1st Generation Specific (1979-1985) 1979-1985 Discussion including performance modifications and technical support sections

High Beam Always On

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Old Aug 9, 2017 | 12:46 AM
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Fabrice Tschumi's Avatar
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From: OC CA
High Beam Always On

I'm trying to use a relay kit to keep from putting all the headlight voltage through the switch, but i noticed that the relay instantly turns on and flips to high beams. checking at the plug from the car harness (where the bulb normally plugs in) shows roughly 10.4V always to the high beams. This would also explain why my highbeam indicator is always on, but its been like that since i got the car.

my question is, what causes the high beams to have constant 10+ volts? is it normal on these cars or is there something wrong with the switch in my column?
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Old Aug 9, 2017 | 07:07 AM
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From: Lake Wylie, N.C.
Maybe the column switch assembly needs a good cleaning. If the blue highbeam light is constantly on in the console, that means your highbeams are being turned on, probably at the switch.
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Old Aug 9, 2017 | 02:08 PM
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From: KC
If it doesnt do with the relay installed then there is something wrong with the way the relay is wired. Can you post how it is wired?
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Old Aug 9, 2017 | 04:48 PM
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From: OC CA
Originally Posted by KansasCityREPU
If it doesnt do with the relay installed then there is something wrong with the way the relay is wired. Can you post how it is wired?

It's not doing it without the relay setup because it's putting through 10.4v to the high beams when the low beams are on. Not enough to light up the high beams but way more than enough to trigger a standard relay.

I've gotten it to work by reversing the high/low wiring of the relays, but to use low beam I gotta turn on high beams. If I run it normal then it triggers the relay and just goes straight to high beam.

Gonna try cleaning/tweaking the stalk switch when I get a chance
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Old Aug 9, 2017 | 04:57 PM
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From: KC
This means the relay isn't wired correctly or is defective. When I wired mine, it had one relay for low and one for high.
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Old Aug 9, 2017 | 05:35 PM
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From: OC CA
...except the high beam indicator is always on and the high beam output on the harness, to the bulb, shows voltage when it isn't supposed to be on.

This is not normal I would assume.

I will try cleaning the switch/seeing if it is messed up in an obvious way.
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