No low beam headlights - please advise

forrestkk

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 11, 2012
Location
albuquerque, nm
TDI
1998 Jetta 1.9L
Hi All,

I am having a low beam headlight issue. I was driving, at night of course, and the headlights flashed a few times and died. DRLs work, but when I turn on the headlight switch they go out. High Beams work but I have to hold them on, they will not latch on. After researching multiple forums and reading a few other places that it was probably the ignition switch I changed it using this awesome write up http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=105906 .

Unfortunately, I have now changed the ignition switch, but still no low beams or latching high beams, so I decided to take out the headlight switch (which turns out to be an assembly) and wiggle wires and such. After plugging the headlight switch assembly back in now the DRLs do not work either. Now all that is left is the momentary high beams.

I plan to call the dealer first thing Monday and see if they can order one and how much it costs. I found it on NAPA for either $309 for the switch without fog lights or $174 for the one with fogs lights. Do you guys think the one with fog lights will work? Anybody else have ideas besides the headlight switch that I am missing?

Thank you in advance.

Kevin
 

Abacus

That helpful B4 guy
Joined
Nov 10, 2007
Location
Relocated from Maine to Dewey, AZ
TDI
Only the B4V left
I highly doubt it's the switch. I have a stock 2 position one you can have for the cost of shipping it to you, verified it works fine.

But I would look to your ignition switch again and diagnose that it's passing current properly, but also look to the turn signal stalk. I have seen them cause the same thing with a chafed wire. Both headlights means it's something common to both since they are fused separately. That means ignition switch, turn signal stalk, headlight switch, or grounds. Throwing parts at it hoping something will fix it will be costly in terms of money and frustration. A multimeter is cheap and a worthy investment.
 

forrestkk

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 11, 2012
Location
albuquerque, nm
TDI
1998 Jetta 1.9L
Thanks for the reply. I have a multi-meter; however, I have no diagram of how the ignition switch pins out so checking it becomes a little problematic. The switch is brand new, of course that doesn't mean it wasn't bad out of the box. I will definitely check out at the turn signal stalk, but all the wires looked pretty good when I had the steering column apart yesterday.
 

compu_85

Gadget Guy
Joined
Sep 29, 2003
Location
La Conner, WA
TDI
... None :S
Considering you were using the flasher switch at the time, I'd start by looking there.

The flash to pass high beam power does not come through the headlight switch.

With a wiring diagram it should be easy enough to see where you don't have power. I'll pull mine out in a bit and look it up if noone else has a copy handy.

-J
 

forrestkk

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 11, 2012
Location
albuquerque, nm
TDI
1998 Jetta 1.9L
So wouldn't it make sense that the flash to pass circuit is functioning properly and has a separate path to power the lights wouldn't it point to the headlight switch? But your right. If I have the diagram it would take but a couple of minutes with a meter to diagnose.


Thanks,
Kevin
 

forrestkk

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 11, 2012
Location
albuquerque, nm
TDI
1998 Jetta 1.9L
Thank you. I appreciate it. That should let me chase it down. Guess it could be a bad load reduction relay, but I assume that would shut down other equipment on the load reduction circuit too. Does the ignition switch play into this anywhere or is it the load reduction relay that the switch is affecting?
 

forrestkk

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 11, 2012
Location
albuquerque, nm
TDI
1998 Jetta 1.9L
Thanks to Abacus and his spare switch I have head lights. I am going to tear apart the old switch, but something inside the headlight switch assembly died. Replaced it and all is good to go...but my A/C has decided to stop working...lol. If it isn't one thing...it is another.
 

imfinn

New member
Joined
Jun 16, 2014
Location
Oswego, NY
TDI
1997 VW Passat
How I fixed my low beams and wipers

Thank you everyone who contributes the wonderful information you can find here. This is my first post ever, it is my turn to contribute. I too was having a very frustrating time figuring out why my low beams went off on my 97 passat, (307K) when I turned my headlamp switch on, and all at the same time my wipers would turn on and not shut off unless I used the key, then they would stay off until next time. I had the ignition switch replaced, but that did not fix the prob. I was back to square one. I went out last night and with the light switch turned on I started wiggling everything in the area of the fuse panel. The headlights flashed on briefly. I knew I may be onto something like a loose connection. I tried again for 15 minutes with no luck until I reached my hand in behind the fuse panel and started wiggling connections back there. I believe it was the second connection from the right behind the fuse panel my lights came on. I was able to push the connection backwards toward the fuse panel and it moved back into place. It somehow had come loose. Lights work great now and so do the wipers, what a relief.
 
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