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AirKooledGarage
Samba Member
Joined: September 28, 2012
Posts: 314
Location: Wisco
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 Posted: Sat Oct 16, 2021 3:35 pm Post subject: No Power to headlights |
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1973 Bay Window Bus
Lost power to headlights (tested with key on), although gauges light up and turn signals work.
Bus runs fine as well.
Am I looking at headlight relay or ignition switch?
Help!
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1973 Bus
1974 Long Body Buggy (sold)
1965 Manxish buggy (kids car)
1961 Patina Bug |
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busdaddy
Samba Member
Joined: February 12, 2004
Posts: 51128
Location: Surrey B.C. Canada, but thinking of Ukraine
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| Posted: Sat Oct 16, 2021 4:03 pm Post subject: Re: No Power to headlights |
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| AirKooledGarage wrote: |
| Am I looking at headlight relay or ignition switch? |
Yes......., start at the ignition switch, look for a black/yellow wire and test it for power, it leads to the fuse box at the feed side of fuse #10, another black/yellow wire connects beside it and goes to the headlight switch's terminal #X, both should have power whenever the key is on. From the headlight switch a white/black wire leads from terminal #56 to the high/low relay, that wire is only powered when the key is on and the headlight switch is pulled out all the way, if you are getting power to that point it's time to suspect the relay if all the connections are clean and tight and all 4 fuses are good.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/info/wiring/bus_8_72_1700_1.jpg
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Rust NEVER sleeps and stock never goes out of style.
Please don't PM technical questions, ask your problem in public so everyone can play along. If you think it's too stupid post it here
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AirKooledGarage
Samba Member
Joined: September 28, 2012
Posts: 314
Location: Wisco
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| Posted: Sun Oct 24, 2021 8:42 am Post subject: Re: No Power to headlights |
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Replaced relay, nothing changed. Replaced ignition switch and it fixed it.
How do these things fail? Took it apart and not seeing any burnt marks and it was a relatively new unit.
Thanks again for the help!
_________________
1973 Bus
1974 Long Body Buggy (sold)
1965 Manxish buggy (kids car)
1961 Patina Bug |
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telford dorr
Samba Member
Joined: March 11, 2009
Posts: 3551
Location: San Diego (Encinitas)
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| Posted: Sun Oct 24, 2021 11:00 am Post subject: Re: No Power to headlights |
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| AirKooledGarage wrote: |
| How do these things fail? Took it apart and not seeing any burnt marks and it was a relatively new unit. |
In short, crap from china. Defective in design and mfg. No good solution. It's a shame, really.
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'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) |
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P24p1
Samba Member
Joined: August 20, 2020
Posts: 363
Location: Canada, Quebec
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| Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2021 6:58 am Post subject: Re: No Power to headlights |
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Man I love the look of a matching color metal dash, just wanted to say
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1973 Westfalia named Angie
What rust?
Rev it - don't lug it! |
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Hikelite
Samba Member
Joined: August 31, 2012
Posts: 557
Location: Colville, WA
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| Posted: Wed Nov 24, 2021 6:41 pm Post subject: Re: No Power to headlights |
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| AirKooledGarage wrote: |
Replaced relay, nothing changed. Replaced ignition switch and it fixed it.
How do these things fail? Took it apart and not seeing any burnt marks and it was a relatively new unit.
Thanks again for the help! |
Ignition switch or headlight switch?
I have the same symptoms. Everything else works, except headlights. They were working. Then they weren't.
Coincidentally, my ignition switch had went bad, so I had to hot wire the bus for several trips before I got a replacement. I hoped that would fix the headlights, but alas, they still do not work.
My next step will be to get out the meter and start testing.
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~Kevin
My 1968 Campmobile |
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busdaddy
Samba Member
Joined: February 12, 2004
Posts: 51128
Location: Surrey B.C. Canada, but thinking of Ukraine
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| Posted: Wed Nov 24, 2021 7:16 pm Post subject: Re: No Power to headlights |
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| Hikelite wrote: |
| AirKooledGarage wrote: |
Replaced relay, nothing changed. Replaced ignition switch and it fixed it.
How do these things fail? Took it apart and not seeing any burnt marks and it was a relatively new unit.
Thanks again for the help! |
Ignition switch or headlight switch?
I have the same symptoms. Everything else works, except headlights. They were working. Then they weren't.
Coincidentally, my ignition switch had went bad, so I had to hot wire the bus for several trips before I got a replacement. I hoped that would fix the headlights, but alas, they still do not work.
My next step will be to get out the meter and start testing. |
Totally different circuit on a 68 compared to the OP's 73, your ignition switch has nothing to do with headlights.
Fuses are the most often offender, just because the look good doesn't mean they are making contact with the holder tabs, next in line would be the relay. But testing the 5-6 joints in the system between the #30 wire to the headlight switch and the bulbs would be where I'd start, grounds for the headlights screwed to the buckets too.
_________________
Rust NEVER sleeps and stock never goes out of style.
Please don't PM technical questions, ask your problem in public so everyone can play along. If you think it's too stupid post it here
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!
Слава Україні! |
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Hikelite
Samba Member
Joined: August 31, 2012
Posts: 557
Location: Colville, WA
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| Posted: Fri Nov 26, 2021 9:45 am Post subject: Re: No Power to headlights |
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| busdaddy wrote: |
| Hikelite wrote: |
| AirKooledGarage wrote: |
Replaced relay, nothing changed. Replaced ignition switch and it fixed it.
How do these things fail? Took it apart and not seeing any burnt marks and it was a relatively new unit.
Thanks again for the help! |
Ignition switch or headlight switch?
I have the same symptoms. Everything else works, except headlights. They were working. Then they weren't.
Coincidentally, my ignition switch had went bad, so I had to hot wire the bus for several trips before I got a replacement. I hoped that would fix the headlights, but alas, they still do not work.
My next step will be to get out the meter and start testing. |
Totally different circuit on a 68 compared to the OP's 73, your ignition switch has nothing to do with headlights.
Fuses are the most often offender, just because the look good doesn't mean they are making contact with the holder tabs, next in line would be the relay. But testing the 5-6 joints in the system between the #30 wire to the headlight switch and the bulbs would be where I'd start, grounds for the headlights screwed to the buckets too. |
TY BusDaddy
I'm going to move my question over to a new thread.
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~Kevin
My 1968 Campmobile |
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