High Beam / Low Beam Problem

[Steve Lee]

The other night I went from high beam to low beam for an oncoming cars several times; then I went low again for another car,then it wouldn't go back to high beam. All of a sudden, when I had the stalk in high beam position, and the high beam indicator light was lit on the instrument panel, the high beams came on again! When I got home and pulled it the garage(which was dark) it would not go to high again. all of these times the high beam indicator did show high beam, when I switched to high, but the high beams did not go on. whether I push the talk to high, or pull it to high, the highs don't come on. I feel that it is a bad relay ,#47 (low beam relay.) What do any of you people have to say?? Has anyone experienced this??

 

[long Tall Sally]

are both sides not moving? There is just a little shutter that is solenoid activated on the high low beams. It covers a portion of the headlight inside the assembly. You can hear them click when they work and see the beam on the wall chance location. if not I would say there is a high beam fuse . I would have to search for the number as low beam should be the default and high beam requires power to the solenoid. You could swap the relays around and see if that works. I don't think the dash light would show high beam if no power is going to the headlight.

 

[Steve Lee]

Long Tall Sally, You say the shutter is solenoid activated; maybe it is activated by that low beam relay #47 like I spoke about?? Could be?? Need more replies to know. I don't think there is another relay in the fuse/relay compartment that I can try to see I that is the problem; I think most of those relays are unique to do only certain functions, but I could be wrong. If I'm right about that, it could really screw things up If I put one in that was wrong!!Both low beams work!! Can I turn on the headlights without the motor running? Using the accessory switch? If the motor has to be running,. I would think it would be very hard to hear that click.

 

[Steve Lee]

Up date: I tried to turn on the headlights with the accessory switch to no avail; the motor must be running and in the dark they come on low beam automatically.

 

[long Tall Sally]

if you switch to high beam and they do nothing on either side but the high beam light comes on the dash then I would have to look at the circuit to see what fuses and relays work the high beam. The power turns the high beam on so its most likely a high beam fuse these photos show the shutter in low beam and the second shows it open for high beam. You can swap around relays with the same numbers on them . I will look at which one is high beam and let you know

 

[Steve Lee]

Thank you so much!! I don't think there is another relay in the fuse box like the low beam one (#47) but I'll check. If there isn't I can't perform a "swap" I'd have to buy one to try it , and that might be fool hardy and a waste. I wouldn't think it was the solenoids, because one would not think that they would not both go bad at the same time.?? How say you??

 

[long Tall Sally]

I agree . if the dash light is on indicating the high beams should be then its eaither the switch which I doubt or just a relay or fuse. The relay should not be but a few bucks at an auto parts store. Turn them on and try the flash to pass mode. That's just pulling the turn signal lever towards you . That should also turn on the high beams

This is based on my understanding that your low beams work and high beams do not. if its the other way around then try the same thing on relay 47 . they should be the same relay

 

[Steve Lee]

I looked and looked, there is no high beam fuse that I can see; and I was playing with it yesterday and they came on twice!! I left them on and went out; and when I pulled in my dark garage (after I put the door down) the lights were on, on low beam again!! I'm going to go to my auto parts store, ask if they have that #47 relay, and ask if I can try it right there, and it doesn't fix it, if I can hand right back to them. I do all of my business there, and they are very nice to me, so they just might let me do that.

 

[long Tall Sally]

headlight fuses are 23 and 24 according to the manual but I doubt both are blown. go with the relay.

 

[Steve Lee]

About the fuses, they aren't blown- today I started the car in my dark garage to run an errand; I move the headlight lever up (towards me) and the high beams came on , then they went out. When I move it back to the neutral (middle position) and I had low beams. When I moved it up again- I had no highs! Crazy!! I hope it is that blasted #47 relay!! The fuse contacts might need to be cleaned. "Electricity always take the shortest path!" If i remove them and clean the contacts(2) on the ends of the fuses, and the (2) in the fuse box (for each fuse that is) the one for the high beam can be only a little dirty, so little that you can't see it, but that can cause a problem. I've had this happen on cars, fuses and bulbs, because it doesn't take much to block that electricity. I've learned that over my 82 years of fixing electrical problems on cars. Sometime a little bulb won't light in a car, and the contacts look good- all you have to do is clean the contacts a little with 400 grit sand paper, or a pocket knife, and then they work, because it was a bad (dirty as far as electricity is concerned) contact!

 

[Steve Lee]

Today the stalk action made them go from high beam to low beam, and then back to high beam !!!….this was all done in my dark garage where the head lights come on with the automatic mode when you start the motor. I think # 47 relay is "flaky!" I've pulled it and pushed it back in, and that kind of cleans the contacts, but that didn't help at all. I'm going to buy a new #47 relay, and see what happens! I'll let you all know how I make out.

 

[Steve Lee]

Found the high beam relay (right next to, on the left of low #47) Replaced it and WALLAH! FIXED THE PROBLEM!!!!!! I think memory tells me the number for it is 27.

 

[long Tall Sally]

should have been relay 39 but glad you found it .Now list the part number so the next person can just go in and get one and save time. Thanks

 

[Steve Lee]

Relay #39, for High Beam Headlights, by STANDARD MOTOR PARTS COMPANY, Part #RY 601