Head light problems...

[GreenLeggy]

Hi there,

I have just purchased a 2000 Legacy Wagon and I am having problems with the lights...let me explain.

When the head-lamp stalk is in the low beam position, the high beams are lit up. And when I push the stalk forward, the high beam indicator turns on but the lights change to a low beam. My wagon has the single bulb lamps (9007 bulbs)

Can anyone help?

It is us car and I'm pretty sure it didn't come with DRL's yet, to be in Canada, I think a DRL module was added... so, the DRL's are the high beams.

Could fixing this be as simple as switching the cables at the headlamp connectors?

Help please!

Thank you in advance.

Juan

[rougeben83]

they do come with DRL's from the factory, it powers the low beam at a reduced voltage. Did someone mess with wiring that you know off? It could be your bulbs (less likely), they may have been crossed. You can't really put the 9007 plug on backwards into the bulb socket, but if someone replaced the sockets for some reason, they may have crossed the wires when connecting it back to the harness.

[GreenLeggy]

they do come with DRL's from the factory, it powers the low beam at a reduced voltage. Did someone mess with wiring that you know off? It could be your bulbs (less likely), they may have been crossed. You can't really put the 9007 plug on backwards into the bulb socket, but if someone replaced the sockets for some reason, they may have crossed the wires when connecting it back to the harness.

Oh, I see.. so even the us came with DRL's. That's good. I'm not sure if anyone's messed with the wiring. I know that the car's been re-painted...probably the bodyshop guys...could've switched up the wiring...but where?

Not the bulbs...tried two sets and its the same on/with both...

I might just switch the low/high wires at/near the bulb...not sure if it could be switched anywhere else...

Maybe at the control?

[rougeben83]

they do come with DRL's from the factory, it powers the low beam at a reduced voltage. Did someone mess with wiring that you know off? It could be your bulbs (less likely), they may have been crossed. You can't really put the 9007 plug on backwards into the bulb socket, but if someone replaced the sockets for some reason, they may have crossed the wires when connecting it back to the harness.

Oh, I see.. so even the us came with DRL's. That's good. I'm not sure if anyone's messed with the wiring. I know that the car's been re-painted...probably the bodyshop guys...could've switched up the wiring...but where?

Not the bulbs...tried two sets and its the same on/with both...

I might just switch the low/high wires at/near the bulb...not sure if it could be switched anywhere else...

Maybe at the control?

Well, the most direct way is to do it at the plug. You need to switch the two wires that flank the center one (center is 12v, the two sides are the ground that switches which beam is on).

Anyway, has it always been like that? It's a weird problem unless someone went into the harness and crossed the wires. Check the control stalk wiring in the column just to be sure someone didn't do something in there...

[GreenLeggy]

Don't know if its always been like that.

I bought the car recently and, unfortunately, becasue I drove it during the day, on a sunny day, I didn't actually get to see the difference in the headlights (as one would in the dark) when switching from low to high...

The car's been re-painted - dented roof, sides and hood due to falling debris (got the insurance paper) and the previous owner paid extra to get it done right...(removed everything in the engine bay, all the trim a lights, etc.)

Previous owner can't be reached...

So, yep, I'll look into the stalk first, to see if ahything's been altered there, not sure but on my other cars, any wiring at the stalk has always been either soldered or riveted on. Not sure about the leggy. It its simple plug I'll do it there, otherwise...I'll make the switch at the light plugs.

I'll keep you all posted.

[rougeben83]

Don't know if its always been like that.

I bought the car recently and, unfortunately, becasue I drove it during the day, on a sunny day, I didn't actually get to see the difference in the headlights (as one would in the dark) when switching from low to high...

The car's been re-painted - dented roof, sides and hood due to falling debris (got the insurance paper) and the previous owner paid extra to get it done right...(removed everything in the engine bay, all the trim a lights, etc.)

Previous owner can't be reached...

So, yep, I'll look into the stalk first, to see if ahything's been altered there, not sure but on my other cars, any wiring at the stalk has always been either soldered or riveted on. Not sure about the leggy. It its simple plug I'll do it there, otherwise...I'll make the switch at the light plugs.

I'll keep you all posted.

that's probably where it happened. Most likely they grounded the hibeam to the chassis and plugged the ground for the low beam into where the hibeam is supposed to go. It may be too much trouble to try and find the original crosswiring, what I would do is just switch the wires at the plugs. If you don't have enough wire, you can get some replacement 9007 plugs readily at an autoparts store.

[GreenLeggy]

Can the contacts not be pushed out of the plug?

I thought I saw this done (on anothe rtyp of plug) somewhwere.

They used a punch to push the contacts out through the back of the plug...

I hope this can be done...otherwise, new plugs it is...

[anothernord]

Yeah, the grounds for high and low beams are reversed or the high beam is grounded.

[rougeben83]

Can the contacts not be pushed out of the plug?

I thought I saw this done (on anothe rtyp of plug) somewhwere.

They used a punch to push the contacts out through the back of the plug...

I hope this can be done...otherwise, new plugs it is...

You can try, I'm not sure if that's possible on this plug. It wouldn't hurt it though. New plugs are like $6ea IIRC.

[GreenLeggy]

Tried switching wires...now its even more f'd up...

Weird...

Did the right one first...should've done the left first...I think it was the left that was screwed.

Now one light up high beam while the other lights up low.

If I light up the left on high, the right stays on DRL...

When I try to have them both on low beam, the right goes high and the high-beam indicator lights up whether on high or low beam setting...

I took apart the stalk...nothing out of the ordinary there...difficult to tell which wire goes to the high-beam which goes to the low...can anyone help there?

what colour for high, what colour for low at the stalk?

I bought new plugs...$13.00 for two. ready to change it but am confused on how/what to do.

I checked for current with a light tester...checked which one lit up on low, which one lit up on high and then swapped the wires. Tried the same on the left light and...

Got current on two wires again but one of them is really, really dim...

Grrr.. I should've been an electrician.

Where do the lights ground? maybe I can get to it/them and swap them?

[GreenLeggy]

Well, I put it back to the way it was...lows are high, highs are low, with new connectors becasue no matter what I did, things just didn't work.

I am hoping that I can simply switch the wires for high/low @ or near the stalk. If anyone can help me identify which colour wires and/or pin locations on the actual plug going into the stalk, your help would be most appreciated.

Not sure if pin locations/wire colours would be in the wiring diagrams or not...even if they were, making head or tails of it would be a monumental task for me...

If it helps...

US built and Sold
2000 Legacy
With single bulbs (9007)

Another thing is...the DRL's in my car are the high beams...is this common or are these backward in my car as well?

Thanks again for any help rendered...

[rougeben83]

Well, I put it back to the way it was...lows are high, highs are low, with new connectors becasue no matter what I did, things just didn't work.

I am hoping that I can simply switch the wires for high/low @ or near the stalk. If anyone can help me identify which colour wires and/or pin locations on the actual plug going into the stalk, your help would be most appreciated.

Not sure if pin locations/wire colours would be in the wiring diagrams or not...even if they were, making head or tails of it would be a monumental task for me...

If it helps...

US built and Sold
2000 Legacy
With single bulbs (9007)

Another thing is...the DRL's in my car are the high beams...is this common or are these backward in my car as well?

Thanks again for any help rendered...

Your DRL's are backwards too. The DRL module is a black box under the steering column, you can check there if the 2 plugs or anything was inserted backwards or something. If it's dim, you may just have a bad connection, it's not necessarily the wrong connection. Check to see if BOTH of your headlights are high beam or lo beam, and not one lo/one high, you may have just needed to switch one at the plug.

[GreenLeggy]

Thanks for the h/u rougeben83;

Originally, they were both high/low. After my attempt to fix the problem yesterday, one ws high, the other low and viceversa when I switched between high/low at the stalk.

Today, I returned the lights back their 'normal', menaing back to highe when in the low position and low when in the high position (blue light on in the dash)

So, the DRL's are wrong and the light output is reversed... hmnnn...more and more interesteing as I go along.

The DRLs are not as dim as I expected them to be...probably becasue they're running at 45W or 55W of the (high beam).

Makes me think someone used HID's in this car ahd switched the DRL's to the high-beam so the HID's wouldn't flash strobe.

Anyway, if anyone can help with the wiring as requested in my previous post, it would be awesome!


EDIT:

Actually, just thought of something...is there a chance that the relay(s) are in backwards? or does it have to be the grounding/wiring?

Thanks!

[GreenLeggy]

Ok...I've looked into this a bit further and consulted with an electrician friend of mine...

He said that it might be the switch (at the stalk) It is either the wrong one or it is fried.

So, I have a question - just to try to get to the bottom of the issue starting with the easiest troubleshooting...

The stalk, the stick one uses when one wants to activate the high beam permanently on a 2000 US model, does one have to push it or pull it to activate the high beam?

On mine, I have to push to activate the high-beam. To temporarily flash oncoming traffic or to pass, I pull the stalk)

There is a chance that I have the wrong stalk if I have to push it but the wiring in the car is designed for a stalk where one has to pull to activate the high-beam.

Can anyone tell me if theirs permanently activates the highbeam by pushing it or pulling it?

Thanks for your help and patience.

Juan

[Huffer]

The stalk, the stick one uses when one wants to activate the high beam permanently on a 2000 US model, does one have to push it or pull it to activate the high beam?

On mine, I have to push to activate the high-beam. To temporarily flash oncoming traffic or to pass, I pull the stalk)

This is correct.

[GreenLeggy]

Bummer...in a way... :smt011

I guess its come down to switching wires at the combination switch connector.


Could the fact that the DRL's are on the high-beam casue this too? :smt017

I need some :smt030 this is giving me a head-ache!

[Huffer]

My understanding is that the DRLs are the low beams that are on during the day? So if your lows are on when the highs are on, yes, that's not normal...?

[rougeben83]

ok just to be sure, have you got the plug wires labeled correctly?

http://hidkitswarehouse.com/images/90049007.jpg EXCEPT FOR SUBARU'S the center prong is the +12V, and the sides are GROUND for lo and hi beam respectively

That being said, you can directly ground the wire that goes to the low beam ground (red in the picture) directly to chassis (I used the fender bolt), and switch the hibeam wire (blue) to the proper wire in the harness.

[GreenLeggy]

The proper wire in the harness being...now I'm erally confused...

I understand cutting the red wire and grounding it but the blue wire I'd have to connect (from the plug to the correct wire in the harness)

So, it would look something like this? :smt017

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z269/Rd2002P5/lights.jpg


Or is it going to involve taking apart the whole wiring harness to find a wire to connect the High-beam to?

:smt076 I wish I'd taken elctronics... :sad2:

[Huffer]

Is it going to be too much to suggest finding either a wrecked same-year Legacy and stealing the harness, or take it to a dealer tech to tell you where things should be going?

I'm betting an auto electrician will have this issue sorted out in under 2 hours.

[GreenLeggy]

oh, believe me...I've been thinking about it. But the thought of payin $180.00 or more to get this sorted, kinda rubs me the wrong way...

Sorry if you guys are fed up. Just trying to fix this the most inexpensive way possible.

[Huffer]

I'm not fed up, I hope you get it sorted, I'm just feeling your pain!

[rougeben83]

The proper wire in the harness being...now I'm erally confused...

I understand cutting the red wire and grounding it but the blue wire I'd have to connect (from the plug to the correct wire in the harness)

So, it would look something like this? :smt017

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/


Or is it going to involve taking apart the whole wiring harness to find a wire to connect the High-beam to?

:smt076 I wish I'd taken elctronics... :sad2:

If we're going by how its wired stock (i.e. what you have now) Yes, and don't touch the black wire, it's common 12v source for both lo and hi.

This should be pretty easy now that you replaced your old plugs with the aftermarket ones since the wiring is already spliced; just do the rewiring at that junction. Just ground each of the lo wires to the nearest fender bolt.

The very last option you have is to just switch the lights on (engine running to not drain the batt) and play around with the wiring combinations (remember that the middle is common power, don't touch that one) until you get low beam for both headlights.

[GreenLeggy]

The proper wire in the harness being...now I'm erally confused...

I understand cutting the red wire and grounding it but the blue wire I'd have to connect (from the plug to the correct wire in the harness)

So, it would look something like this? :smt017

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/


Or is it going to involve taking apart the whole wiring harness to find a wire to connect the High-beam to?

:smt076 I wish I'd taken elctronics... :sad2:

If we're going by how its wired stock (i.e. what you have now) Yes, and don't touch the black wire, it's common 12v source for both lo and hi.

This should be pretty easy now that you replaced your old plugs with the aftermarket ones since the wiring is already spliced; just do the rewiring at that junction. Just ground each of the lo wires to the nearest fender bolt.

The very last option you have is to just switch the lights on (engine running to not drain the batt) and play around with the wiring combinations (remember that the middle is common power, don't touch that one) until you get low beam for both headlights.


I tried playing with the lights by using male and female spade connectors and wound up getting nuttin but different lights...ie: one high, one low or one low and one at DRL power...so I put it all back to what it was like before I started playing wit it. I'll need to have a look at my DRL module and change it to the low beam (it currently lights up the hgh-beam) then, I'll try what you've suggested above and hope that does it. If not, i'll play with the wires at the combination switch connector and switch the high and low wires...

Now that I've found the schematic, it should be fairly simple...just switch the wire in pin 7 to 17 and 17 to 7 (pin # 's for the combination switch connector under the steering column.)

I'll keep ya'll posted.

Thanks for your help.

I'm glad I joined this forum.

Juan