Technical problem with one headlight - full beam but no normal or dipped

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Technical problem with one headlight - full beam but no normal or dipped

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Apr 15, 2004
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haynes manual doesn't seem to help

anyone on here a bit technically minded who might have a clue why one of my car headlights works on full beam but not normal or dipped?

it's all one bulb as far as i can see and i have changed it for a new one to no avail

could it be that full beam is on a different fuse to normal?
but i looked at all the fuses and they seem ok

wtf can it be?

can't go to the garage for a headlight - that'd be a disgrace

ta
 
full beam is a different fuse.

fuse F8 for RH dipped beam.
fuse F9 for LH dipped beam.

haynes, section 12.18 ;)

edit:

is the sidelight not working either? which headlight is faulty? is it the actual sidelight bulb not lighting, or just the dim dip bit not lighting up, and the side light bulb still works?
 
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i already said that ;) :p

if you press the button near the ignition switch and turn the key backward, do both front lights light up the same then?

it does just sound like the fuse, but saying the side light isnt coming on as well.. that's a different fuse (same one that does rear lights), they're only linked by the earthing point - which is also linked to the full beam.

soooooo, yeash. fuse F9.
 
i already said that ;) :p
if you press the button near the ignition switch and turn the key backward, do both front lights light up the same then?

not aware of a button near the ignition (nor that you could turn the key backwards)

i'll try that later

and i'll take another look at the fuses

cheers for your help
 
all fuses look fine
all other lights checked and work fine
passenger side headlight doesn't come on with the button pressed and key turned backwards (what on earth is the function of that button?)

i can only conclude that either both bulbs i tried were faulty or more likely the connection to the bulb itself is faulty - i'll stop off at halfords on my way home tonight and buy another new one and test that

if it is the connection then aside from cleaning it i don't know what i can do to fix it other than take it to a garage
 
The function of that button(i "discovered" it myself about 6 months after i bought the car) is probably to keep the lights on after you exit the car so others can see it (noticed that you can remove the key after you turn it into that position? :))
 
half sorted

went and got a new bulb (after trying two supposedly new ones that i had in my box of stuff) and i now have full and normal beam but for some strange reason i still don't have dipped on that side

weirdness
 
Re: half sorted

went and got a new bulb (after trying two supposedly new ones that i had in my box of stuff) and i now have full and normal beam but for some strange reason i still don't have dipped on that side

weirdness

There are two elements in the big long bulb, dip and main beam. I think you're calling dip "normal". The parking/sidelight bulb is seperate (a smaller bulb). That may have gone, too.
 
Re: half sorted

There are two elements in the big long bulb, dip and main beam. I think you're calling dip "normal". The parking/sidelight bulb is seperate (a smaller bulb). That may have gone, too.

by dipped beam i mean when you flick the light switch on the dashboard up one for when it's just getting dark - this is what i currently don't have on the passenger side

by normal beam i mean when you flick the light switch on the dashboard up twice (to the top) for driving at night - working fine now

by full beam i mean when you move the stalk up (or down - can't remember) for belting round country lanes - working

not sure what you mean by parking or side light (unless you mean the indicators)

I haven't taken the whole light housing out to be honest but it doesn't seem to have more than one bulb in there
 
By dipped you mean parking/sidelight. It's a seperate bulb. I'll pop a photo up soon.

Here you go:

Cinq_headlamp.jpg


The sidelight/parking light bulb holder is the squarish white blob: twist and pull to remove. Note that this is a driver's side one, so your passenger one will be back to front, as it were.
 
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