy back in the yard.

off to the parts store to get something better than quick connects to repair the harness.

 

[Jimbo]

Nice investigative work, Lou.

*crosses fingers in hopes that this is the problem*

 

[Rightseat]

there were 6 wires all melted together in the harness on the otherside of the car.

off to the parts store to get something better than quick connects to repair the harness.

bingo, dood! :thumbsup: