Headlight Relay/Switch/whatever...problem

23668 Views 14 Replies 6 Participants Last post by Scoot, May 6, 2011

mitcheyismyname

Discussion Starter · Jul 31, 2010 (Edited)

UPDATE READ THIS SENTENCE! SO i have found that when my car is left in the sun for 5 or so hours while im at class......the HEADLIGHTS MAGICALLY WORK PERFECTLY:scratch::scratch::scratch::scratch:

any thoughts as to what is going on? heat = conductivity = bad ground = idkwtf im talking about...so yeah.

So before anyone goes posting..."use search button n00b"....lemme tell you i did.

Now. So far i have found these that touch on the topic at hand..

how to fix your headlight problems : 240sx General Discussion

1991-1994 Headlight repair tutorial : 240SX Technical Forum

http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/240sx/91-94/EL.pdf

So first off. the headlights were in the up position for nearly 3-4 weeks, while sitting in a garage.(didn't own the car at that time)

About a week ago, i replaced the H/L RET CONT relay in the Fuse/relay box on the left side of the engine compartment (engine cold). Played with the switch for a good 2-3 minutes...up/down/up/down.....then it stopped working.:gaah:

Just tonight (engine warm), i pushed down the other 3 identical H/L RET Relay located beneath the air box. Again it worked fine...up/down/up/down. Only played with it for like 20 seconds. This was while using the old H/L RET CONT relay mentioned earlier that i replaced. So i assume that the H/L RET CONT relay is fine.

About an hour later i turn the car on (not start)....hit the in-dash switch, and the lights go up. Hit it again....and they didn't go back down.:mad2:

So now....when i manually turn my headlights down and switch the combination light switch to "ON"....the headlights light up.....just like if you were to have a sleepy eye mod. Then i tap the highbeams on the combination switch and the headlights pop up. Then after turning all lights off....i depress the in-dash headlight switch and the lights do not go down.

So before i go and dish out money on more relays, i wanted to find out if there is anyway to troubleshoot it, TO BE SURE it is one of those 3 identical relays, or if there could be something else wrong. All the contacts to the relays, motors, and in dash H/L switch look fine. I've also read that the in-dash headlight switch can be the culprit as well, so im in the works of sourcing one to test with.

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mitcheyismyname

Discussion Starter · #2 · Aug 1, 2010

no replies..awesome!

anyway...i tried a switch from another s13 and the headlights still do not go up and down on command. so i've narrowed it down to either 1 or more of 4 H/L CONT Relays...or a bad ground and or wiring.

1337240

· #3 · Aug 1, 2010

always start with the free stuff first. try cleaning grounds. and if u "pushed" the relay in and it worked for that moment in time. take the relay out and put it back in a few times(clean the connection some) and try that its gonna be electrical.

thats all i can say besides get the fsm and a volt meter and go to town.

91_240sx_hb

· #4 · Aug 1, 2010

hey im kinda having simular problems with mine and was wondering where did u get the fuses from

Scoot

· #5 · Aug 1, 2010

You can get the fuses from Wal-Mart

mitcheyismyname

Discussion Starter · #6 · Aug 3, 2010

240-kid said:
You can get the fuses from Wal-Mart

o rly? well....let's go borrow some.

mitcheyismyname

Discussion Starter · #7 · Aug 27, 2010

update read first post! first sentence.

Scoot

· #8 · Aug 27, 2010

Interesting. Heat = More Resistance.
Also you should stop parking in the Gravel

mitcheyismyname

Discussion Starter · #9 · Aug 27, 2010

240-kid said:
Interesting. Heat = More Resistance.
Also you should stop parking in the Gravel

how'd you know i was parking in the gravel? lol. maybe i did pop the relay. xbox 360 towel trick applies to relay? xD...idk. i'll try again.

G

· #10 · Aug 27, 2010

while we're on the subject.. at first my headlights only went to (1st click) running side markers (2nd click) high beams.. played with it for 10mins while driving it worked how it should.. after a while though i now have to push the independent headlight button for the lights to turn on.. which is not a huge deal, anyone know if that first article thread linkd would be my problem?

mitcheyismyname

Discussion Starter · #11 · Aug 29, 2010

deeezandsauce said:
while we're on the subject.. at first my headlights only went to (1st click) running side markers (2nd click) high beams.. played with it for 10mins while driving it worked how it should.. after a while though i now have to push the independent headlight button for the lights to turn on.. which is not a huge deal, anyone know if that first article thread linkd would be my problem?

Yes. The first linked articel would be your best bet. So try cleaning the combo. switch connectors and go from there. I believe the 2nd click isn't making contact, and so it doesn't send a signal to the time control unit (TCU) thus triggering the headlight motors to go up.

anyway......does anybody have any suggestions for my particular compilcation?:scratch:

Scoot

· #12 · Aug 29, 2010

Junkyard? lol

Dannyavila2

· #13 · May 4, 2011

my headlights won't go down as well. i can manually put them down and when i put high beams on they pop up no problem but when i click the switch to put them down they don't go back down. I'm not sure what to do.

wussmonster

· #14 · May 5, 2011

August 2010.....nice find.

Scoot

· #15 · May 6, 2011

Lol. It's cool he still has the problem. Only thing else we can think of is wiring. Unless both motor for some reason are no good and only work when they get hot. Which makes me think we should check if its even getting a signal. IDK if we did that already or not.

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