loss of high beams

[OPELFIEND]

What would cause both bulbs to lose high beams at the same time? Low beams work fine. Driving along with the brights on, all of a sudden nothing. Switched to low beams, no problem. Relay gone bad?

[heimue]

3 possible causes:

- fuse blown (most probable)
- relay bad (comes right next)
- cable broke or came lose between stitch and where they split up (with some distance behind #1 and #2 causes).

Dieter

[Ooooner]

Originally Posted by heimue 3 possible causes: - fuse blown (most probable) Dieter

Which fuse is for the high beams? Mine is doing the same thing....

[OPELFIEND]

I'm reading that the "long range headlamps" are controlled by a fuse in the relay. Where would the relay be?

[hrcollinsjr]

Originally Posted by Ooooner Which fuse is for the high beams? Mine is doing the same thing....

Roy, YOU don't get out that lucky! I thought you had your problem fixed or are you waiting for ME to fix it?

Don't recall ANY fuse in the headlight circuit! Check to see if the high beam terminal of the relay is putting out 12V when switched. If it is then your problem is futher down the line. Are you sure you didn't have one high beam out already and didn't notice it until the second one went out?

Harold

[hrcollinsjr]

Originally Posted by OPELFIEND I'm reading that the "long range headlamps" are controlled by a fuse in the relay. Where would the relay be?

There are two relays located behind (from our angle) the fuse panel. One is for the headlights/parking lights and the other is the dimmer relay. You can hear/feel it when you use the dimmer lever.

Harold

[markandson]

Originally Posted by OPELFIEND I'm reading that the "long range headlamps" are controlled by a fuse in the relay. Where would the relay be?

Yes, behind the fuse box attached to one of the 6mm studs. If there is a fuse inside the relay you would have to open up the metal can to find it.

[namba209]

Originally Posted by OPELFIEND What would cause both bulbs to lose high beams at the same time? Low beams work fine. Driving along with the brights on, all of a sudden nothing. Switched to low beams, no problem. Relay gone bad?

Presuming, according to your avatar, you've got a GT, The most probable cause is, the White wire came off your Hi-Lo dimmer relay at pin # 56A. If your Hi beam indicator in the light panel still works, then you've got a problem in the wiring down stream from the relay. HTH.

Note to Dieter, Roy, and Jeff, there's no fuse for the headlights on a GT!!!

[OPELFIEND]

Sorry, it is a GT. The blue light does work on the dash indicator.

[dcm013]

Originally Posted by OPELFIEND What would cause both bulbs to lose high beams at the same time? Low beams work fine. Driving along with the brights on, all of a sudden nothing. Switched to low beams, no problem. Relay gone bad?

When my GT did that a few years ago it turned out to be the relay. Why not swap in a relay from one of your other GTs and see if it fixes the problem?

I think OGTS sells a replacement relay, and check here for a post by DESTEC on how the relay works that also shows a Volvo relay that will work:

http://www.opelgt.com/forums/1c-ligh...mer-relay.html

Don

[Dennis Texas]

Originally Posted by hrcollinsjr Roy, YOU don't get out that lucky! I thought you had your problem fixed or are you waiting for ME to fix it? Don't recall ANY fuse in the headlight circuit! Check to see if the high beam terminal of the relay is putting out 12V when switched. If it is then your problem is futher down the line. Are you sure you didn't have one high beam out already and didn't notice it until the second one went out? Harold

that is correct if the high beams are not working they have a bad relay or the splice from factory has corroded in the wire harness up by the Master Cylinder. Check relay first hard to believe it is switching but not connecting 12 VDC to lamps but stranger things have happened...good luck in your pursuit

[namba209]

Originally Posted by OPELFIEND Sorry, it is a GT. The blue light does work on the dash indicator.

O.K. then, that is indicative of a functioning hi-lo dimmer relay, so your problem has to be between the relay and the headlights.

[Ooooner]

Originally Posted by namba209 Note to Dieter, Roy, and Jeff, there's no fuse for the headlights on a GT!!!

Yea... I found that out when Harold called me on the phone laughing! When it comes to electric issues, I'm a dumb a**.

[heimue]

Originally Posted by namba209 Note to Dieter, Roy, and Jeff, there's no fuse for the headlights on a GT!!!

Without checking (and I haven't had a GT for 21 years) I'd say that all electrical devices (besides the big starter cable) are connected to the fuse box, or a fusible link, or a fuse on a relay.

Dieter

[namba209]

Originally Posted by heimue Without checking (and I haven't had a GT for 21 years) I'd say that all electrical devices (besides the big starter cable) are connected to the fuse box, or a fusible link, or a fuse on a relay. Dieter

In this particular case Dieter, there is a fusible link at both the starter to the fuse panel and from the alternator to the fuse panel, but neither one will burn through and disconnect until after the headlight wiring goes south. It's the main reason we advise all new GT owners double check the wiring at the headlights. The headlight circuit is the only one on a GT that has no fuse and it is noted in the DESTEC schematic to install a fuse in the power circuit from the headlight relay to the headlight hi-lo beam relay.

[markandson]

Originally Posted by namba209 Note to Dieter, Roy, and Jeff, there's no fuse for the headlights on a GT!!!

Ron, I know but he mentioned something about there being a fuse inside the relay and since I have never had one of those open I guess it could be possible

[hrcollinsjr]

Originally Posted by markandson Ron, I know but he mentioned something about there being a fuse inside the relay and since I have never had one of those open I guess it could be possible

I've had a few apart and unless you have something very unusual there is NO fuse inside the relay. The relay was not intended to be serviceable, just replaced when it failed.

Harold

[OPELFIEND]

Thanks for all the info, gentlemen. I appreciate it. Looks like I'll likely need to replace the relay. I'm slowly learning.

[namba209]

Originally Posted by OPELFIEND Thanks for all the info, gentlemen. I appreciate it. Looks like I'll likely need to replace the relay. I'm slowly learning.

Read post #12.

[kwilford]

Originally Posted by OPELFIEND Thanks for all the info, gentlemen. I appreciate it. Looks like I'll likely need to replace the relay. I'm slowly learning.

If you're feeling mildly adventurous, you can R&R (Remove and Rebuild in this case) the relay. Simply remove it, taking note of which wires connect where. Then gently pry the edges up on the aluminum case, and the relay slides out of the case. Typically the only problem is a burned set of contacts inside, and there are two sets, one for the low beams and the other for the high beams. These can be readily cleaned up with either a point file (and if you don't know what that is, you are younger than me or didn't live through the 70's and learned that old burned points can be "restored" with a file, at least for another week!) or even a piece of fine emery cloth. However, if the "trip" solenoid (which flips the contacts between high and low) isn't working, or the mechanisms has failed, then a replacement relay is in order.

HTH

[kwilford]

Originally Posted by OPELFIEND Sorry, it is a GT. The blue light does work on the dash indicator.

I missed that comment. Yes, as Ron has said, the only way that the blue light can come on is if the relay IS working, as the blue light is energized from the high beam terminal of the relay. If so, then you either have a broken/burned wire, or burned out bulbs, or a loose connection, or...?


And NO, there is NO fuse for the headlights, unless some clever PO installed one.

[opellane]

I have a intermiiten problem with my High Beams, sometimes I'll flip the switch on the column and works fine,(hear relay click in) other times I'll flip it on and can't turn them off ?? So I keep flipping the switch a few more times till they turn off?? Pisses people off too.
Is this a bad switch ??
Good thing I don't drive my GT too much at night.

[RallyBob]

Originally Posted by opellane I have a intermiiten problem with my High Beams, sometimes I'll flip the switch on the column and works fine,(hear relay click in) other times I'll flip it on and can't turn them off ?? So I keep flipping the switch a few more times till they turn off?? Pisses people off too. Is this a bad switch ?? Good thing I don't drive my GT too much at night.

Sounds more like the relay is sticking.

[kwilford]

Originally Posted by RallyBob Sounds more like the relay is sticking.

Most likely, or a bad (intermittent) ground to the steering wheel stalk or the stalk switch itself, which is how the relay is activated (the turn signal stalk grounds the "S" terminal on the relay which energizes the solenoid which switches it from low to high or back)