HELP HELP! My headlights don't work
 

..and I have to drive 400 miles for a four day stay out of town with the family.

It's actually my Forester, but I know you all can help if you've seen this. (BTW my SVX is behaving wonderfully, and I MAY have to take the family home in it...all four of us! that's good and bad)

The lighting systems in each car are very similar.

Symptoms: Headlights don't work at all. The 'flash' high beams do, but the 'on' high beams don't. In other words pull back on the stick and the high beams come on, forward and nothing.

The fogs don't work either.

I hear no relay clicks when I move the light switch to on.

It's as if the ignition is off....but, of course, it is not.

Please anybody who may have seen such strange behavior can you help.

Of course I've checked all of the fuses and I've called my trusted dealer and they where clueless to this one.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Jeff

Some cars have a different power feed for the high beam flash so that it functions if the headlights are off.

Do the parking lights work?

Doug

Parking lights work, YUP
 

I'm told the fuze for HB and LB is the same. In fact they are the same bulb.

Nope, the high and low beams are separate bulbs. And yes, the SVX does have a flash to pass feature, but it still activates the same relay in the engine and will have a fuse somewhere inline for protection. If both lights went out at the same time, then a fuse or wiring issue somewhere between the relay and the switch is most likely at fault.

KuoH

SORRY!
 

Jeff,

SORRY! I just got your message. I don't check my AOL mail very often. Hope your problem is solved and you have a great weekend:)




David

Forester fixed, SVX took LONG road trip
 

I had to rush to get things set up for our road trip back to Rochester last weekend, so there was little time to monkey around with the Forester.

The headlight switch was faulty as determined by the dealer. The part wasn't going to be in in time for the trip. So...we drove the SVX, family and all the 6 hour trip back to Rochester. Two kids seats DO fit in the back along with luggage and gifts in the trunk.

The Forester was due for a 60K, and the oil pump seal was leaking along with the t-belt tensioner, and...so.....$1000 later it's back on the road again. Of course all of this (except for the 60K) would have been under warrentee a few weeks ago. :(

They did give me 10% on parts and 15% on labor but it was still one heck of a bill to be stuck with.

Thanks for the feedback David, but I think there was little you could have done. The switch was in fact broke and the rest was needed....

Been flying much?

Flying
 

A little here and there. Mostly sight-seeing rides with friends and co-workers. I'm hoping to get in a nice little trip this weekend.

David