Hi all, have got a problem with headlights. I have park lights but no headlights.

I have changed headlight switch, relays, fusues and checked all wiring for loose connections, cleaned all connections and fuse box but still nothing. I can hear one relay clicking when i turn the lights on but no action. There is no power at the lights either, with or without lights turned on.

Am i correct in saying that these lights are Negative switched?

What i would like to know is how i check to see if its the headlight switch. I got it from a wrecker who said it worked, but cant always take their word for it. I can only thi nk of it being the switch or an earth, but i am unsure where to chec for the earth.


All other accesories work, just no headlights.

Any help would be great.

Sorry but its a 1996 TE Executive.
Cheers

Hi all, have got a problem with headlights. I have park lights but no headlights.

I have changed headlight switch, relays, fusues and checked all wiring for loose connections, cleaned all connections and fuse box but still nothing. I can hear one relay clicking when i turn the lights on but no action. There is no power at the lights either, with or without lights turned on.

Am i correct in saying that these lights are Negative switched?

What i would like to know is how i check to see if its the headlight switch. I got it from a wrecker who said it worked, but cant always take their word for it. I can only thi nk of it being the switch or an earth, but i am unsure where to chec for the earth.


All other accesories work, just no headlights.

Any help would be great.

Sorry but its a 1996 TE Executive.
Cheers

not 100% sure on this, but what if you pulled the switch out and just hardwire tempory, should indicate wether the switch is faulty or not?

Yes you are correct. They are negatively switched.

not 100% sure on this, but what if you pulled the switch out and just hardwire tempory, should indicate wether the switch is faulty or not?

Yeah true, only thing is i have no idea which connector is correct as there are 3 on the switch. Have no idea which pins i would need to connect to each other.

The plug you are chasing has nine holes in it. I stole this image from some DIY guide. The plug you want has the green arrow pointing to it. Pop the plug and test continunity of the wires. Don't recall what colour is what sorry but seeing as you have the low end model you should have something like the 5 wires approx .85mm2.
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k21/aannese/stalkwiring.jpg

The plug you are chasing has nine holes in it. I stole this image from some DIY guide. The plug you want has the green arrow pointing to it. Pop the plug and test continunity of the wires. Don't recall what colour is what sorry but seeing as you have the low end model you should have something like the 5 wires approx .85mm2.
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k21/aannese/stalkwiring.jpg

Cheers mate, will check that out.

Sorry to state the obvious but u didnt mention changing the bulbs...?

You got 96 exec, should only be three wires heading to the stalk.

Hi T Eaze, I have a '96 also and this last week I have exact same problem, everything works except headlights, I have replaced the three big black fuse things under the bonnet and checked all other fuses, I have also replaced as you did the stalk control, all to no avail. When i turn the lights on, one of the big black fuses clicks but no park or headlights. How are you going with yours, would really like to hear if you have sorted?
Regards Millsy

The "big black fuses" are relays, a relay sometimes clicks but doesn't connect the lights up. Turn your lights on, then find the correct relay under the bonnet. If it is getting hot, it is stuffed. Give it as whack with the back of a screwdriver and see if the lights come on. If they do, replace the relay. Its the most common fault with the headlight circuit.

I actually replaced all three relays ...........no lights :(

Alright so from oringal post:

You have change front lamps, check all fuses, replace most/ all relays, check for 12v to the lights (which you say has no power) and lastly you say you hear a clicking sound.

Hmm I think you have a broken wire from relay to headlight lol Because you have done and check everything :) Or have I forgoten something?

This what I would do:

Turn car on
Turn light switch on leave on the head light switch check for 12v at the headlights
Check to see if your meter working by measuring battery voltage
Remove headlight relay check for 12v there

If 12v present on relay and if there is no 12v at your head light:) check for wiring fault.

If no 12v at relay check your head light switch.

Fault finding is easy if you start with the basics then run around replacing everything when in doubt lol Not trying to mean as need to check everything first :)

Yeah i will be having another crack at it when i get some time, maybe Tuesday arvo. Will check relays for power, although i know the first relay has power, but what i dont get is why is there 3 relays? Usually there is just 2 , one for high and one for low.

Negative switched lights will have constant power at the relay though, with the headlight switch sending an earth to the relay wouldnt they?

The coil of the relay is switched to earth. There should always be power on one end of the relay's contacts.

This is from a TH but should be almost the same.
http://img714.imageshack.us/img714/5926/boobiesx.jpg

This is where I,m at......Globes OK, replace relays, fuses intact, replaced stalk control,....there is power at the relays but none at the fuses in front of the relay except park(still no lights though), and no power at the globes. The only relay that clicks is the park one but I have swapped them around and all will click if put into the park socket? I have unbolted the fuse box and separated the two halves and inspected the wiring looking for the obvious loose or chaffed/ burnt wire but all looks good:(
I dont understand how I have power at the relays and none at the fuses in front of them?
Still stumped :(

Dude not sure of how much money you have but it time to take your car to a auto electrican because you have check everything. Without looking at the car I can't offer anymore ideas :(

This is where I,m at......Globes OK, replace relays, fuses intact, replaced stalk control,....there is power at the relays but none at the fuses in front of the relay except park(still no lights though), and no power at the globes. The only relay that clicks is the park one but I have swapped them around and all will click if put into the park socket? I have unbolted the fuse box and separated the two halves and inspected the wiring looking for the obvious loose or chaffed/ burnt wire but all looks good:(
I dont understand how I have power at the relays and none at the fuses in front of them?
Still stumped :(

Millsy, have you checked your switch for continuity? By the looks of those diagrams up top, the relay has got 2 power sources feeding into them, so we should have power on 2 terminals with lights on at the relays. Then the relays send the power out to the lights via the fuses. If there isnt 2 power sources at the relays then the problem is between the battery and the relay. The switch only sends the relay an earth, the battery supplies the relay with constant power.

So your thinking the problem could be in the stalk? Geez I'd be unlucky to have 2 buggered stalks wouldnt I.
There was power at two points on each relay but not a third.

Righto, well yeah i would say with yours that the problem would be in the wiring from the switch to the relay. I am having the exact same problem mate and i also have a replacement stalk, so really odds are surely that it wont be in the stalk. I will be checking mine for continuity though, probably Tuesday arvo i will get the time to have another look. So my guess is there must be something in between the stalk and the relay that is giving the problem. I dont have a workshop manual but am downloading the Mitsubishi manual from the net now, will have a look at the schematics if it has them and see what else it could be. Pretty confident that we have found the problem area, now its just isolating the actual problem.

Cheers, hope you find something.

Cheers, hope you find something.

Yeah so do i mate. I had a quick look at the wiring diagram and will need to check the earths for the switch. Do you have the Mitsusbishi manual on your computer. If so check earths number 2 and 12. If all else fails i think its our BEM. Should be able to test that out also.

Will let ya know how i go on Tuesday arvo mate, fill me in on your progress too mate.
Cheers

Im going to ask a simple question, when did your headlights fail in the first place?


If you hear a relay clicking it means it working. To be honest sound like there nothing wrong with either car. Beam as far as the diagram savage posted up has nothing to do with headlights.

Go to super cheap and replace headlight bulbs again.

This time don't touch the glass part of the lamp at all. Read the instruction on the box :)

Because a headlight swicthes don't go faulty (very often), relay don't die (very often), and wiring doesn't break (very rarely)

So start from the being again. Because I hardly doubt two headlight swicthes be faulty.


So stop wasting money but replacing everything and just ask what happen the to the headlight in the first place.



If this seem harsh fair enough :) I'm leaving this thread right alone now :)

Im going to ask a simple question, when did your headlights fail in the first place?


If you hear a relay clicking it means it working. To be honest sound like there nothing wrong with either car. Beam as far as the diagram savage posted up has nothing to do with headlights.

Go to super cheap and replace headlight bulbs again.

This time don't touch the glass part of the lamp at all. Read the instruction on the box :)

Because a headlight swicthes don't go faulty (very often), relay don't die (very often), and wiring doesn't break (very rarely)

So start from the being again. Because I hardly doubt two headlight swicthes be faulty.


So stop wasting money but replacing everything and just ask what happen the to the headlight in the first place.



If this seem harsh fair enough :) I'm leaving this thread right alone now :)

Yeah best you do leave it alone. Cant understand your spelling. No probs with globes or relays, the relay clicking is the parklight relay, which runs on a different circuit.

TH's onwards have a BEM. TE-TF don't. Take out the relays and short out the switches, and bell out the circuit. Have the battery disconnected while doing it. All plugs should be the same bar the BEM. You should be able to bell out the whole circuit from the relay box under the bonnet.

I,m not very electricly minded and dont even know what a BEM is, but I can do some basic testing and I know I have no power at the headlights so it doesnt matter whether they are blown or not (all 4 globes) there,s no power getting to 'em.
Millsy

I,m not very electricly minded and dont even know what a BEM is, but I can do some basic testing and I know I have no power at the headlights so it doesnt matter whether they are blown or not (all 4 globes) there,s no power getting to 'em.
Millsy

Yeah, the BEM is a body electronics module, but i believe now that the TE didnt come with one, which is what i have. So count that out. So i would say that the number 2 earth which is located right near the interior fuse/relay panel on drivers side might need checking. Thats the earth for the headlight switch, which is really the earth for the relay also, seeing as the headlight switch only sends the relay an earth, not 12v. Tomorrow arvo i will hopefully be able to narrow it down a whole lot more for us mate. Fingers crossed

Damn Millsy, looks like i wont have time for another week or so to have a look at the lights. Flat out at the moment, and have just been told im off to Perth on saturday for 10 days. Hopefully i might try find the time on Friday arvo, just incase there are parts i need, get cheaper in Perth.

Yeah I,m prioritizing our car problems at the moment and the daughters Astra with a blown head gaskit is first. Waiting with baited breath.
Millsy

Hey Millsy, you had any luck with your lights yet? Im due back home in couple of days so will be getting into it as quick as possible.

Well it,s been a bit of a saga but this is what I,ve found, there is a break in the yellow /red wire between the fuse box (under the bonnet) and the other side of the engine bay, it looks like the wiring loom goes across in front of the radiator and without cuttint the loom open all the way across we ran a wire from a point in the loom under the window washer resovoir across to the relay at the fuse box and all lights seem to be OK.
Hope i,ve explained this so you can understand T EAZE, if you have'nt fixed yours yet you can give me a call 0407824717.
Millsy

Woah, that must of taken some finding.
I've only just gotten home so will hopefully get to check it out in the next few days.
I still have to pinpoint just where mine are having problems first. Been so long now i forgot where i was up too.
Cheers mate

Right, finally got some time to look at these lights again.

And this is what i have found, (still havent pinned it yet!!!!!!!!!!!).

My switch is fine, i have continuity at switch. I have power at the relay, No power at headlights though and no continuity at relay.
Have checked all wiring and connections. Checked and cleaned all earths.

Going by the Mitsu manual on computer, it says i should have continuity between terminals 1 + 3 at relay with power turned on, and between 4 + 5 with power off. I have no continuity though. I also have power at terminals 3 + 5 on relay, where i would think power should be at 1 + 5, as they are the 2 power feeds from battery.

Relay terminals
1 = battery (coil side)
3 = switch
4 = to lights via fuses
5 = battery

Its got me a little stumped as i cant think straight, my mind is fried at the moment. It seems the problem is between the switch and the relay, as the relay has no continuity but has power. So the switch is obviously not sending the negative to the relay to open the circuit to the fuse.

Anyone care to suggest anything or confirm my suspicion. Am i right in thinking that if i check between terminal 3 on the relay and one of the wires on the headlight switch i should have continuity if the wiring is all ok. But if i have no continuity then there is obviously a problem between switch and relay. Is that correct?

Thanks for any more help, cheers.

Problem solved, you ripper

Hey T Eaze

I checked out this thread - it seems I have exacly the same problem! Could you please tell me what you ended up doing to fix the problem?

Cheers

WK