1990 Pontiac Grand Prix No Hi-beam problem

The hi-beams on my son's car have quit working and I am puzzled.

With the ignition switch on and the headlights on, the hi-beams will
not come on. However, with the ignition off and headlights off, you
can pull on the switch and the hi-beams will come on.

You used to hear a click when you pulled the hi-low beam switch and
you no longer hear the click. At first I thought that there was a
latching type relay between the switch and the bulbs, but the only
wiring diagram I have, in a Haynes manual, shows that the headlights
are powered directly from the hi-low beam switch.

I don't understand. If the hi-beam switch itself is bad, why will the
hi-beams come on when you pull the switch with the ignition is off?

What am I missing?

You might be missing a ground connection.

Joe Phillips wrote:
>
> The hi-beams on my son's car have quit working and I am puzzled.
>
> With the ignition switch on and the headlights on, the hi-beams will
> not come on. However, with the ignition off and headlights off, you
> can pull on the switch and the hi-beams will come on.
>
> You used to hear a click when you pulled the hi-low beam switch and
> you no longer hear the click. At first I thought that there was a
> latching type relay between the switch and the bulbs, but the only
> wiring diagram I have, in a Haynes manual, shows that the headlights
> are powered directly from the hi-low beam switch.
>
> I don't understand. If the hi-beam switch itself is bad, why will the
> hi-beams come on when you pull the switch with the ignition is off?
>
> What am I missing?

--
Mike Walsh
West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S.A.

Those are 'passing' lights I believe and consist of both the high and
low beams together when you pull the stalk back.

Maybe they are both burned out?

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

Joe Phillips wrote:
>
> The hi-beams on my son's car have quit working and I am puzzled.
>
> With the ignition switch on and the headlights on, the hi-beams will
> not come on. However, with the ignition off and headlights off, you
> can pull on the switch and the hi-beams will come on.
>
> You used to hear a click when you pulled the hi-low beam switch and
> you no longer hear the click. At first I thought that there was a
> latching type relay between the switch and the bulbs, but the only
> wiring diagram I have, in a Haynes manual, shows that the headlights
> are powered directly from the hi-low beam switch.
>
> I don't understand. If the hi-beam switch itself is bad, why will the
> hi-beams come on when you pull the switch with the ignition is off?
>
> What am I missing?

On Mon, 27 Dec 2004 17:23:17 -0500, Mike Romain >
wrote:

>Those are 'passing' lights I believe and consist of both the high and
>low beams together when you pull the stalk back.
>
>Maybe they are both burned out?

I don't know if the low beams are supposed to stay on when you pull
the stalk. What puzzles me is why the high beams don't work when you
have the headlights turned on and pull the stalk but will come on when
the headlights are off and you pull the stalk.


>Joe Phillips wrote:
>>
>> The hi-beams on my son's car have quit working and I am puzzled.
>>
>> With the ignition switch on and the headlights on, the hi-beams will
>> not come on. However, with the ignition off and headlights off, you
>> can pull on the switch and the hi-beams will come on.
>>
>> You used to hear a click when you pulled the hi-low beam switch and
>> you no longer hear the click. At first I thought that there was a
>> latching type relay between the switch and the bulbs, but the only
>> wiring diagram I have, in a Haynes manual, shows that the headlights
>> are powered directly from the hi-low beam switch.
>>
>> I don't understand. If the hi-beam switch itself is bad, why will the
>> hi-beams come on when you pull the switch with the ignition is off?
>>
>> What am I missing?

On Mon, 27 Dec 2004 16:16:55 GMT, Mike Walsh >
wrote:

>
>You might be missing a ground connection.

I'm not sure I understand you. If the ground at the bulb is bad, the
hi-beam wouldn't light at all.


>Joe Phillips wrote:
>>
>> The hi-beams on my son's car have quit working and I am puzzled.
>>
>> With the ignition switch on and the headlights on, the hi-beams will
>> not come on. However, with the ignition off and headlights off, you
>> can pull on the switch and the hi-beams will come on.
>>
>> You used to hear a click when you pulled the hi-low beam switch and
>> you no longer hear the click. At first I thought that there was a
>> latching type relay between the switch and the bulbs, but the only
>> wiring diagram I have, in a Haynes manual, shows that the headlights
>> are powered directly from the hi-low beam switch.
>>
>> I don't understand. If the hi-beam switch itself is bad, why will the
>> hi-beams come on when you pull the switch with the ignition is off?
>>
>> What am I missing?