Guest Pegasus76 Posted June 18, 2004 Share Posted June 18, 2004 Ok here's the deal...My driver side headlight does not turn on when I turn my headlights on...However, whenever I turn on my high beams my light turns on. Is there a wiring problem or is it because of my "auxilary light" bulb burnt out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pegasus76 Posted June 18, 2004 Share Posted June 18, 2004 I have a 1986 300ZX, forgot to mention that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad-ManQ45 Posted June 18, 2004 Share Posted June 18, 2004 Either your low beam filament is burned out or you have a wiring problem. My vote is filament. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VRJoe Posted June 18, 2004 Share Posted June 18, 2004 Pull the bulb out and check the socket with a Volt Meter. If you've got power, it's the bulb. You can test the bulb by just putting 12V to the low beam filament. Good luck, hope it's the bulb since wiring can be a real pain. - Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pegasus76 Posted June 18, 2004 Share Posted June 18, 2004 Where is the low beam filament located and how can I replace it? <---- new to wiring Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted June 18, 2004 Share Posted June 18, 2004 I vote with the Brad-man. Low beam filaments burn out long before the high-beam would ever even comntemplate it. Just put another headlight in and go about your business. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gramercyjam Posted June 18, 2004 Share Posted June 18, 2004 My vote is in the combo switch. '83 had a seperate contact for R & L headlights so maybe it is the same deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SeanyD300zxT Posted June 18, 2004 Share Posted June 18, 2004 common COMMON z31 issue...if z31.com was up you could search it there, but like one of the other guys said, you're going to have to rebuild your combo switch (its right next to the blinker fluid resevoir!! ). the contacts within the switch just wear/get bent away, so you have to open it up, clean it, and rebend the contacts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sir_daniel Posted June 19, 2004 Share Posted June 19, 2004 the contacts within the switch just wear/get bent away, so you have to open it up, clean it, and rebend the contacts i agree with you, often it's just the contacts that needs to be cleaned... hopefully that will be enought... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pegasus76 Posted June 19, 2004 Share Posted June 19, 2004 Don't I have to take off the steering wheel and what not in order to get to the Combo Switch? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nismo280zEd Posted June 20, 2004 Share Posted June 20, 2004 Same damn thing happened to me on my 280z, first it was the switch, then it happend again, that time it was the wire to the switch. Then both of them went out and wouldn't turn back on, so i re-wired the headlights. Works like a charm now. -Ed BTW 78 280z, not a ZX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad-ManQ45 Posted June 20, 2004 Share Posted June 20, 2004 The very easiest thing to check is the headlight bulb itself. I looked through the posts above and if you stated you checked this then - my bad. A simple volt/ohm meter or test light will tell you if you are getting current to the low beam filament of the headlight. Unplug the connector on the bulb with the lowbeams on and stick a test light in each of the slots (use the pointed end for this - the alligator clip goes to a good ground) Don't worry about anything else until you have determined that the bulb itself is not shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pegasus76 Posted June 20, 2004 Share Posted June 20, 2004 I switched the bulbs and the bulb wasn't the problem...So I ended up taking off the steering wheel and popping off the connector into the switch combo...The lower right prong looked different from the others so I am guessing that's the problem...My dad stood outside and watched my headlights and whenever I pushed down on the wiring with the funny looking prong the light would turn back on...So hopefully I can just pop off the back and replace the prong peice. Well, thanks for the help guys! Appreciate it, as usual Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad-ManQ45 Posted June 20, 2004 Share Posted June 20, 2004 Kewl-glad you found the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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