Helpful late model headlight hint...

[InkaSteve]

Maybe everyone knows this but me..

I made an interesting discovery yesterday while trying to find out why both my low beams on my 76 '02 stopped working at the same time.

File this tip away for future reference.

Whenever just one light goes out, it is usually always fixed by fiddling with the fuses. This was a new situation, both low beams wouldn't work, and messing with the fuses did no good. High beams just fine.

Here is the solution..

I know all late models have three relays on the left side inner fender. (little square boxes) the one closest to the windshield is the high beams, the middle one is the horn, and the one closest to the front is for the low beams. The best news of all, is that they are all interchangeable. So I switched the horn relay for the Low beam Relay and "Voila".. let there be light. Horn doesn't work now, but I can see where I am going and get home in the dark without blinding everyone with my high beams. Still Have to get a new relay, doesn't look like it is very expensive. Sure is fun having a simple car we can fix on our own.

Steve

[Guest bruno74tii]

Believe I have a used one I could send you -- if you don't want to buy new, send your address to me at chrisreynolds36@comcast.net

[esty]

why is a relay even required...none of my 50's or 60's cars have them

[jgerry2002]

Interesting how things don't change.

Lost my horn on my '97 M3. Swapped out the defrost relay for the horn relay and now I have a horn but no rear defroster.

[Beaner7102]

why is a relay even required...none of my 50's or 60's cars have them

Relays on the headlights takes the full voltage load off the switch. The switch then operates the relay (electricly operated switch) to have full voltage straight from the battery to the lights. See link for full details http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/relays/relays.html

Anything for brighter lights must be good. Beaner7102

[c.d.iesel]

. .. .REPLACE ALL THE RELAYS EVERY 25 YEARS

cheep, available, easy, prevents break-downs

REPLACE FUSES EVERY 5-10 YEARS

same reason