Headlight problem

[SamBo]

Hey all

I've been having a problem with my passenger side headlight on my 1988 Pulsar.

Now, the lights used to work fine. Then the passenger side one started to not come on straight away. Sometimes it would come on after about 10 seconds, so it didn't really worry me. Then it started coming on after several minutes. Soon after it stopped coming on at all.

Now, it is not the bulb.

If I put the high beams on, the light comes on straight away, but goes off again when high beam is turned off.

Then the passenger side high beam stopped working, but that was my fault for removing the bulb without turning it off.... (D'oh!). A new fuse and the highbeam works again, but the headlight still only comes on when highbeam is on too.

Anyone have any ideas of why this is happening and what I can do to fix it?

I should probably take it to an auto electrician, but i dont wanna spend upwards of 70 bucks on something that is probably very easy to fix.

[blind_elk]

As I was reading it, it sounded like a dirty connection onto the light. Make sure the plug terminals are clean and free of corrosion. Also, check for a bad earth.

[SamBo]

but if it was that wouldn't that mean that the light wouldn't come on when highbeam gets turned on?

Or have I just proven how little I know about electrical systems?

[DLuded]

that happened to be in my shitbox prelude

i had pop-up lights and all it was was the cord wasnt connected to the actually light. When i opened the hood i saw that the electrical cable had somehow fallen off the light and was disconnected. I dont know if this is the probalem but it was my problem.

[SamBo]

cables are connected

otherwise it wouldn't come on with the highbeam

[jethead98]

Think you will find its your hibeam switch, the normal contact for your low beam is probably burnt and has a bad connection..

[SamBo]

ok thanks

will get it looked at

[51jay]

Also replace the fuse for the low beam also the high beam even if they look ok

[SamBo]

they're on the same fuse, which I replaced yesterday

[Cubes]

Also on my R32 GTS-T skyline the switch on the dash that is a roll switch turns from off to parkers to lights.

The contacts have a separate contact for both left and right.

Occasionally the same as the power windows they get a heap of junk in between the contacts which fowls them up and also if you are really unlucky like I was the little plastic probe pusher type things that push on the metal contacts when rolling the switch melted causing my left light to stop working all together.

Mine started off as just the light coming on a second or so after the right, then it started to not come on sometimes where I would have to turn the switch on and off once or twice, then it just stopped coming on.

It is possible that Nissan use the same type of switches.

They do for their power windows.

At the same time Also If you run higher than std watt bulbs in your std low beam it will burn out the highbeam stalk switch.

i.e any higher than 55/60

[MYGTST]

try replacing the light relay as the contacts on these do burn out

[cowie165]

Also on my R32 GTS-T skyline the switch on the dash that is a roll switch turns from off to parkers to lights.

The contacts have a separate contact for both left and right.

Hi guys.

Same problem:

RH lights: OK

LH lights: parkers OK, no dipped or high beam

Checked:

Bulbs OK, correct wattage, both work in the RH headlight

Engine bay fuses OK

Rotary switch: currently in pieces on a desk. The three plates work when tested (direct plug n play). One of the little black buttons appears to have melted? Should they all look like little Beefeater's helmets or should one have a flat end?

Lots of ppl have said there is a L and a R switch. For the life of me I can't work it out. There are three plates - one switches lights off, one for parkers, one turns on the headlights. Where does the L/R headlight pwr come into it? What I mean is, some guys reported that when they turn the rotary switch hard, the dodgy L lights come on whilst pressure is applied.

I checked around with the multimeter and at the black box behind the lights (has wires going direct to dipped beam and wires to high beam light) on the faulty side there is 12V on one terminal and zeroV on the other. The corresponding part on the R (working) side has 12V present on both.

This is really convoluted, but there is a bit to cover. If you've sorted out this drama yourself, or are a dab hand with the electrics, I'd love to hear your thoughts please.

The way I see it, it's either the black box (is it a relay? switch? I'm crap with elec) behind the headlight, or its the switch not working correctly (though I couldn't get both lights to come on when plugging the switch in and activating the lights by manually pressing the contact plate).

Thanks in advance

Mark

[Bazelinez]

its the switch dude, mine was doing the same thing, took it apart and the contact on the right was burnt down. Stretched the spring and its all good now. they should all be the same height so stretch the damaged one out.

[cowie165]

Kickass! It (the melted one) was the one on the right, like you said. Cheers Bazelinez.

edit: Ar$e! Painstakingly aligned all the little black things, just tested, no joy. I guess it's a trip to the auto elec after all. Maybe it is that black box behind the light. Damn.

[Bazelinez]

no worries, u feel stoked when little things are fixes easily

now for my clunking front end, dodgy air con, scratched windows.......

[cowie165]

Yeah, there's always a list hey. My .doc to do list just bumped into two pages.

Gearbox oil, finish speaker install, have a cat installed...

[Bazelinez]

ahh that sucks, maybe something more sinister... sorry dude!