 | Home > Maintenance & Modifications > No main beam |
 
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| custom90 Member Since: 21 Jan 2010 Location: South West, England. Posts: 19650  
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Horn working still?
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4th Dec 2014 2:02pm |
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| Cheshire Dave Member Since: 05 Jun 2014 Location: Chester Posts: 119 
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Yes
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4th Dec 2014 2:02pm |
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| munch90 Member Since: 26 Oct 2013 Location: guildford Posts: 3558
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headlight switch ? . quite common unless you have rewired with relays
contacts melt the plastic around them in the switch |
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4th Dec 2014 2:21pm |
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| Cheshire Dave Member Since: 05 Jun 2014 Location: Chester Posts: 119
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I must admit there was a strange smell but didn't smell like plastic
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4th Dec 2014 2:57pm |
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| ickle Member Since: 22 Jul 2010 Location: South Vendee Posts: 1728  
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They're not made from plastic that's why they melt - best guesses are old porridge, did it smell like a Scotsmans breakfast gone bad?
Keith |
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4th Dec 2014 3:34pm |
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| Cheshire Dave Member Since: 05 Jun 2014 Location: Chester Posts: 119
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Never thought of a Scots breakfast !!!! But could have been!
Is replacing the switch an easy job to do or should I leave it to someone who knows better ? Dave |
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4th Dec 2014 4:11pm |
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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 16929 
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What Munch said 
Happens to everyone sooner or later, unless you rewire the headlights to use those newfangled relay things. If it isn't the main light switch that has failed (the most common failure, and easy to replace) it will be the dip switch (not so easy to replace). If it's the main switch you will get the symptoms you describe, ie sidelights OK, but nothing with the switch in the headlight position. If it's the dip switch usually you'll have either dip or main but not both working. As an emergency work-around, if you have or had dim dip, you can short out the dim dip resistor (so the dip beam comes on at full power with sidelights), alternatively remove the steering column shroud, cut the wire leading to the failed switch as near as possible to the switch, and connect all three wires together. This will give you side and head and allow you to continue your journey. Been there, done that, more than once (I now carry a spare switch). I really must get round to fitting relays! |
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4th Dec 2014 5:04pm |
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| mrd1990 Member Since: 16 Aug 2012 Location: Wales Posts: 600  
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I thought my main beam was broken the other day, but discovered I only had the light switch on first click, with relays installed the electrical current is enough to activate the relay so it gives the impression they are on second click.
It could be that your resistor has failed and is giving 100% to the bulb on first click, main beam wont work on first click
If it's the switch, changing it is a 5min job. |
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4th Dec 2014 6:45pm |
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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 16929
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Took me a while to work out what you mean! Do I take it that you have upgraded your headlights to have relays but still have a dim-dip resistor fitted?
If so, I have to ask why? |
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4th Dec 2014 7:00pm |
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| Cheshire Dave Member Since: 05 Jun 2014 Location: Chester Posts: 119
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I can flash the main beam on as if flashing an on coming car
Dave |
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4th Dec 2014 7:20pm |
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| munch90 Member Since: 26 Oct 2013 Location: guildford Posts: 3558
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The flash is done by the indicator stalk independent of the main switch , so still say main switch to check first
then relay to stop it happenning again |
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4th Dec 2014 8:02pm |
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| mrd1990 Member Since: 16 Aug 2012 Location: Wales Posts: 600
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There is no need to remove the resistor when fitting relays as it does no harm, the resistor only works when the ignition is on and light switch on the first click. With relays, when light switch is on first click and ignition on it activates the normal headlights but the main beam wont work unless the light switch is on second click. |
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4th Dec 2014 8:02pm |
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| munch90 Member Since: 26 Oct 2013 Location: guildford Posts: 3558
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^^^^^^
only thing is there is no side lights only when ign on for mot , if you still got dim dip resister fitted when you fit relays cant think if that's a mot fail or not ???? ok the sidelights work but so do headlights on first click ??? not sure about that for mot, not quite right but also bit wrong not sure on that one ! |
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4th Dec 2014 8:33pm |
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| mrd1990 Member Since: 16 Aug 2012 Location: Wales Posts: 600
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I believe having the headlights work on a resistor was an old law which is no longer relevant:
It passed it's MOT without problems, Position 1 with no key = Side lights Position 1 with key = Side lights + Dim Dip Position 2 with key = Side lights + Dim Dip Position 1 + Main beam = Side lights + Dim Dip Position 2 + Main beam = Side lights + Main beam Position 2 + Main beam + Spotlight Switch = Daytime 
What my point was, if the resistor has failed in a way that mean it allows full current through, one could easily forget to use position 2 on the light switch which means the main beam wont work except for flash |
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4th Dec 2014 10:32pm |
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