Stupid Electrical Problem With Headlights

[demuire]

Big bulbs only good if they can get big power :P

[Xany]

cool...hey banjo....you reckon you could get us a wiring diagram of what you actually did?.....that would be great....and then i'll carry it out on my car and prolly write it up in the FAQ

[Banjo]

Fook, I'll see if I can't sketch out a wiring diagram of how to wire the headlight system up I have got/modified, and post it.

 

Can't do it at the moment as I am at work and the boss is watching !

 

My Boss :P

 

My Boss when he's cranky :P

 

:dance:

[demuire]

Banjo: Did you have that wiring diagram? If not, does anyone have a scanned copy of the KE3x headlight wiring diagram?

 

My headlights don't work anymore, I have no wiring diagram or tools with me, and I need to get it all fixed by 5pm today (and I'm at work too)

 

:jamie: :unsure: :o

 

I HATE MY CAR

[Banjo]

You might have to take & early mark today !

 

I'll see what I can do ! The wiring diagrams in the Gregory's don't scan well, as there are so many fine lines. I find them very hard to read, with wires running all over the page, and then coming back to almost the same place.

 

I find it easier to draw out the circuit for the one area of operation that you are interested in, rather than get confused with all the added stuff. It makes it easier to understand.

 

I only worked out last night how to post a hand drawn sketch on Rollaclub, which I did for Xany.

 

5K Test Bed Wiring Diagram

 

I'll sketch out the wiring of the headlight circuit, and post it soon, or if you PM to me a fax no: at work, I'll just fax it through. It might be clearer that way.

 

I suspect from your previous posting on this problem, that the problem is in the column light switch stork unit, and is not probably the sort of thing you can easily fix at work without tools.

 

However we might be able to find a workaround.

 

:jamie:

Edited July 26, 2005 by Banjo

[Banjo]

Fook, here is a rough sketch I trust will assist you.

 

 

If the head light relay can not be heard to click when you turn the light switch on, then the problem may well be in the light switch.

 

Just earth the RW (red/white) wire to the head light relay. This is easiest to access just under the steering column. The wiring diagram says it is red/white, but on my KE55 it is just red. It is easy to find. There are four (4) heavy wires & then three (3) thin white, red, & green wires. The red wire is the 6th wire in.

 

If however the relay is working, then the problem is more likely to be in the dimmer switch which is quite complicated internally.

 

With the headlight switch on, just earth either the heavy Red/Green or Red/Yellow at the same terminal connector as above at the base of the steering column.

 

One will give low beam & the other hi beam.

 

Good Luck !

 

:jamie:

[demuire]

Just got back from meeting, going to buy a test pen now (have decided I can't afford another multimeter). I have a pair of pliers, electrical tape and a wire cutter. Maybe I'll get a roll of wire and some connectors too. Oh yeah, and umm... a relay or two. This is fun (not), I don't have a torch either, so I'm using the navigators map light, I'm glad it pivots around :jamie:

 

Banjo: Thanks heaps for the wiring diagram :unsure:

 

Question: My headlight relay has 6 wires?

 

What is a dimmer switch? Is that the switch to flick high beam on?

 

Anyway, going shopping now. Will probably pop in again on the way back to the car.

[demuire]

Staring at the diagram now, it would appear that... maybe my dimmer switch is stuffed? Why else would the high beam indicator light come on when the headlights are turned on? Although... If the high beam indicator light is getting power, then in theory the high beams should also be getting power (and it's not). So doesn't make sense :jamie:

 

Must be a grounding issue. When in doubt, it's a grounding issue. Now to find where the issue is.

 

Where is the dimmer switch? Is it in the stalk itself?

[cookie]

demuire, sound like you got to do some re-wiring :jamie:

[Super Jamie]

i think there may have been a spare combo switch in the boxes of crap i gave you when you got the car, i definitely remember buying one for that car at some stage but never using it

[Raven]

Mine car has a habit of when i put the indicators on at night and the click off, the lights switch off for a spplit second and come back or, or they flicker.

 

I'd be checking out ya indicator/headlight mechanism on the steering column.

 

Mick

Edited July 27, 2005 by AE35

[Banjo]

The Corolla, as with all older Toyota vehicles, has a light switch on the RHS of the column.

 

The light switch stork itself, has two separate switches inside it, which is why the wiring diagrams show the switch as two units (light switch & dimmer)

 

The light switch is the rotational switch on the end of the stork which has three (3) positions. (OFF, PARKING LTS, HEAD LTS)

 

The dimmer switch is activated when moving the whole stork backwards and forwards, and is to change from low beam to hi beam, & visa versa.

 

When the light switch is pulled straight back when the headlights are off, then the hi beam is actived. That's why there are two control wires to the head light relay.

 

One to turn the head lights on, and the one from the dimmer switch to turn the head lights on during the daytime, when headlights are normally off.

 

That's what you use to warn other motorists of bears on the road up ahead.

 

The dimmer switch internally is quite complicated, and the reason the combo switch (as Jamie calls it) fails, is that Toyota have the high head light current passing right back through the column dimmer switch which burns out the contacts, & creates the sort of problems you now have.

 

I fear you will probably have to replace the whole combo switch unit, but my suggestions in the earlier post, will get you home at night in an emergency.

 

:jamie:

[demuire]

Thanks for all your help.

 

I poked around a bit, and then gave up and brought it to an auto electrician. $35 later, I have an extra wire bridging the plug under the steering column. It was letting voltage through, but not enough to turn on the lights, and as a result it was earthing into the high beam indicator light instead. Why the high beam flash worked, I have no idea.

 

But yes, lights now work.

[Super Jamie]

that's pretty cheap :jamie: glad things worked out in the end

[TRD ke70]

your combo switch is f@$ked from the sound of that.

my old corolla use to trun the headlights off while i was driving, that was fun.

combo switch was the cause, pulled it apart and fixed it, because i was to tight to go and buy another,also better the devil you know.