78 FJ40. Headlights not working. (1 Viewer)

[CanadianFlyer]

Hey guys, my headlights were working fine and all of a sudden, nothing.

No special mods on this rig that would affect the electrical system.

Park lights, turning signals, tail, all working.

Put a meter to headlight probes and no current to it.

Fuse is good.

I took my switch apart, cleaned it and greased it as well as connectors. Switch was in great condition.

What should I try next?

 

[Solace in Solitude]

If you haven't, try a different fuse.

Clean your fuse block connections.

 

[3_puppies]

bad ground? see if you have power to the socket for the lights. do you have high beams?
X2 on clean connections at the fuse block

 

[CanadianFlyer]

bad ground? see if you have power to the socket for the lights. do you have high beams?
X2 on clean connections at the fuse block

Great idea about high beams. Only the right side high beam works.

Still puzzled. Gonna clean fuse connectors if I can sneak away from kids a little bit.

 

[Jetlander]

Wow! I'm dealing with this EXACT scenario. Good switch, power good into the switch, and out. Fuse is fine (I'll clean it just to be sure). And finally, only the right high-beam worked (it has since quit working too). I'm at a loss...

If I jump from the back of the switch directly to a single headlight, they both work. It's the damndest thing. In addition the rear license plate lights went out at the same time, again, when I jumped a wire from the headlight switch to the headlight, the license plate lights came on too.

I'm weak in the area of electrical, but I've explained this to friends who aren't, and they are perplexed.

My next course of action will be to inspect the highbeam/blinker switch and see if I can find something amiss there.

 

[Solace in Solitude]

Wow! I'm dealing with this EXACT scenario. Good switch, power good into the switch, and out. Fuse is fine (I'll clean it just to be sure). And finally, only the right high-beam worked (it has since quit working too). I'm at a loss...

If I jump from the back of the switch directly to a single headlight, they both work. It's the damndest thing. In addition the rear license plate lights went out at the same time, again, when I jumped a wire from the headlight switch to the headlight, the license plate lights came on too.

I'm weak in the area of electrical, but I've explained this to friends who aren't, and they are perplexed.

My next course of action will be to inspect the highbeam/blinker switch and see if I can find something amiss there.

Clean your fuse connections... clean your grounds. Headlights ground through their connection to the fender... make sure it's clean and making a good ground.

The fact that it appears to effect your license plate light, sounds like a grounding issue... or, something is energizing your frame and other grounds.

 

[CanadianFlyer]

It works.

I cleaned all the fuse connectors.
The connectors to the lights themselves again as well. Everything works.
The world is not coming to an end anymore. Enjoy your weekend folks and thanks to the ones who chimed in, I won't have to drive my baby with flashlights duck taped to the hood.

 

[NeVrDun]

It works.

I cleaned all the fuse connectors.
The connectors to the lights themselves again as well. Everything works.
The world is not coming to an end anymore. Enjoy your weekend folks and thanks to the ones who chimed in, I won't have to drive my baby with flashlights duck taped to the hood.

I just drove to work for the first time in the dark, which was fun. Going to also look into my ground connections and fuse block to see if anything gets them working again...
Flashlights in the dash, could have used that this morning for sure.

 

[WaTrout88]

How strange, I am running into the exact same issue with my 78. The front lights went out at the same time. Right side bright is the only one that is working. Fuse it good, I even have a newer fuse panel. I will try cleaning the fuse and check the grounds to see if I can resolve the problem.

 

[77mustard40]

I’ve had it happen a couple of times through the years in my 77. Disconnect the battery, remove all the fuses and clean the fuse contacts in the fuse block with plumbers Emory cloth. It’s worked every time for me.

 

[45Dougal]

How strange, I am running into the exact same issue with my 78. The front lights went out at the same time. Right side bright is the only one that is working. Fuse it good, I even have a newer fuse panel. I will try cleaning the fuse and check the grounds to see if I can resolve the problem.

If one front light is working then it can't be a fuse problem.
More likely a bad connection at one of the connectors at the headlights.
Pull them apart and clean up.
Could also be a ground issue - might be routed to your alternator somewhere so look around there for loose wires and rusty grounds too.

 

[WaTrout88]

Thanks for all the advice. I will dive into it this weekend and see what I can come up with. I drove it over to the in-laws garage last night so it has a dry home for the winter since my two car garage is stuffed. I turned on the high beams thinking I would at least have one high beam on the way up there and boom it went out as well.