headlight problem

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shaunthesheep
Posts: 364
Joined: 16 Jul 2002, 14:42
Location: United Kingdom
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headlight problem

Post by shaunthesheep »

guys,
try and figure this one out!!
drivers side front head light, will go out for no reason but if i turn on the front fog lights it comes back on, but i dont always have to turn on the front fog lights, tonight for example, started the car up, turned on lights, passanger side head light came on straight away, drivers side followed a couple of seconds later.
have checked the ovious, loose/dirty connection, bulb, break in the wire.
anyone got any ideas? <img src=icon_smile_8ball.gif border=0 align=middle>
a puzzled dom
MW
Posts: 159
Joined: 01 Jul 2002, 19:16
Location: United Kingdom
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Post by MW »

Wot, no answers yet Shaun?
If your driver's side headlamp is coming on AFTER the passenger side, or if it only comes on when you've got your fogs on, then you've definitely got an earthing problem of some sort. Unless the Wise Ones here strictly advise otherwise, I'd suggest strapping a separate earth lead from your headlight to the chassis, just as a test. (Make sure you've got a few spare fuses in your drawer first, though - these things are all too easy to pop.)
The link with the fog lights makes some sort of sense. Most cars have their fogs wired in such a way that you can't have your fogs on without your headlights already being on - meaning that they share bits of their circuitry. So, if something was wrong with the natural earthing on your headlight, it might be using the fog light as an alternative route back to earth. Am I making some sort of sense?
OK, stupid question coming up. I assume your fogs are in the front spoiler? (I haven't got any fogs at all, because my Xantia's just the cheapo version.) Lotta dirt and wet down there. Have you checked the contacts on the fogs themselves? And are there any nasty little bullet connectors under that spoiler that might be getting a bit acky?
Mike
shaunthesheep
Posts: 364
Joined: 16 Jul 2002, 14:42
Location: United Kingdom
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Post by shaunthesheep »

mike,
might have had a idea here, could this problem be caused by the lights/indictors stork stareting to wear out??, the cars has done 138k.
dom
wheeler
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x 717

Post by wheeler »

doubt it would have anything 2 do with the switch.the switch gives out a feed on a single wire then splits to the seperate circuts AFTER the switch.if it was a switch problem then i would think both lights would do the same thing.i would go with mikes idea with the earthing problem first or corroded/dirty/loose connections at bulb connectors.
MW
Posts: 159
Joined: 01 Jul 2002, 19:16
Location: United Kingdom
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Post by MW »

Hi Dom
If it's any sort of consolation, the Xantia light switch assembly is very cheap - my indicators went on the blink a couple of years ago, and the damage for the whole assembly (original Citroen part) was only about £35. Compared with £150 or so on a big Rover.
But it's a sod to fit. Steering wheel off, disable the airbag, etc. Try everything else first!
Mike
shaunthesheep
Posts: 364
Joined: 16 Jul 2002, 14:42
Location: United Kingdom
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Post by shaunthesheep »

SORTED.
it was one of the connecters on the back of the headlight,
the copper strands had started snapping, don't know why but it looked like the cable had been streched only had a couple still making contact.
thax for all who replyed.
i very relived dom <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>
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