Lights turn off when high beams are turned on

[getza1]

I'm having an issue where the lights will turn off when the high beams are turned on. I was having some blinkers issues so I grabbed the combination switch from a 91 Camry and installed it on mine which is an 88 Camry. They looked exactly the same but the number on the electrical connector was different. I don't know the exact numbers but I think it was like A24 (Original) and A32 (From 91 Camry). Everything works fine, it is just when I turn the high beams on the lights go out. If I pull back on the lights lever the high beams will come on. The regular lights work fine and the blinkers do too.

I also replaced the flasher because my blinker problem wasn't resolved by replacing the combination switch. Does anyone have any ideas as to what might be causing the problem? Is it the combination switch causing the issue or did I create some sort of odd short replacing the flasher?

Any help would be great.

Thanks,

Aaron

[getza1]

So I took the car out for a test spin to make sure everything was fine with the blinkers and now the high beams are working. Also when I got back and parked the car the high beams are working like they should now.

I'm not sure why they were acting like that at first. The battery did die on it a few weeks ago and I replaced it with a new one but I'm not entirely sure the alternator is working correctly. It tests fine but when you accelerate the heater blower motor seems to blow harder and the instrument panel lights get brighter.

I will just have to keep an eye on things I guess.

[nuron]

When you say 'the lights will turn off,' do you mean the regular low beams? But anyways, the blower motor blowing harder and lights get brighter is normal for our Camrys, even to a point on newer cars. The stop lights must take up a lot of current from the electrical systems.

[getza1]

Hi Nuron,
When I move the switch forward to turn the high beams on the headlights just turn off. There is no light coming from the headlights at all.

Although as I mentioned above, after taking the vehicle for a quick test spin the lights seem to be working fine now. I'm going to just consider it an anomaly for now until I experience the symptoms again.

Thanks for the info about the blower motor and dash lights. I was worried that the alternator might be bad or worse yet that there was some short somewhere I was going to have to track down.

[Mike Gerber]

"but I'm not entirely sure the alternator is working correctly. It tests fine"

How did you test the alternator? If you tested it yourself just doing a voltage test with a digital volt/ohmeter, it might require a more thorough testing. Many auto parts stores offer free check of the charging system with the alternator still on the car. Call around to auto parts stores in your area and take your car in to one of them and have the charging system thoroughly checked out.

Mike

[getza1]

Mike,
Yep I just did a voltage test. I did take the vehicle into Les Schwab and they did a test of the alternator and charging system and said the charging system was fine. Although I don't believe they did the alternator test where you actually hook a belt up to test it.

It might be worth taking it somewhere to get a more in depth test done.

Aaron