Headlamp Relay - Winter Warning

[quicky1980 0]

I recently had some intermittent light issues, I would be driving down the road in the dark when all of a sudden the high beams would come on without any way of turning them off. Bumps seemed to sort it though.

 

So lifted the bonnet (once parked up :lol: ) and on checking the relays for the headlamps the beams seemed to come on and off if shook. After taking the relays apart and found one was like this

 

For a short time I has the relays sitting upside down and open to splashing, so I figured water had entered the relay and over time caused the above damage and stopped the spring from doing its job so any bumps or knocks allowed for the high beams to come on!

 

So word of warning, make sure if you have an uprated loom that your relays are adequately protected from the elements.

[Supercharged 2]

Nice! Yeah seen a few like that although not that bad...

 

Tried loads of different ones over the years and the only ones that seem to last are the ones Maplin sell on the shelf - they have a seal round the edge.

 

The way to go is to seal them plus the connections to them in a resin box like you'd use for wiring junctions outside

[Critical_Mass 10]

Had issues with the uprated headlight loom relays too. The full beam wouldnt come on at all and here's me thinking why when i flash someone dont they respond to me letting them out of a junction for example :lol: becuase the lights werent doing anything.

 

Water had got in the looms and corroded them to hell like yours. Ended up putting them in plastic bag behind the headlight.

 

But ideally need to do something like SC said above ^^^

[RW1 0]

Pretty cronic :shock:

 

I put mine in plastic bags with ty-wrap round loom near the base. Sit them upright so it acts like a umbrella. The Mk2 Scirocco daily runner I had, still has them working normally after 15 years. I looked inside just before selling it. The relays were as new.

 

Think also, must be mindful that water runs off the inner wings on both sides on the Corrado when washing or its raining. (near the battery on one side). That won't be helping. See mod here..... Link

 

.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Yep, mount the relays facing down as above!

 

I only use Tyco relays personally. Never had a problem with them!

[STU175 0]

i encased mine in a block of clear silicone LOL

 

i filled a small plastic container with silicone after smearing it lightly with wd40 and stuck the relay in it and smoothed off the top even around the pins. when you pull it out of the container it looks perfectly square and like its been made!!

 

never had problems with in last 5 yrs

 

ill post a pic its worth doing :D

[daves16v 1]

I had this problem when the weather turned wet, the relays were just 'hanging' around in front of the battery and when the wet got in the headlights were doing all sorts of things they weren't supposed to.

 

I made up a Stainless enclosure with an open bottom, the relays are mounted to a plate then inserted inside the enclosure - see pic.

 

Not had any problems since.

[fla 9]

your whole car will be made of stainless brackets soon Dave :wink: Nice work, mine is just cable tied to the front slam panel, need to seal it up this winter. I think a bag and some zipties will do me fine - too cold to do anything else...

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Very nice sir!

 

Or if you've got some spare cash, this is a neat solution - http://www.dgautotech.com/dgauto/index. ... Itemid=107

[daves16v 1]

Thanks chaps

 

Kev, I looked at the DG kit but couldn't justify it at the time.