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High beams will not come on

J

jjaaam

New member
Hello everyone...

New to the forum. I'm hoping you can steer me in the right direction to fix a minor issue I have with my headlights. 2007 base Grand Prix. I did a forum search but didn't see anything on this...

My high beams will not come on. When I use the multi-function switch to turn them on (either pushing it forward OR pulling it back for the momentary "flash" to hi beams) nothing happens except the blue high beam indicator comes on the instrument cluster. The low beams stay on the entire time, however.

Am I correct in assuming the high beam relay (#34) in the fuse box under the hood needs to be changed out?

Thanks...

Jerry
 
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OK...

Took out a different relay per FFDP's post and tried it. No change. One thing I DID notice however was that I could hear the relay clicking when I used the multi-function switch to turn the hi beams on. I put the original relay back in and heard the same clicking...so the relay must not be the issue.

Checked fuses for hi beams as well and all was good.

Is it really possible that BOTH hi beam bulbs blew out at exactly the same time? I would think that would be kind of odd...but at this point I guess it could be a possibility.

Also, are the low beams supposed to go off when the hi beams are on? Because if they are, they don't. They stay on just like I never tried to turn the brights on. The only way I know is the little blue hi beam indicator is on. They don't flicker or anything...just stays on low beams all of the time.

Any other ideas?
 
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Do you have a multimeter? Check for power at the connectors for the hi beams. If you don't have any power, you probably have a bad connection somewhere or something isn't plugged in right.
 
luckyg817 said:
Do you have a multimeter? Check for power at the connectors for the hi beams. If you don't have any power, you probably have a bad connection somewhere or something isn't plugged in right.
Click to expand...

No, but I can get one quick.

Measuring at one hi beam connector might not tell the whole story though. I'm wondering if there is a connector somewhere that the signal gets split to each side (driver/passenger)...that would more likely be the culprit.

Looks like I'm going to be putting my detective hat on and go hunting...
 


Get Retro's . I just saw them on my buddy's car for the first time. It's a night and day difference in headlights. It literally lights everything up for quite a distance.
 
Bronco Boy said:
Happens more than you would think.
Click to expand...

OK...I'll give it a shot.

Still one question though...and this is because I've never really paid attention to it before...are the low beams supposed to turn off when the high beams are turned on? Because they are staying on all of the time no matter what I do with the multi-function switch.
 
They should stay on, because your high beams aren't turning on, because the bulbs are probably blown. Imagine if someone were driving along a really dark road, went to use their highs, and all of a sudden total darkness, then they crash and die in a fiery ball of flames because a curve popped up they couldn't see due to their lights shutting off when they tried using their high beams. Wouldn't be good, compared to trying to turn the highs on, and heh, why isn't it working? Guess I'll check the bulbs next time I stop.

Big difference.
 
jjaaam said:
No, but I can get one quick.

Measuring at one hi beam connector might not tell the whole story though. I'm wondering if there is a connector somewhere that the signal gets split to each side (driver/passenger)...that would more likely be the culprit.

Looks like I'm going to be putting my detective hat on and go hunting...
Click to expand...

Verifying that you have no power at the hi beam connectors will confirm that your bulbs are fine and you just need to trace back from there where the break in the circuit is.
 


Hardonyomom said:
Get Retro's . I just saw them on my buddy's car for the first time. It's a night and day difference in headlights. It literally lights everything up for quite a distance.
Click to expand...
Doesn't solve the problem.



99GT2dr said:
They should stay on, because your high beams aren't turning on, because the bulbs are probably blown. Imagine if someone were driving along a really dark road, went to use their highs, and all of a sudden total darkness, then they crash and die in a fiery ball of flames because a curve popped up they couldn't see due to their lights shutting off when they tried using their high beams. Wouldn't be good, compared to trying to turn the highs on, and heh, why isn't it working? Guess I'll check the bulbs next time I stop.

Big difference.
Click to expand...
Nice story. Dual filament bulbs will not be on at the same time due to heat. Your story can happen, but due to driver error.
 
Well well...

Bulbs. Both were blown. I had really doubted that was the issue...I have never seen that happen before...learn something new every day I guess.

Thanks to everyone for their replies.
 
Once upon a time, when a light didn't work, the first thing we checked was the bulb. Glad it's taken care of.
 


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