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  • November 22, 2024, 03:54:55 PM

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Author Topic: No headlights when the car is cold?  (Read 2020 times)

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Offline anrkii

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No headlights when the car is cold?
« on: January 04, 2014, 01:33:16 PM »
So when I start the car first thing in the morning, the headlights dont work until the car has warmed up? markers and gauge lights come on, with the switch pulled, the headlights eventually come on about about 10 minutes of driving.
I have an aftermarket headlight harness with h4 bulbs and relays, directly wired to battery, the original headlight circuit just kicks the relays on, and all of that looks good.
My old honda does this exact same thing, the headlight switch stalk fells kind of gummy, and when its cold , it just doesnt want to make a connection.
Could it be the headlight switch? what about the dimmer?

Offline captspillane

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Re: No headlights when the car is cold?
« Reply #1 on: January 04, 2014, 06:42:46 PM »
A common problem is the switch overheating and melting a hole in the center of the plug. It will still work afterward like that but eventually the lights get lazy and sometimes turn on and sometimes don't. High beams will overheat it and the lights will turn off. I changed out the switch and it worked perfectly for a couple months, but then the new one burned up too. The root of the problem isn't the switch usually, its a connection from the switch to the light. I've been battling that problem for awhile on my current daily driver.

I suspect that your switch burned up once in the past before the relays were added but it shouldn't do it again now that you're running relays. Put a different switch on and check the plug. It may be melted and require some new ends put on. That's the place to start, from there its the connections out in the elements.
Currently Inspected and Insured as of Jan 2013:
-1985 Eagle Station Wagon 258 T5 Stickshift
-1980 Eagle Station Wagon 258 Auto Fuel-injected with GM TBI

Minor Repairs Underway:
-1982 Eagle SX4 258 T5
-1981 Kammback 2.5L Iron Duke T5

Restoration Efforts Near Completion:
-1982 SX4- 401 NV3550
-1983 SX4- 4.5 MPI NSG370 (6 Speed)

Restoration Efforts Underway:
-1985 SW- 4.0 MPI AX15
-1982 SX4- 4.0 AW4
-1981 SX4- SD33T NV4500 (Turbodiesel 5 speed)

Future Rescue Efforts- '85 Maroon SW, '87 Limited SW, '84 Limited SW, '87 4 door Sedan, '81 2 door Sedan, '88 White SW, '77 4 door Hornet, '74 2 door Hornet, '79 Spirit AMX, '81 Kammback.

RIP- Red '81 SX4, '84 4dr Sedan, '84 SW, '81 SW, '80 Spirit, '83 SW, '83 4dr Sedan

Offline anrkii

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Re: No headlights when the car is cold?
« Reply #2 on: January 04, 2014, 06:53:46 PM »
sounds good.
rock auto had both switches in standard brand for just over $20 together. I figure Ill just do both because its an intermittent problem.
Ill look at the connections while im in there.

 

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