Right Side Low Beam Stopped Working

mikedsilva · 09-10-2018, 03:46 AM

Car is a 77 Carrera.. it's back from paint and I went to reinstall the headlights. Painters damaged one of the old H4 plugs so I had to replace it. While testing my wiring, I was switching between high and low beam. Both sides were working fine.
Then all of a sudden, right side low beam wont fire up.
Thought I blew the bulb so pulled it out and tested on the bench; it is fine.
Checked all my fuses and they are all good.

Is it possible that the constant switching between high and low damaged the stalk assembly itself? Left side low beam and high beam works perfect.. right side only high beam works.

Cheers in advance.

AndreasK · AndreasK's Garage

Recently lost my left low beam. Did just about the same as you, no luck. Then checked wire connections in the fuse box. Corroded. Snipped the end of attached it again. All good

Targalid · 09-10-2018, 09:22 AM

Left and right are on separate circuits. Check the wires very carefully at the fuse box. Pull on each wire and be prepared to pull the wire, clean it and refasten it. Also pull each fuse and look at it. Often the fuses corrode or even wear away where they snap into the holders. Almost certainly your problem is at the fusebox.

mikedsilva · 01:02 PM

So I just had another look at my fuse box. The fuse in the middle of the photo, where the screw is missing, is according to the plastic lid, the fuse for right side low beam. But there is nothing connected to it!
I referred back to an older photo I had taken of the fuse box for something else, and the screw was missing then too..
So how could my low beam have been working ? Remember, I was flicking between low and high, and they were both working, and now right side low is not working.
I used a connecter wire to give power to that post from the other low beam fuse, and then low beam (appears to) work fine. But I am guessing that this is not a good idea?

timmy2 · timmy2's Garage

Originally had an internal jumper on back of top row of fuse panel. So it didn’t matter which fuse was used. Maybe the jumper failed on the back (very common)
Your adding a jumper across the bottom just doubles the load on the one fuse.
Find a screw to use and install a jumper across the top to split the load current as designed.

mikedsilva · 09-10-2018, 03:44 PM

Thanks Dennis.. will do

mikedsilva · 09-11-2018, 02:58 AM

Well, for now both are working, and I don't know why really. I removed that fuse panel to see if there was a jumper missing, but I couldn't see one. I wiggled a fuse or two.. and now both high and low are working.

DRACO A5OG · DRACO A5OG's Garage

If the fuse is plastic and not ceramic they tend to shrink due to heat cycles. when you moved it, it probably made proper contact, if plastic, consider swapping to oem ceramic

pigros · 09-17-2018, 12:58 PM

I had the same problem in my 82 sc not working right low light . The results of instruments were ok. Tension and amps correct . After checking the wire at the exit of fuse panel i decided to shorten a little and reinstalll. Now all ok the light worked. It was like a twistled garden water pipe, when it flexes the water dose not flow!