High beam delay
12-24-2014, 11:54 AM
#1
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Location: Wondervu, CO
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High beam delay
Hello all - most of the time I can get what I need by searching the forum, but not this time! Here's the deal: my brights are on about a 10 second delay when I turn them on, during which time ALL the lights are off. This is sketchy and not ideal. When I pull the switch back, they turn on just fine(for flashing or whatever). When I push the switch forward, all the lights go off for about 10 seconds and then the brights come on. I have checked all the fuses and replaced the relay. Any ideas on this one? Thanks in advance!
BTW - 1995 pickup.
BTW - 1995 pickup.
12-24-2014, 12:26 PM
#2
Registered User
I would check the resistance in the dimmer switch. Try the following, assuming that you have a multimeter...
-Remove head light relay
-Remove both headlights
-Put the headlights in the high beam on position
-On the headlight electrical connector, find the connector that has a red wire with a yellow stripe. Check the resistance between this wire and ground. There should be very little resistance.
An even better check, if you feel motivated, is a voltage drop test. This is a live circuit test that shows how much voltage is being lost in the dimmer switch...
-Make sure both headlights and relay are installed, if removed in the above test.
-gain access to the dimmer switch electrical connectors. You will see a red wire with a yellow stripe and a white wire with a black stripe. You want to backprobe these connectors (with headlights in the highbeam on position) with the multimeter in the DC volts position. A good circuit will read 0 volts. If voltage shows up, you have a high resistance circuit.
-Remove head light relay
-Remove both headlights
-Put the headlights in the high beam on position
-On the headlight electrical connector, find the connector that has a red wire with a yellow stripe. Check the resistance between this wire and ground. There should be very little resistance.
An even better check, if you feel motivated, is a voltage drop test. This is a live circuit test that shows how much voltage is being lost in the dimmer switch...
-Make sure both headlights and relay are installed, if removed in the above test.
-gain access to the dimmer switch electrical connectors. You will see a red wire with a yellow stripe and a white wire with a black stripe. You want to backprobe these connectors (with headlights in the highbeam on position) with the multimeter in the DC volts position. A good circuit will read 0 volts. If voltage shows up, you have a high resistance circuit.
Last edited by rustypigeon; 12-24-2014 at 12:33 PM.
12-24-2014, 01:21 PM
#3
Like Rustypigeon says above.
Flash contacts are different from lights ON contacts.
Once you fix it, I highly recommend the H4 upgrade harness. search it.
Flash contacts are different from lights ON contacts.
Once you fix it, I highly recommend the H4 upgrade harness. search it.
12-24-2014, 01:57 PM
#4
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Thanks for the info guys! I'll check it out tonight and just ordered the kit. I can and sort of enjoy(perhaps perversely) dealing with the quirks of my 20 year old truck, however this one is a bit on the dangerous side.
12-24-2014, 03:32 PM
#5
Sounds like it. It is munching some serious resistance in those wires, definitely not safe! Good to hear you are tackling it with an upgrade- that's exactly how I like to do things as well 
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