How can I tell if my headlight relay is failing?
Symptoms of a failing relay include headlights that fail to open or close and possibly intermittent functioning of the headlight motors. Step 1: Locate the headlight closure relay. Check in your vehicle’s owner’s manual for the location of the headlight closure relay.
What to do if only one headlight comes on?
If only one light comes on, the relay is OK and you probably have a bad headlight. The relay operates both headlights. Open the hood, locate the fuse box with the headlight relay or relays, and open it. Put your ear close to the relay and listen.
Where are the headlight closure relays located on a car?
Used in “flip-up” lights, which fold out of the body of the vehicle, headlight closure relays are essential for headlight operation. This relay is located in your main fuse box or panel.
What should the voltage be on a headlight relay?
You should see about 12 volts with the headlights turned on, and nothing with them off. If you see this voltage, but the headlights still aren’t working, replace the relay. If you don’t get a voltage here, check to see if you have a blown fuse or bad power connection elsewhere.
How can I test a headlight relay that is not working?
Have an assistant turn on the headlights. If you hear the relay click, you know the coil is working, but you don’t know about the contacts. If you don’t hear the click, your relay is probably bad. The safest way to test a headlight relay is to replace it with a known good one.
If only one light comes on, the relay is OK and you probably have a bad headlight. The relay operates both headlights. Open the hood, locate the fuse box with the headlight relay or relays, and open it. Put your ear close to the relay and listen.
Used in “flip-up” lights, which fold out of the body of the vehicle, headlight closure relays are essential for headlight operation. This relay is located in your main fuse box or panel.
What’s the difference between a relay and headlight switch?
Automotive headlight systems are a bit more complicated, because you need a smaller “switch” to flip the larger one. A relay uses a tiny bit of power from the headlight switch on your dashboard to “flip” another, bigger switch, which turns the headlights on.