Headlights not working - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

E30TECH · 10-31-2004, 02:29 PM

I am trying to troubleshoot this headlight problem I am having on a 1994 Camry 4Cyl.

All of the other lights work (dash, parking, tail lights) but the headlights are not coming on - highs and lows are out.

I checked for broken wires, and checked for continuity. There is continuity from the switch harness to the headlight plug on all 4 headlights.
I checked for power at the fuses with the switch on - there was no power. There is 12 volts at the switch. I manually closed the headlight relay, and the lights worked (and now there was power at the fuses). I swapped the headlight relay with a known good one - still no lights.

The only grounds I could find were on the D/S beneath the battery, and by the corner light. I cleaned both - still no lights.

Can someone tell me what I am missing? I tried to troubleshoot the switch, but I don't know if I did that right.

Any help is appreciated!

Perry

karazy · 10-31-2004, 05:09 PM

I would be suspect of this "known good" relay.

I am curious how you got good cont. from the sw/ to the lamp, without the relay being closed. Pins 4 and 2 must be shorted, thus giving good cont. but not closing the relay.

E30TECH · 10-31-2004, 05:14 PM

The known good relay came out of my wife's 2001 camry. i am trying to fix the problem in my mother's 1994 camry.

I am not sure if I tested the switch correctly or not. Does the Chilton or haynes manual cover this in some detail? I do not have a repair manual for either camry.

Is there a ground for the headlights that I may have missed?

Thanks,
Perry

karazy · 10-31-2004, 05:22 PM

Do both relays have the same #?

The grd is w-b to left front fender.

E30TECH · 10-31-2004, 05:30 PM

I honestly didn't check the p/n's, but they were the same color and an exact fit. Since the fuebox cover on the 2001 camry said "headlight", I figured they were the same. I can't check the p/n's now since I sent my mother home before it got too dark for her hour ride.

I cleaned that ground on the driver's side inner fender.

Do the headlight switches go bad in these cars?

Thanks,
Perry

karazy · 10-31-2004, 05:35 PM

Not usually, check the pins I mentioned in the fuse box. That may be where the problem is.

E30TECH · 10-31-2004, 05:39 PM

"Pins 4 and 2 must be shorted, thus giving good cont. but not closing the relay"

Those are the relay pins - right? Would that be the same as pushing the relay to the closed position? When I closed the relay manually, the lights came on and the highbeams worked. Obviously the switch didn't turn the lights off.

Thanks for your time,
Perry

karazy · 10-31-2004, 05:50 PM

Pin 4 energizes the relay, pin 2 supplies power to lights when switch is closed. If shorted relay will not work, cont. to lights will be made when it shouldn't.

There is another relay between the sw/ and the hl relay. integration relay, not sure where it is or if it is bad, seeing how the lights worked when relay made.

E30TECH · 10-31-2004, 05:54 PM

I assume pin #4 gets its power from the switch?

karazy · 10-31-2004, 05:55 PM

yup.

E30TECH · 10-31-2004, 06:01 PM

Would you happen to know what color wire goes to pin #4? I don't think that wire had power when I checked it with a test light.

karazy · 10-31-2004, 06:07 PM

r-b

E30TECH · 10-31-2004, 07:14 PM

Thanks again for your help

karazy · 10-31-2004, 07:16 PM

No problem. Did you figure it out?

E30TECH · 10-31-2004, 08:22 PM

No I wont be able to work on it for another few weeks. I sent my mother home before it got too dark. It is her car and she lives an hour away.

Next weekend I have to work on the e36 BMW I bought for her. The day I bought the 'new' BMW for her, I noticed a trans leak. The trans cooler must have a small crack in it. The car only has 58K miles.

I have too many cars to look after!