Strange Early headlight switch

[Langsam 10]

Hiya noticed this problem for a while wince owning my C. When turning the sidelights on the headlight switch lights up but when clicked onto dipped beam the switch light goes out and the headlights don't come on.

 

Has my switch gone?

[timmaaah 0]

No - this is normal:

 

Ignition on-------sidelights on = lit ring on switch. Main beams on = no lit ring

Ignition off ------- sidelights or main beams on = lit ring (although the main beams themselves shouldn't be on with the ignition off)

 

:)

 

EDIT - sorry - didn't properly read your post - do your main beams not come on at all?

[Langsam 10]

Sorry forgot to mention my main beams work fine, it's my dipped beams that don't work. So I have to drive around with just sidelights on haha

[carrots 1]

has it got a loom upgrade.could be a loose wire

[Langsam 10]

It does have a uprated loom but that's the first thing I've checked. But everything's ok with that.

[Langsam 10]

I've checked the uprated loom properly and also the fuses. The dipped beams work when I turn on my main beams so I'm thinking it's the switch which is at fault. So can I use a mk2 golf headlight switch as a replacement??

[Langsam 10]

Right managed to strip down my light switch and found that one of the internal bulbs has got quite warm and broke the small green lense inside. I thought sweet it's not allowing the switch to fully turn on so removed a debris cleaned and inspected all the contacts which are all ok, then rebuilt the switch correctly and fitted it. Turned the lights on and still no headlights!!!!!

 

Is the headlight switch at fault??? I've checked the uprated loom as stated, fuses, bulbs and switch now.

What else can I do?

This is my daily car and I'm finding it quite dangerous to drive to and from work with just sidelights.

[Dox 23]

Side lights stay on when dipped beam or main beam is selected.

 

I'd unplug the uprated loom at the drivers headlamp and plug the original loom back into the headlamp for a trial.

 

It could also be the column switch at fault

EDIT

I have an early headlamp and an early column switch if you want to try them - I'm 10 mins from J16 M6

Edited December 4, 2013 by Dox

[Langsam 10]

I borrowed a mates headlight switch last night and nothing changed. I'm still not getting any headlights.

 

Dox I may take you up on that, I did replace the column stalks not too long ago. Could that be involved with my problem?

[timmaaah 0]

Just to clarify, with the switch fully in you don't get dipped main beams, but if you flick the headlight lever you do get full beams? Is that right?

 

With the main beams, is it just the two inner driving/spot lights that come one or do all four lights light up?

[Langsam 10]

Yep that's precisely it. Hit the nail on the head.

 

All 4 lights come on so sides, dipped and main come on.

[timmaaah 0]

Daft question then, have you checked the bulbs? The H4's with the twin filament?

 

Actually, still not sure what is and isn't coming on - you say sides dipped and mains :scratch:

 

The inner bulbs are H3's single filament - these only come on with the headlights/mainbean on. The outer lights are H4's - these have two filaments - one comes on with the headlights/main bean and the other comes on when the lights are dipped.

 

So - with the headlights dipped, the two outer lights should be on. With the headlights not dipped (on fullbeam/mainbeam/whatever you want to call it) both the inner and outer lights should be on. The outer lights should always be on, whether on dipped or full beam. Ignore the sidelights for the moment.

 

You have both inner and outer lights on with full beam but nothing with dipped, yes?

 

:)

Edited December 5, 2013 by timmaaah

[Langsam 10]

Yeh checked bulbs and they are the correct ones.

 

Haha it is a bit confusing.

 

I'll try and explain it abit better if I can-

Push the switch in once the sidelights come on, but nothing else.

Push the switch in again and the headlights don't come on, but the sidelights remain on.

Pull the mainbeam stalk and all the lights come on, so inner lights, headlights and outer.

[timmaaah 0]

Ok - got it now :)

 

First off, check the H4 bulbs are both ok and both filaments are intact. You say you have an uprated loom - is it a 2 or a 3 relay one? The relay could be faulty - you'll need a multimeter to check it. You'll need to check that there is a 12v supply to the trigger pin on the relay - it's pin number 86 iirc. You'll want a 12v supply to it when you have the light switch pushed fully in and the lights on dipped mode. If you have a supply there then it points to a faulty relay, or faulty wiring after the relay. You can check you have a 12v output from pin 87 - that's the output that then goes to the lights. Check there's a permanent supply to pin 30 too - that's the relay switched input. Also check pin 30 has a good ground.

 

Sorry if that's teaching you to suck eggs lol

 

If there's no 12v supply to the relay, then it's elsewhere. Good luck :)

[Langsam 10]

Both bulbs are fine and the loom is off James153, I dunno how many relays are supplied with that uprated loom. Haha sounds like I'm gonna have to get auto electrian on this. I'm crap with wiring.

Edited December 5, 2013 by Langsam

[Langsam 10]

Right me and my mate spent agood few hours the other night trying to locate this problem.

 

I removed the uprated loom and we began trying to diagnose the problem, we checked the relays, wires, bulbs and still the same thing. As soon as I turn my sidelights on, every bulb will light up, so sides, headlights and main beam now.

 

My mate says it could be the mainbeam stalk that is faulty, but I dunno. I did replace the stalk a few weeks but why has this problem started now?

 

The only thing I could suggest, is some bright spark in the past has cut-off both the vw 4 pin plugs off the headlight loom. So I have 8 wires in total I dunno what configuration the go in, to each individual headlight. Can someone post a pic of a standard headlight loom with pics of both vw plugs for the headlights?

 

Cheers