Hey all, need a bit of advice here for my 3rd gen. So outta the blue a few nights ago my headlights just stopped working, and the high beams work, but only when the lever is held down. Now I really don't want to get stuck on another 2 hour drive doing that so I'm hoping to get this fixed as soon as I can while also not breaking the bank. But I've taken a look at the switch, cleaned the contacts and such. Everything looked fine and I was confident enough that I fixed it so I didn't even bother to check the wires. Well confidence doesn't equal competence so im still at square one. All the other bits and bobs work as well, headlight motor, turn signals, hazards. It's just the lights. They also both went out at the same time, and before they went out completely they were like dimming then brightening and so on. Not sure if I've got a bad ground or whatnot. I also could try taking a second look at the switch. I'm just sort of looking for anyone's suggestions or possible solutions.
Also I have checked the relays and fuses. Those seemed good. I'll check for voltage at the headlights right now.
Kindest Regards,≈Hachikō, 1986 Accord Lxi Hatchback, 2.0L, Auto

 

So took the multimeter to the headlights, not sure if this is some funky pop up thing but I got power on all 3 like terminals. So guessing I've got a short somewhere? Or I'm just not measuring it right? If it is a short to power, any idea where it may be? I assume if both are showing they all have power than it's somewhere before they bridge off right? I'll check for continuity on the bulb itself too to make sure those are all dandy

 

Checking voltage across the connector is a good start. Checking voltage on the 12V to a good body ground is another useful measurement. A test light can help identify if you have a power or ground issue, then you can work backwards to figure out the cause of the problem.

 

Alright, know by chance where the headlights ground too? Might help in finding if there's any issues with that if I know where they are. I'll dig around for a test light too, been a while since I've used one.

Alright so ground is the top post I'm getting 12 on the battery and on the engine with it removed and not getting anything on the left and right. But now that I'm thinking about it should I be getting 12v on everything when it's in and the lights are on low beam, shouldn't the high beam not be getting power? And if they're getting power all the time but still not working I assume that'd mean the grounds gone right? I'll test everything in the different switch positions

 

Alright so after jumbling around a bit more with the multimeter and the test light. I've found out. I'm more confused than I was before. Man, don't know why I'm struggling to figure this out so much. Don't know if it's me, funky wiring job, or like something completely different. I'd most likely tack it down to me though, not a single idea what I'm doing honestly. I've even got a fancy little paper with the words ASE Electrical Certification, that says I should know what I'm doing, having a heck of a time showing that I earned that though.

Maybe I need to just give it a break for a bit. I've been working on this thing for about 5 hours and I've gotten nowhere. Definitely don't feel like I've won this one today though. Might just need to refresh a bit and tackle it again tomorrow night, hopefully the gears will be turning by then.

 

For a bulb, you need to determine if you are missing power or missing ground, then work backwards to find the real problem.

With the low beam turned on with the bulbs unplugged, the driver's side red/yel wire and the passenger side red/green wire should have 12V to ground. With either the volt meter or the test l ight, you should read 12V to a good ground. The test light is more definitive, because it draws current. The volt meter doesn't draw current, so you can read 12V, but you could have a severely corroded/damaged wire that can't carry current to light the bulb.

If you read 12V to battery -, then the bulb is getting power and that side of the circuit is ok. If you read zero volts to a different ground source like the black wire to the bulb or the engine block, then you are missing a ground somewhere.

Alternatively, you can hook up your test light to battery + and see if you are missing ground to the engine block or just the black ground wire to the bulbs. Both low beams share a ground (G

 

Thanks, definitely appreciate the direction. I'll have to test it tommorow and I'll post my findings.

 

So just tried that, found a good ground with the test light, tested for power on the wires to the bulbs. Nothin I was messing around more with the switch too. Turn signals aren't working anymore either. I'm pretty certain the switch still just isn't working.
I'm going to probably start just manually jumping bits on the switch to see if it might be that.

 

Earlier you had power in some of your testing and now you don't. Also the turn signal bulbs aren't working. Did you verify you had a good ground for your testing by hooking up the test light to battery + and touching the test light to ground?

You can check that your switch is working by testing for power on each fuse to the high and low beams while plugged in. There are some good youtube videos on how to quickly check the fuses in your fuse box. Just use battery - for your test light and when going through the fuses.

 

Yup, its the switch...
Thanks for all the help though guys, must've just been getting all flustered a couple days back. I think one of the springs in the switch was broke, but I didn't think itd make it not make any connection. Time to make a makeshift switch or something.