Right headlight low beam stopped working
Redlineret
08-19-2007, 01:19 PM
2000 Windstar 127000 miles. With trailer hitch electric for two years. Recently the
right headlight low beam went out. Bought a new bulb that would not work on the right will in the left. Swapped them back and forth several time. Work on left side not on the right. High will work. The voltage on the right is slightly less than the left. Left 11.6V right 10.8V. Fuse is for high and low beam so it can’t be the fuse, can it? ON/OFF switch seems fine.
I also have not had use of the right side turn signal since I bought the car used 2 years ago.
Been reading about some of the electrical problems here but nothing like this. Can someone suggest a route?
Thx Jan
right headlight low beam went out. Bought a new bulb that would not work on the right will in the left. Swapped them back and forth several time. Work on left side not on the right. High will work. The voltage on the right is slightly less than the left. Left 11.6V right 10.8V. Fuse is for high and low beam so it can’t be the fuse, can it? ON/OFF switch seems fine.
I also have not had use of the right side turn signal since I bought the car used 2 years ago.
Been reading about some of the electrical problems here but nothing like this. Can someone suggest a route?
Thx Jan
busboy4
08-19-2007, 07:16 PM
2000 Windstar 127000 miles. With trailer hitch electric for two years. Recently the
right headlight low beam went out. Bought a new bulb that would not work on the right will in the left. Swapped them back and forth several time. Work on left side not on the right. High will work. The voltage on the right is slightly less than the left. Left 11.6V right 10.8V. Fuse is for high and low beam so it can’t be the fuse, can it? ON/OFF switch seems fine.
I also have not had use of the right side turn signal since I bought the car used 2 years ago.
Been reading about some of the electrical problems here but nothing like this. Can someone suggest a route?
Thx Jan
Hi
I think the first rule is always check for good ground. Did you measure the voltage across the plug, or from the hot plug wire to a common ground i.e. bolt head, frame etc.? If you did not measure across the plug, do so and see what you get. Obviously, zero would indicate an open ground.
Another idea just for information would be to "back probe" the leads of the plug with the bulb in place. You might see a different reading with the load of the bulb in place, which again I would first account to a possible ground problem. You could also rig a grounding wire via your back probe on the ground side (I have wires with alligator clips for such jobs and press a small nail into the back of the socket and clip the wire to the nail) to a known good ground and see if you get the lamp to light.
Good luck
right headlight low beam went out. Bought a new bulb that would not work on the right will in the left. Swapped them back and forth several time. Work on left side not on the right. High will work. The voltage on the right is slightly less than the left. Left 11.6V right 10.8V. Fuse is for high and low beam so it can’t be the fuse, can it? ON/OFF switch seems fine.
I also have not had use of the right side turn signal since I bought the car used 2 years ago.
Been reading about some of the electrical problems here but nothing like this. Can someone suggest a route?
Thx Jan
Hi
I think the first rule is always check for good ground. Did you measure the voltage across the plug, or from the hot plug wire to a common ground i.e. bolt head, frame etc.? If you did not measure across the plug, do so and see what you get. Obviously, zero would indicate an open ground.
Another idea just for information would be to "back probe" the leads of the plug with the bulb in place. You might see a different reading with the load of the bulb in place, which again I would first account to a possible ground problem. You could also rig a grounding wire via your back probe on the ground side (I have wires with alligator clips for such jobs and press a small nail into the back of the socket and clip the wire to the nail) to a known good ground and see if you get the lamp to light.
Good luck
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