[seekerbeta]

my truck had an issue for a while where the 5 or 6 pin connected for the switch couldnt be push in all the way, and sometimes would ground out against the chassis. similar condition, high beams would work, but not low beams, cleaned it up and put a piece of electrical tape on the exposed connector and all was good.

 

[Kdawg97m3]

The dip switch. The lighting switch sends power through the relay to the dip switch. The dip switch then directs the power to either the high or low beams.

Ordered a new dip switch, replaced it, still same problem…ordered head light switch…we shall see…stay tuned

 

[Kdawg97m3]

Well..sh*t….new headlight switch, and new dip switch..no lights….can someone help me locate the headlight relay on a 1997 nas defender 90? I thought I found it, I have swapped relays and still don’t work!!!!

Please!!!!!! I need my truck back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Red90]

You need to take the wiring diagram and a meter or test light and troubleshoot along the circuit to find the problem. Parts swapping is not going to fix the issue. It is a bad connection or broken wire.

 

[Kdawg97m3]

You need to take the wiring diagram and a meter or test light and troubleshoot along the circuit to find the problem. Parts swapping is not going to fix the issue. It is a bad connection or broken wire.

I agree completely. Do you know where the head light relay is by chance?

 

[Red90]

The headlight relay is not your issue. You stated that the high beams work. They can’t work without the relay. The problem is at or after the dip switch.

 

[Kdawg97m3]

The headlight relay is not your issue. You stated that the high beams work. They can’t work without the relay. The problem is at or after the dip switch.

@Red90 i can’t tell you how much I appreciate you and your guidance. I am an electrical newbie. So I chased some wires down. Nothing seemed messed up. So help me decipher this…

ok. So current state (new dip and light switch) no head lights unless I click on the brights via the dip. Now when I take out C282 (head light relay or what I assume to be) the head lights work As they should! Brights too? Everything seems to function correctly?!?!
now when I test the two 7.5 fuses (the last two on the far left my test is touching them) they have no power. I am confused as sh*t

thoughts?

 

[Red90]

If the lights work with the relay removed, there is something wrong with the wiring. The power for the headlights goes through that relay. My best guess is a previous owner has modified something. Maybe an aftermarket headlight relay block. Who knows.

 

[Kdawg97m3]

If the lights work with the relay removed, there is something wrong with the wiring. The power for the headlights goes through that relay. My best guess is a previous owner has modified something. Maybe an aftermarket headlight relay block. Who knows.

I hear ya, but why didnt everything work fine Until I swapped the dip switch. What a mistake. The reason I changed it out was bc the collar was broke and no manual return for the blinkers. What a mistake That was. Could the dip switch be the wrong one? I guess I can look at the pins and see what wire goes where? when I changed the dip switch two weeks ago, everything worked Fine. On my way home I heard clicking behind the dash, like my blinkers were on( I only see one relay behind there) At a stop light I turned the car off to stop the clicking, and made my way home home Without issue. Got home turned the truck off, then fired back up. No head lights….what is my next course of action? Again I owe you a beer or something for your help.

also why is there no power at the 7.5 fuses for head lights? Should I keep tracking wires and see? i need to know what wires do what to test correctly

 

[Red90]

I hear ya, but why didnt everything work fine Until I swapped the dip switch. What a mistake. The reason I changed it out was bc the collar was broke and no manual return for the blinkers. What a mistake That was. Could the dip switch be the wrong one? I guess I can look at the pins and see what wire goes where? when I changed the dip switch two weeks ago, everything worked Fine. On my way home I heard clicking behind the dash, like my blinkers were on( I only see one relay behind there) At a stop light I turned the car off to stop the clicking, and made my way home home Without issue. Got home turned the truck off, then fired back up. No head lights….what is my next course of action? Again I owe you a beer or something for your help.

If someone wired in a typical headlamp relay system, then you have wiring in parallel to the stock system. This can lead to unexpected results. Have a look at the connectors to the headlights and see if it looks stock or not.

Regardless, it can't be fixed over the internet. You need to understand the wiring diagram and follow the wiring in person. Normally I expect 40 to 80 hours of work undoing previous owner wiring with every Defender I see.

 

[Kdawg97m3]

If someone wired in a typical headlamp relay system, then you have wiring in parallel to the stock system. This can lead to unexpected results. Have a look at the connectors to the headlights and see if it looks stock or not.

Regardless, it can't be fixed over the internet. You need to understand the wiring diagram and follow the wiring in person. Normally I expect 40 to 80 hours of work undoing previous owner wiring with every Defender I see.

I will look at the head lights today. I don’t see any strange wiring or parallel wiring. Everything looks stock Behind the dash, and to the fuse panel. The only “add-on” that I haven’t mentioned, and now I am starting to think could be the issue, is the viper alarm that was added years ago. Maybe that is the issue…..I need to see where that is tied too. Stay tuned.

 

[Red90]

Maybe that is the issue…..I need to see where that is tied too.

That will have power to the headlights that bypasses the stock wiring.

With the stock wiring, it is impossible for the headlights to work with the headlight relay removed. All of the power goes through that relay.

 

[Kdawg97m3]

That will have power to the headlights that bypasses the stock wiring.

With the stock wiring, it is impossible for the headlights to work with the headlight relay removed. All of the power goes through that relay.

BOOM. I bet We found the issue. Ok. I am going to work on removing, say a prayer for me.

I bet that clicking I heard behind the dash was that relay failing I am going to replace and see what happens.

I am going to remove the alarm.

 

[Kdawg97m3]

Fixed….everything @Red90 said 1000000% accurate…parallel. Wiring, and it was the viper alarm…found to extra relays behind the drivers side headlight…..replaced, works now…i will start to unwind the alarm this week…appreciate everythino, learned a lot on this journey…appreciative of @Red90