[krat]

I've just had the vitara checked out for a pre-roadworthy inspection and the mechanic has informed me that when the lights are put on high beam the spotties also come on whether their dashboard switch is on or off.
So , all the lights work, but you cannot get high beam by itself'
Can someone please shed some light (sorry for that) on this one because I'm not sure where to start looking for the problem. The driving light switch seems to be mechanically all right ie pushes in and out but maybe it is a switch connection problem.
Where should I start.

Thanks
Kev.

[buzbox]

A new switch would cost about $3-4 so change that first but i'm leaning towards that possibly the relay is gone or not connected correctly. It would be a 5 min job for an auto elecy to test or re wire.

[wolf_rt]

pull a wire out of the switch to see if it is even connected.

if this turns the spotties off, then the switch is busted.

if that works try a different relay, (though if the relay was stuck on then the spotties would likely be stuck on too) if it is the same with a different relay then you have to wire the switch up.

not sure if the vit's have negative switching on the headlights??? but if they come on with the high beam then it should be set up ok, you just have to run the signal wire that goes to the relay (pin 85 or 86 - one will be an earth) through your spotty switch.

[royce]

yeah unplug the switch, if they go out replace the switch, if not keep looking, at least try and find the relay and we go through wiring a switch into it then

[DarkHorse]

Vits are neg switched - would this happen if ther spotties are using the + feed as a source?

[royce]

wont matter how you trigger it, if there is nothing breaking the feed they wont be independant

dont confuse this with other awesome spotlight stories like, my spotlights come on on low beam, my spotlights work on high beam but come on when I turn the lights off, now I have 1 light come on really dim etc etc

[krat]

Thanks for the responses.
I have just disconnected the switch and turning the lights to high beam still activates the driving lights. So I suppose the switch was installed for cosmetic reasons.
As suggested, it now appears that I am dealing with a wiring/relay issue.
Are there any other tests that I can do at this stage to find out where the problem lies.I can give a rundown on the wiring config and post a picture of the relay if that helps.

Thanks,
Kev.

[royce]

Find the relay, follow the wires that connect to pin 85 and pin 86 and let us know where they go and what they connect to

[Reubs]

krat wrote:

I've just had the vitara checked out for a pre-roadworthy inspection and the mechanic has informed me that when the lights are put on high beam the spotties also come on whether their dashboard switch is on or off.

Is it the law in Victoria for spot lights to be switched off independently of your high beams? In Qld, you can just wire them to be on when the high beams come on and leave it at that - no switch legally required.

[royce]

Reubs wrote:

krat wrote:

I've just had the vitara checked out for a pre-roadworthy inspection and the mechanic has informed me that when the lights are put on high beam the spotties also come on whether their dashboard switch is on or off.

Is it the law in Victoria for spot lights to be switched off independently of your high beams? In Qld, you can just wire them to be on when the high beams come on and leave it at that - no switch legally required.

Unless this has changed recently, incorrect

[Reubs]

royce wrote:

Reubs wrote:

krat wrote:

I've just had the vitara checked out for a pre-roadworthy inspection and the mechanic has informed me that when the lights are put on high beam the spotties also come on whether their dashboard switch is on or off.

Is it the law in Victoria for spot lights to be switched off independently of your high beams? In Qld, you can just wire them to be on when the high beams come on and leave it at that - no switch legally required.

Unless this has changed recently, incorrect

Yup. Omnipotent Royce is on the money again...
http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/~/media/5f455e92-481a-4cab-9636-7fe3e2cd2813/vsig10auxiliarydrivinglampsfittedtomotorvehicles.pdf

[royce]

Interesting document that, I think at the start where it says no restriction on where the lights can be used is a little misleading if you dont read the whole thing to see when you can use them

I always thought high beam, and therefore driving lights could not be used in a built up area, but that says otherwise

[krat]

Thanks Royce,

Working Sat and Sun, but will get on it ASAP.
Sorry if it's a dumb question, but how do I identify pins 85 and 86?

Kev.

[royce]

they will have little 85 and 86 in the plastic next to em

looking at the relay front the front (so the mounting tab is to the back of the relay) they will be on the left and right parallel to teh sides

[krat]

Replaced the timing belt cover today. Frigging with the aircon and powersteering brackets was a major pita. Never mind, its all back together.

Now for the driving light issue.
I have taken a photo of the relay, but cannot see anything showing 85 or 86.
The wire attached to B goes to the positive terminal on the battery.
The wire from S goes to the White wire on the Passenger Headlight.
The 2 wires from the Passenger Driving Light - One goes to L1, the other goes to body Earth.
The 2 wires from the Drivers Driving Light - One goes to L2, The other goes to body Earth.

I have to do some closer checking on where the other wires from S1 and S2 go, but I thought I would feed this back in case something was already wrong and causing the switching problems.

Thanks for the help so far.
Any advice would be appreciated.

Kev.

[wolf_rt]

found this
http://www.bmsc.com.au/forums/rallying- ... relay.html
which says:

Quote:

If no-one knowledgeable answers, this might be helpful:

A New Era relay has 6 tags, but with similar letters to yours:

B normally goes to battery positive
L1 goes to one light (or set of lights)
S1 goes to the switch controlling that circuit
L2 goes to the other light (or set of lights)
S2 goes to the switch controlling that second circuit.

The 6th tag on a New Era is marked S. It either goes to earth (if S1 and S2 ultimately go to battery positive) OR to battery positive (if S1 and S2 ultimately go to earth.)

So
B=battery...correct
L1&2=lights... correct
S... I believe should go to earth, since your lights are negative switched
S1+S2 should be bridged (connected together) and run to your Spotlight switch, and from the other side of the switch it should go to the high-beam switch wire from the stalk....

as far as I can figure it anyway...

Quote:

The wire from S goes to the White wire on the Passenger Headlight.

i'm thinking this may be your problem.... If you disconnect S1 and S2, and check if they connect to ground when high beam is on and the switch is on, then turn the spotty switch off... that should break the ground to S1&2

if that works, then connect S to a regular earth point and it should be right.... i think. (at least it is fused...lol)

[royce]

ill bet s1 and s2 have battery power on them, hopefully fused

I would pull the wire from S off and run a twin core cable with one wire to the white wire (I cant remember the colour codes, but its the right hand vertical pin on teh headlight plug you want) and the other wire to S
run that twin core inside and hook those ends to a switch, job done

[krat]

Started checking the outputs today with the multimeter.
You're on the money royce.
S1 and S2 are showing 12.2volts with all the switches off. Interestingly enough, before I ran the new twin core as you suggested, I also checked the output on S. It is also showing 12.2 volts as is the wire coming from the white wire on the headlight. (Go figure)
Given that S and this wire are both active, I don't really see the point in running both to a switch as you suggested.
Hope I'm not missing something obvious here.
Wolf_rt, thanks for your response also. I started with royce's suggestion because it sounded simpler.
I will suss your option out as well to try and sort this problem out.

Thanks for the help so far.

Kev.

[wolf_rt]

royces suggestion should still work... do the lights go out if you disconnect s ??? if so just hook up the switch as royce suggested... easier than re-wiring the whole thing.

[royce]

you arent running them to both, currently white headlight wire is connected to terminal S, you are just putting a switch between them

the reason you see power on white is the headlights have power on them all the time, with no earth on the white you 'see' the voltage through the filament, unplug both headlights and the power will go away.

This is why I hate multimeters for working out basic power things like this, they lie

[krat]

All good guys. Did a test run with two wires (one fused) and just touched them together. Lights on, lights off. Worked a treat.
After a bit of mucking around, probably one of the simplest fixes I've done.
With your help of course.
Thanks again.
Kev.