All at once I had no lights at all

DBAAS

MEMBER
1998 TOYOTA COROLLA

While driving at night I was going from low to high beam for on coming traffic. All at once I had no lights at all, then by moving the switch on and off and going from low to high beam I got my lights back. The next week while driving I would have no trouble until I tried using High beams, the lights would flicker off, but I could get them back. Now, I have not head lights-high or low beam. When I first start the car the daytime running lights work, but after a few seconds I can here a relay turn the lights off. I can here relays making noise for turning the headlights on, side marker, and low beams, I can here relays kick on and off for high beam. Does anyone have any ideas on common trouble for this behavior?

8 Replies

BLUELIGHTNIN6

MECHANIC
16,542 POSTS

A faulty wiring or faulty headlamp switch can cause the problem start by testing the headlamp relay(s) for precaution, if OK suspect switch. Here are some guides and diagrams so you can see where we lose the power at. Check out the headlight wiring diagram below.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-use-a-test-light-circuit-tester

and

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-an-electrical-relay-and-wiring-control-circuit

(Check out the diagrams below)

Please let us know what happens.

Cheers

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Sunday, January 10th, 2010 AT 1:41 PM

DBAAS

MEMBER
6 POSTS

I tried tracing the ground wire from the DLR relay, cause It seemed as though it wasn't grounded. Maybe there is something within the DRL main realy that does this, but what I ended up doing was grounding it to the right fender area. Now I have head lights, controlled by the switch. The only thing that is different doing it this way is I get head lights when I only turn the switch to side marker lights ( 1st click ) wonder if there is a problem with this, cause I don't care? Do you know the wiring schematic well enough to know where the ground wire goes to get ground, it appears as though it goes inside the car?

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Sunday, January 10th, 2010 AT 9:29 PM

BLUELIGHTNIN6

MECHANIC
16,542 POSTS

Are you talking about the DRL relay located behind the dash, above glove box? If so then the 2 wires that are white / black should go to the junction block #2 which is behind the instrument panel

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Sunday, January 10th, 2010 AT 9:38 PM

DBAAS

MEMBER
6 POSTS

I grounded the drl relay up on the front right corner near radiator behind headlight. But I was wondering if that drl relay above the glovebox area might be defective, not allowing the ground to happen. I did go to the junk yard and tried one from another car, but that didn't fix it. I went to the Junk yard cause there expensive. So getting back to the white and black wire I was reffering to the one coming from drl relay front right corner of engine area

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Sunday, January 10th, 2010 AT 10:11 PM

BLUELIGHTNIN6

MECHANIC
16,542 POSTS

Okay, the DRL relay ground at the right front of engine compartment should lead to the junction connection which is behind the left kick panel, it will be taped in.