PSA: Defective Headlight Relays

[Bruce Amacker]

Hey Guys:

FYI there's a big batch of defective headlight relays being sold at parts stores right now. After acquiring 3 of them and pulling my hair out I tried an old Meyle and it worked fine.

These relays are being sold by Napa, Advance and probably many others. They all appear to be made on the same assembly line and boxed according to the retailer. None work correctly, low beams work but there's no high beams. I'm strong with electrical and these SOBs really had me wondering about my abilities until I tried a used one and it worked fine.

These relays fit almost every VW made between 67-79 but I'm posting here as that's the vehicle I was working on. I don't know if Everett wants to crosspost this, but at least I'm letting people know.

Use the German Meyle one, it works!

PS Napa refunded no problem, Advance told me no returns on electrical items, period. Thirty bucks out the window, and it was only $20 at Napa.

PSS: If you want to use one of these, connect power to terminal 30 (which is not used in this circuit, oddly) and it will work, and you'll have flash-to-pass with the key on also.

_________________
'66 Deluxe Bus
'65 Standard Bus
Build threads:
'66- http://www.leakoil.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=2888&sid=54d8dedfb3822f99c7f2ea430cb4e856
'65- http://leakoil.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=4263

[telford dorr]

Did you, perchance, determine exactly why they don't work? (Might as well get something for that lost $30...)
_________________
'71 panel, now with FI
'Experience' is the ability to recognize a mistake when you're making it again - Franklin P. Jones
In theory, theory works in practice; in practice, it doesn't - William T. Harbaugh
When you're dead, you don't know you're dead. The pain is only felt by others.
Same thing happens when you're stupid. - Philippe Geluck
More VW electrical at http://telforddorr.com/ (available 9am to 9pm PST)

[aeromech]

Send them to Telford. He will figure the problem out
_________________
Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound

[old DKP driver]

It’s probably the old problem of having to add a jumper wire from terminal
30 to terminal 56
This has been going on For years .
Please do a search for soldering or just using connectors for your project
_________________
V.W.owner since 1967

[SGKent]