Hey guys,

 

As the title states I'm having trouble with my headlights. The parkers work, dash lights all work but no headlights. When you try to turn the headlights on the highbeam light comes on on the dash. The only way the headlights work is if they are in the on position and you hold the stalk back like your flashing high beam. If you try to flash the high beam in any other position the headlight relay makes a buzzing sound. I've tried changing the stalk and relays but nothings changed. All earths seem to be good...... It's really starting to annoy me as I can't drive at night. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks, Ben

It's not this problem is it?

 

http://www.toymods.org.au/forums/tech-conversions/5424-common-problem-ae71-ke70-now-pics-headlight-indicator-switch.html

I thought it might have been but its doesn't appear to be broken on both the assembly's I got

Here's how the dipswitch works, and the headlght wiring layout.

 

Get a $10 multimeter and check where your 12V is going and where its not.

 

The lights are powered first, then the dipswitch earths them. A stupid idea, you would be best to change them over and use the dipswitch to run two new $10 relays that then power the lights. They are MUCH brighter under that system, I did a writeup on it in my build thread.

 

Red/White to the relay at PW turns it on. 12V goes from the fuse via the red/black through the relay to the bulbs. Power is applied to both beams, red/green & red/yellow, and either one is switched to earth back at the dipswitch.

So this problem fixed itself after a day now it's back, I have 12v at the relay and redone all the earths. What earths does the headlights actually use if anyone knows?

I'm unsure about where it earths, but it wouldn't be too hard to find. Try following the earth side of the wiring that comes out of the headlights.

 

And here is a wiring diagram to help you out, it's actually for a T18 but they are probably the same:

(click it to make it bigger)

Edited February 6, 201313 yr by rian

The headlights earth through the dipswitch. So power is fed directly to the bulbs when you switch the headlights on, and it either earths the low beam or the high beam to make them work. Its a terrible system, which is why I changed to having relays power each beam and then go to earth directly. The headlights were immediately twice as bright.

 

The wiring diagram I posted above shows the earthing back to the dipswitch, and that strange set of drawings show how each part of the copper contact pile earths as you move the lever.

 

The contacts get dirty or old and burnt, and the resistance gets too high for the current to flow to earth efficiently. The only other item in the circuit is the relay that feeds current to the bulbs when you turn the lights on. If that is OK the problem is most likely in the earthing of the high-low switch.

 

Another exciting Corolla innovation is to have the lights go out after you turn a corner and the indicators self-cancel.... Sometimes just the dash lights, sometimes the headlights.

Thinking I may just do the re-wire with the relays and hopefully get these damn headlights working!

Or would it be easier to install hid kit? Will they even work with my current issue?

I just did a whole new headlight wiring...

I bought a 3way switch from supershit. I put it in the little black rectangle on the right of the steering wheel and it as the perfect size.

Ran 12v from ignition to it and put a 20amp inline fuse (so no more leaving your headlights on problems)

Then ran two wires from it to the drivers side headlight one to R/Y and the other to R/G.

Then you just operate them from the new switch.

 

Fixed all my problems and never had issues with it again.

 

HID kit and you will still have the same issues.

Edited February 6, 201313 yr by It's_AUDM_Yo

What about r/b, is that just a ground? If it is did you just make a new one?

r/b is the power feed from the stock relay to the bulb filaments. Then each filament is earthed at the dipswitch. That's the r/y and r/g.

Do I run a negative off where the rb was meant to be for them to work?

I just left the r/b how it was.

Here's how I did it-

http://www.rollaclub.com/board/topic/58878-how-to-fix-your-abysmal-headlights/

 

Basically you take the "COM", which is the power feed in the stock headlight bulb plug, and use it to power a pair of relays. Then you earth the relays to turn them on and off via the stock dipstick on the steering column. The relays feed power straight from the alternator to the bulbs and then to earth.

 

This means a much smaller current goes through the column dipswitch so it works better, and the large headlight current goes through a relay that is designed to take it.

 

You can get special relays for the job, which is what I would use if I were to do this project now.