High Beams quit working

99hdtop · 99hdtop's Garage

I seem to have a problem with my 1985 ROW Carrera high beam headlights. Fuse for each looks good. Little blue light comes on when switch is pushed and low beams go off, but no high beams. It gets dark and scary out away from city lights.

Cattler · Cattler's Garage

Possible bulbs need to be replaced? Any flickering or a flare before they stopped working?

PorscheAmateur · 08-17-2013, 01:31 PM

The switch for the Beams is known for being bad. When mine was broken, the low beams were all i could get outta the high beams. There is someway that you can bybass the switch and test the switch but i'm not sure how to.

99hdtop · 99hdtop's Garage

No flicker or flare, just did not come on. I will check the bulbs before I tear into the switch.

blucille · 08-17-2013, 04:12 PM

Mine was a bad high/low beam switch that is part of the turn signal switch, was able to disassemble and free up a stuck reed switch

Cattler · Cattler's Garage

I figure if you can flip the switch to high beams and get the blue indicator to illuminate then the switch is fine. I always like to check the simplest fix before digging in. My money's still on the bulbs.

LakeCleElum · 08-17-2013, 04:57 PM

For your reading pleasure, this was my problem:

turn signal switch quick fix pictures

Dkennel · Dkennel's Garage

+1 on the hi/lo switch, mine was so bad and gunky it went up in smoke and got stuck, just replaced the whole thing....

wrxnofx · wrxnofx's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by 99hdtop

I seem to have a problem with my 1985 ROW Carrera high beam headlights. Fuse for each looks good. Little blue light comes on when switch is pushed and low beams go off, but no high beams. It gets dark and scary out away from city lights.

You didn't mention if the high beams work if you pull the switch towards you. If memory serves those are two different contacts. My highs only worked if I pulled the switch towards me (i.e. flashing them), but didn't work if I pushed the switch away from me.

99hdtop · 99hdtop's Garage

No, it does not work in either position. Now I have a new problem to go with the high beam glitch. The wiper switch is not working either. Do these two switches have a common ground?

wrxnofx · wrxnofx's Garage

Not sure about the ground. Each switch has a socket type harness connector that goes into the firewall under the dash. Is it possible that both of these are loose? You can push on them to make sure they each have a solid connection. Worth a shot at least.