Headlight Problem

89Mister Two · 11-24-2009, 06:39 PM

The other night I went to meet my girl at a resturaunt and after dinner I went to leave and my headlights wouldn't come on. They worked on the way there. When I tried to turn them on, the headlight relay in the kickpanel would buzz and both turn signal arrows would come on in the cluster along with the tach droppin down and the volt guage droppin down. I had to leave the car sit over night and it did the same thing when I went to pick it up in the morning. Tried again when I got home and same thing. Later that evening went out to move the car and they worked. I know it can't be the headlight switch because I just recently put a new one in because the dash lights would flicker at night when I hit a bump. I searched the forum but alot of the threads were incomplete. Could the headlamp relay in the kickpanel be bad? Ant help would be greatly appreciated!

etc… · 11-25-2009, 10:03 AM

I'm not quite certain what you mean by the phrase "droppin down". After you left the restaurant, did the engine start but the lights would not work? If not, sounds as though you have an electrical problem, probably associated with the alternator and/or battery.

If you are having intermittent headlight failures, make certain the wire connection into the switch is secure and clean, as well as to the relays, fuses, etc…

89Mister Two · 11-25-2009, 07:00 PM

By dropping down, I mean that the tach needle would drop to zero and same with the volts needle. The car will start and I have park lights but no headlights or dashlights and the headlight relay will buzz and turn signal arrows come on. I'm rulling out the battery cuz it's not even two years old and I put on a new alternator three months ago.

89Mister Two · 11-25-2009, 08:12 PM

The headlights will work after the car sits for some period of time, but will not work after you use them and go to use them again after some time. I swithed the relay in the kick panel with one under the frunk that was the same and still the same problem. That only leaves me with the headlight relay under the frunk that could be bad maybe.

traintech86 · 11-25-2009, 10:41 PM

from what has been explained to me, bad ground connections can cause all kinds of weird **** to happen. hope you can find some useful info.

i can't for the life of me, find that sticky about grounds!

89Mister Two · 11-26-2009, 05:02 PM

I'm basiclly having the same problem as this guy.

Headlights pop up, but do not come on

etc… · 11-26-2009, 05:19 PM

Have you checked the voltage going to the relays? The buzzing sound could be indicative that there isn't sufficient voltage to the relay to actually trip the relay.

You could look at the electrical schematic and jump the relay to see whether the lights work. Is there an "electrical smell" to any of the relays or can you feel that one of them is warm to the touch?

etc… · 11-26-2009, 05:25 PM

Another idea. When the headlights are off, if you pull the lever to flash your bright lights, do the headlights rise and the brights turn on?

scottohno · 12-02-2009, 10:42 AM

^+1 check what he said

toyotaspeed90 · 12-02-2009, 03:35 PM

I think it didn't like the girl you went to go meet.....

STLMR2na · 12-02-2009, 03:40 PM

hit your dash with a hammer and tell your car to behave

scottohno · 12-03-2009, 12:02 PM

^-1 Don't do what he said

traintech86 · 12-06-2009, 10:47 AM

Qft to what he said!

ToyotaTechGeek · 12-06-2009, 10:48 AM

you guys are silly. BFH pwns joooooo!!!!

STLMR2na · 12-08-2009, 10:54 AM

you could just unplug the headlight motors, and use the red knobs inside ur front to make the headlights stay up permenantley till u fix the problem

scottohno · 12-08-2009, 11:44 AM

sounds like a bad relay from your op. a bad relay can ground it out, causing a voltage drop. it will also buzz if it doesnt quite have enough power to work. try the relay, its old anyway and it is a MECHANICAL component. it will wear out faster than any electronic component (in theory.) check the relay and see because that what it sounds like to me. just pocket it at a junkyard, put it in yours, and see if it fixes the problem.

89Mister Two · 12-10-2009, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by etc…

Have you checked the voltage going to the relays? The buzzing sound could be indicative that there isn't sufficient voltage to the relay to actually trip the relay.

You could look at the electrical schematic and jump the relay to see whether the lights work. Is there an "electrical smell" to any of the relays or can you feel that one of them is warm to the touch?

No i haven't. I haven't smelled anything, but the relay in the kick panel is a lil warm. Lights work fine until after I've used them for awhile, then won't turn on for some period of time. It's like something is getting warm and then when it cools down it works again. I've replaced the one in the kick panel with another one on the car and it did the same thing, so that rules out that one. That's why i beleive it is the one in the frunk.

89Mister Two · 12-10-2009, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toyotaspeed90

I think it didn't like the girl you went to go meet.....

No, she's a good girl!

89Mister Two · 12-10-2009, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by STLMR2na

you could just unplug the headlight motors, and use the red knobs inside ur front to make the headlights stay up permenantley till u fix the problem

That's not my problem. They flip up with no problems, just don't come on after I've used them for awhile.

89Mister Two · 12-10-2009, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by etc…

Another idea. When the headlights are off, if you pull the lever to flash your bright lights, do the headlights rise and the brights turn on?

Should I check this when the lights are or aren't working?

11-24-2009, 06:39 PM	#1 (permalink)
89Mister Two No Skills Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Missouri Posts: 42 Thanks: 1 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	Headlight Problem The other night I went to meet my girl at a resturaunt and after dinner I went to leave and my headlights wouldn't come on. They worked on the way there. When I tried to turn them on, the headlight relay in the kickpanel would buzz and both turn signal arrows would come on in the cluster along with the tach droppin down and the volt guage droppin down. I had to leave the car sit over night and it did the same thing when I went to pick it up in the morning. Tried again when I got home and same thing. Later that evening went out to move the car and they worked. I know it can't be the headlight switch because I just recently put a new one in because the dash lights would flicker at night when I hit a bump. I searched the forum but alot of the threads were incomplete. Could the headlamp relay in the kickpanel be bad? Ant help would be greatly appreciated!

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11-25-2009, 10:03 AM	#2 (permalink)
etc… Some Skills Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 71 Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	I'm not quite certain what you mean by the phrase "droppin down". After you left the restaurant, did the engine start but the lights would not work? If not, sounds as though you have an electrical problem, probably associated with the alternator and/or battery. If you are having intermittent headlight failures, make certain the wire connection into the switch is secure and clean, as well as to the relays, fuses, etc…

11-25-2009, 07:00 PM	#3 (permalink)
89Mister Two No Skills Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Missouri Posts: 42 Thanks: 1 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	By dropping down, I mean that the tach needle would drop to zero and same with the volts needle. The car will start and I have park lights but no headlights or dashlights and the headlight relay will buzz and turn signal arrows come on. I'm rulling out the battery cuz it's not even two years old and I put on a new alternator three months ago.

11-25-2009, 08:12 PM	#4 (permalink)
89Mister Two No Skills Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Missouri Posts: 42 Thanks: 1 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	The headlights will work after the car sits for some period of time, but will not work after you use them and go to use them again after some time. I swithed the relay in the kick panel with one under the frunk that was the same and still the same problem. That only leaves me with the headlight relay under the frunk that could be bad maybe.

11-25-2009, 10:41 PM	#5 (permalink)
traintech86 Cage Fighter Join Date: May 2009 Location: Yokosuka, Kanagawa Japan Posts: 1,802 Thanks: 27 Thanked 47 Times in 43 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (3/100% )	from what has been explained to me, bad ground connections can cause all kinds of weird **** to happen. hope you can find some useful info. i can't for the life of me, find that sticky about grounds!

11-26-2009, 05:02 PM	#6 (permalink)
89Mister Two No Skills Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Missouri Posts: 42 Thanks: 1 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	I'm basiclly having the same problem as this guy. Headlights pop up, but do not come on

11-26-2009, 05:19 PM	#7 (permalink)
etc… Some Skills Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 71 Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	Have you checked the voltage going to the relays? The buzzing sound could be indicative that there isn't sufficient voltage to the relay to actually trip the relay. You could look at the electrical schematic and jump the relay to see whether the lights work. Is there an "electrical smell" to any of the relays or can you feel that one of them is warm to the touch?

11-26-2009, 05:25 PM	#8 (permalink)
etc… Some Skills Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 71 Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	Another idea. When the headlights are off, if you pull the lever to flash your bright lights, do the headlights rise and the brights turn on?

12-02-2009, 10:42 AM	#9 (permalink)
scottohno control your hose Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Fox Lake, IL Posts: 5,100 Thanks: 43 Thanked 93 Times in 83 Posts iTrader Rating: (7/100% )	^+1 check what he said

12-02-2009, 03:35 PM	#10 (permalink)
toyotaspeed90 No Skills Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Bellingham, WA Posts: 2,407 Thanks: 0 Thanked 149 Times in 144 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	I think it didn't like the girl you went to go meet.....

12-02-2009, 03:40 PM	#11 (permalink)
STLMR2na DrivingStraight=Overrated Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: St. Louis, MO Posts: 1,053 Thanks: 25 Thanked 14 Times in 13 Posts iTrader Rating: (3/100% )	hit your dash with a hammer and tell your car to behave

12-03-2009, 12:02 PM	#12 (permalink)
scottohno control your hose Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Fox Lake, IL Posts: 5,100 Thanks: 43 Thanked 93 Times in 83 Posts iTrader Rating: (7/100% )	^-1 Don't do what he said

12-06-2009, 10:47 AM	#13 (permalink)
traintech86 Cage Fighter Join Date: May 2009 Location: Yokosuka, Kanagawa Japan Posts: 1,802 Thanks: 27 Thanked 47 Times in 43 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (3/100% )	Qft to what he said!

12-06-2009, 10:48 AM	#14 (permalink)
ToyotaTechGeek resident GEEK! Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: ...boosting mid-corner Posts: 995 Thanks: 14 Thanked 31 Times in 31 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (2/100% )	you guys are silly. BFH pwns joooooo!!!!

12-08-2009, 10:54 AM	#15 (permalink)
STLMR2na DrivingStraight=Overrated Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: St. Louis, MO Posts: 1,053 Thanks: 25 Thanked 14 Times in 13 Posts iTrader Rating: (3/100% )	you could just unplug the headlight motors, and use the red knobs inside ur front to make the headlights stay up permenantley till u fix the problem

12-08-2009, 11:44 AM	#16 (permalink)
scottohno control your hose Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Fox Lake, IL Posts: 5,100 Thanks: 43 Thanked 93 Times in 83 Posts iTrader Rating: (7/100% )	sounds like a bad relay from your op. a bad relay can ground it out, causing a voltage drop. it will also buzz if it doesnt quite have enough power to work. try the relay, its old anyway and it is a MECHANICAL component. it will wear out faster than any electronic component (in theory.) check the relay and see because that what it sounds like to me. just pocket it at a junkyard, put it in yours, and see if it fixes the problem.