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headlights only turning on at high beam and not low??

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bajachris88 The international telephone dialing code for Antarctica is 6

6,661 posts · joined Apr 2005 ·

#857940
I have a 69 bug, without the foot button dimmer switch. For some reason normal beam doesn't work, and only high beam does.

and when it goes on high beam, both the normal beam and high beam turn on together, and not individually. I can get the normal beam to work if i wire em from the parking light fuses instead of the headlight fuses.

Is this a common problem? how does the dimmer relay/switch work anyways to cut down high beam to low beam from the light switch?

thanks guys,
Chris.
(ô_!_/ô) (ô_!_/ô)
69' baja: kombi box, thing spindles, irs, disc front, type 3 rear drums, 2 inch lift kit, 31x10 rears. 👍
New engine in process: 94mm p&bs, 74mm C/w chomol Crank, 35.5x39 SP heads, turbo. Wierd combo, hopeful torque monsta!

grumble Son of Jim - Creator of Good

2,672 posts · joined Jun 2008 ·

#857972
Chris the headlight relay is a flip flop relay that switches between hi/low beam beams. most common problems are faulty relays,blown fuses or loose wiring connections.The dimmer switch only activates the relay to swap connections if there is a bad connection or a bad fuse it will not change beams.

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#857975
probably a loose connection or incorrect connection...

it happened to me once... coming back from sydney only low beam..
i kept trying and it eventually went to high beam...
but wouldn't change back...
so, I had to pull over when other vehicles were coming...
kangaroos were on the road also...
by fiddling under the bonnet with the wires they did come back
working....
as grumble said its a flip flop relay... high/low
check out the relay wires....

Lee
- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

ancientbugger Custom Title Time!

1,986 posts · joined Mar 2004 ·

#857981
Wow Chris, my sons' baja was doing the exact same thing last night when I used it! Today we had a look and it was just the cable for the low beam making a bad connection where it attaches to the relay.

bajachris88 The international telephone dialing code for Antarctica is 6

6,661 posts · joined Apr 2005 ·

#858011
lol, must be the season 🙂

Thanks guys, will have a sticky beak tomorrow.

the flip flop relay only has the one white-black wire going from it to the light switch (from the diagrams) and by the seams of things.

Does low beam get activated from the flip flop relay by say a partial current coming from the light switch?
Then high beam from the flip flop gets activated by full 12 v from light switch?
Through the same white-black wire?
(ô_!_/ô) (ô_!_/ô)
69' baja: kombi box, thing spindles, irs, disc front, type 3 rear drums, 2 inch lift kit, 31x10 rears. 👍
New engine in process: 94mm p&bs, 74mm C/w chomol Crank, 35.5x39 SP heads, turbo. Wierd combo, hopeful torque monsta!

bajachris88 The international telephone dialing code for Antarctica is 6

6,661 posts · joined Apr 2005 ·

#858014
OH! i think i see now!

the headlight switch turns on the parkers, followed by headlights...

and the dimmer relay is controlled by the stalk at the steering column?
http://www.nls.net/mp/volks/schem/hibeam3.gif

that changes everything! i been looking everywhere but lol...
i was worried i may have burnt out my light switch... i got the wiring wrong, such that dash illumination was was 12v to dimmer, and what was going to dimmer was illumination, and was wondering why i had adjustable headlights when turning the light switch lol.

Could smell burning stuff... didn't leave it on too long. thick it was just the overspray on the casing which was getting hot. cos it still turns on the dimmer, parkers and illumination as per normal.
(ô_!_/ô) (ô_!_/ô)
69' baja: kombi box, thing spindles, irs, disc front, type 3 rear drums, 2 inch lift kit, 31x10 rears. 👍
New engine in process: 94mm p&bs, 74mm C/w chomol Crank, 35.5x39 SP heads, turbo. Wierd combo, hopeful torque monsta!

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#858016
Hi Chris

the dimmer is a coil of resistance wire in the switch..
it would glow hot with the headlamps connected to it...lol
I have seen some switches with the coil burnt out...
maybe they had been connected to the headlamps at some stage too... lol

LEE
- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---