No high beams, any thoughts?

[Greenmule]

I am hoping that someone will know the answer to this one. When the lights are turned on the low beams work fine but there are no high beams. I checked the dimmer switch and replaced it with a new one but it did not change anything. Any ideas?

 

[54cj3b]

dimmer switch or bad ground connection or a busted wire

 

[jamie]

i would say bad ground or faulty dimmer switch too

 

[BusaDave9]

Dimmer switch
If it was a bad ground both high and low beam wouldn't work.
There is a slight chance it is a bad wire from the dimmer switch to the lights but that is unlikely. Switches go bad often. Wires rarely go bad

 

[Greenmule]

I am not sure if it matters but the lights have been converted to the H3 bulbs. I checked the switch and replaced it with a new one and there was no change. So I am marking off the switch I guess. Would the bulb conversion make any differance?

 

[IOPort51]

I have had problems with the plug on the back on the light. pull the bulb and check for voltage at the light plug, if not, keep working back to the switch.

 

[Cheepjeep85]

^^^ velly, velly good, i do dis too ^^^

 

[dslywalker]

here's a print of the switch if it helps.I would assume headlite wire heads to the dimmer switch.

 

[Cheepjeep85]

man alive where do you guys come up with pics like these and who is taking pics of random headlight switches then labeling them. i like it, somebody has a lot of time to be very helpful.

 

[dslywalker]

man alive where do you guys come up with pics like these and who is taking pics of random headlight switches then labeling them. i like it, somebody has a lot of time to be very helpful.

I hit random forums somtimes just nosing around.You'd be suprised whats out there for pics.I sure wouldn't have the patience

 

[Sasquach]

I don't know about you guys but my hi/low beam switch is on the floor, The dimmer switch is a reostat built into the head light switch and does not control high/low beams.
Do those new bulbs have dual filaments? not every head light does.

 

[Cheepjeep85]

I don't know about you guys but my hi/low beam switch is on the floor, The dimmer switch is a reostat built into the head light switch and does not control high/low beams.
Do those new bulbs have dual filaments? not every head light does.

look at you being all technically correct. you know i don't have a "dimmer switch" for my dash lights ain't that weird. any how if you eliminated the switces already and you know the bulbs are good then the only thing left to do is trace your wiring and make sure you don't have any broken wires or bad grounds, which is perfectly possible.

 

[BusaDave9]

The light switch on the dash sends 12 volts to the dimmer switch. We know things are fine up to the dimmer switch since low beams work. The problem must be the dimmer switch or the wiring after there.
Time to get out the multimeter. Check the voltage at the connector for the bulbs. Check the connector for the voltage for the high beams. If it is 12 volts then you have a bad connection at the bulbs.
It hasn't worked since you added the new lights. Try the old lights again.

 

[BusaDave9]

I don't know about you guys but my hi/low beam switch is on the floor, The dimmer switch is a reostat built into the head light switch and does not control high/low beams.

I am calling that switch on the floor that switches between hi/low beam a dimmer switch. Dim lights and bright lights. Okay, okay maybe I'm showing my Midwestern upbringing.
You are right Sasquach the dimmer is technically the rheostat.

 

[Greenmule]

Thanks guys. I will be checking the bulb voltage and wire heading back to the switch tomorrow.

 

[IOPort51]

You say Rodaao I say rodeeo.

I don't know about you guys but my hi/low beam switch is on the floor, The dimmer switch is a reostat built into the head light switch and does not control high/low beams.
Do those new bulbs have dual filaments? not every head light does.

 

[KJs 83CJ7]

I had this problem last week...I started running my hands up the wires from the dimmer switch up behind the dash...after a few minutes of blindly tracing around, BAM...the highbeams started working again. I spent another 15 minutes trying to figure out what i had touched to make it work again..no luck. I'm assuming I've got a wire with a slice on it that was shorting to something else, or a connector that is end of life. Either way, that did the trick for me - for now....not a very technical piece of advice...but what the heck...

 

[IOPort51]

some of us have rewired the lights so the light gets power directly from the battery and the switch is used to control a relay that switches this power. 10 amps DC is quite a bit of current to be running through the light switch, especially if it is a 30 year old light switch.

 

[Greenmule]

I am tracing back the wires as they have been upgraded to Halogen H3 bulbs and now include relays. This was done before I owned the jeep. Again thanks for everyones help. I will let you know what I find.

 

[54cj3b]

I don't know about you guys but my hi/low beam switch is on the floor, The dimmer switch is a reostat built into the head light switch and does not control high/low beams.
.

Ok we'll just call it the Dohickiedabob