Last night while driving home my headlights were on low beam and working great. When outside the city I switched to high beam. So far so good. But when I switched back to low beam, no headlights. Quickly switching back to high beam, thank goodness, I had headlights. Drove home on high beam blinding everyone in the oncoming lanes, but at least I was not driving home on triple A flashlight illumination.

Where do I start in trying to track down this problem. Is this likely to be in the dimmer switch?

Steven

Submitted by bblackwell@jcna.com on Sat, 07/26/2008 - 14:28

I had the exact same event occur about a decade ago with my 71 Series II FHC (2R28332). Luckily, I was only 2 blocks from home when it happended, and I had no difficulty getting home on the high beams. Using a volt meter on the terminals of the dip switch while operating it isolated the problem to the dip switch, and it has never happened again since I replaced it. I suspected it was due to the contacts oxidizing, on the low beam since most of the time, that is the switch position.
Mine is on the left side of the dash, with a long toggle switch that brings the tip relatively close to the turn signal lever, by design I have always thought. It is easily replaced with a nut on the dash that threads onto a stud that protrudes from the switch. The switch itself was close to $90 when I bought mine.
Regards, Brian Blackwell

Submitted by SC38-21185J on Fri, 07/25/2008 - 20:30

What are the chances that both low-beam filaments blew out simultaneously? Yes, I know, astronomical...but you gotta check to rule them out!

You gotta figure the device that gets the most use is worn out or the low-beam contacts are no longer making contact.

P

Submitted by SW03-09811 on Fri, 07/25/2008 - 20:29

Steve,
I think it would be worth your while to remove the associate fuses and clean the fuse holders before you took anything else apart..

Good luck,
Dick

Submitted by tvtom@sbcglobal.net on Fri, 07/25/2008 - 19:43

I just looked at a partial wiring diagram for a '69 E-Type. There doesn't seem to be any relays involved with this dip (you should pardon the expression) circuit so it looks like the problem is either in the dipper/dimmer switch or fuse #2 since it is working on Main/high beam. (or a loose terminal #3) :-)

Tom

Submitted by SC38-21185J on Fri, 07/25/2008 - 16:50

Sorry, I don't know much about the Series 2 E-Types, but I would suspect a faulty relay, though I don't know if there are separate posts in the relay for high and low. Second, I'd suspect the dip switch...I assume it's on the column and not on the dash? The rocker switches are notorious for going bad, I'd look at those too.

Sorry, that's all I have (oh yeah, check fuses).

Patrick
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