Club 80-90 Forums

I've finished doing the heater fan replacement and I also did the headlight upgrade (new relays) while the dash was apart. I've put everything back together (with the dash out) to test it and it all works except High Beam wont latch.

I have dipped headlights, sidelights, wipers work fine; the high beam will flash when I pull the indicator stalk, but it wont stay on. Power seems to be getting everywhere it should but I dont know why High Beams wont stay on. I must also mention I had to replace both the indicator and windscreen stalks/switches (I stupidly broke them being a bit hasty sliding the seat around while they were in the way) - all connections pushed in ok. Van starts and runs fine.

Any suggestions what I need to look for?

on the stalk there's a little hook that fits under a little clip make sure its
clipped under should be easy to see with plastic casing off the steering column

Yep, got that. Originally I just replaced the indicator switch (because I broke the stalk) - when they wouldn't work the first time I noticed that bit was broken but actually on the wiper switch assembly, so replaced that too.

The lights flash to High Beam ok (the blue tell tale light comes on too) - they just wont stay on high beam when the stalk is released.

On the dimmer relay the live feed for the flash function (pin 30) is not the same as the live feed for the main beam function (pin 56) - see Bigherb's helpful post here. The switching function is different too. So this means that a working flash function is no guarantee that the main beams will work.

The relay directs the permanent live feed (pin 30) to the main beam (pin 56a) for the flasher, but toggles the lights live (pin 56) between main beam and dipped beam (56b) when the lights are on.



If your dipped beam is working, and your flash function is working, then it sounds like all the wires are connected to the relay ok, so maybe you have a faulty relay.

The 'relay' referred to above (and E4 in the pic) is actually the stalk switch that you pull to switch high beam on/off.
I'd pull the connector off that and make sure that you have 12v on pin 56 when the headlights are on?

MidLifeCrisis wrote:The 'relay' referred to above (and E4 in the pic) is actually the stalk switch that you pull to switch high beam on/off.
I'd pull the connector off that and make sure that you have 12v on pin 56 when the headlights are on?

So it is! I made the mistake of thinking it was the same as the beach buggy I was working on a few months ago.

I agree it's worth getting in there with a multimeter to check, but my understanding of Walrus' problem is that his dipped headlights work, which means pins 56 and 56b must be ok, and he can flash main beam, which means pins 30 and 56a must be ok. It's difficult to see how this can be anything other than a faulty switch.

Clean the connections to your earth crowns. A lot of problems with relays etc at the front end are down to poor earthing.

CJH wrote:I agree it's worth getting in there with a multimeter to check, but my understanding of Walrus' problem is that his dipped headlights work, which means pins 56 and 56b must be ok, and he can flash main beam, which means pins 30 and 56a must be ok. It's difficult to see how this can be anything other than a faulty switch.

Ah - fair point?!?!
I have a vague memory that I once managed to get my switch stuck on high beam after taking it off the steering column - can't quite recall how but if that's possible then I assume it can also get stuck on not-high-beam?!?

It works! Faulty switch on the indicator stalk (although I did learn that there are no relays in the lighting system).

Thanks guys.