46
votes
Accepted
Car won't start, horn won't honk, headlights won't come on, what could cause this?
The symptoms all point to a faulty battery, and an incorrect test result for the Autozone battery test.
Starting with this: Hitting brakes: Brake lights come on and interior lights dim: a good ...
- 4,412
34
votes
Accepted
Do matching (left/right) lights often burn out within a short time period of each other? If so, why?
No, the salesman was spot on. If you think about it, bulbs are designed to last about the same amount of time. If they are installed in pairs, then the secondary light which matches the first will ...
- 160k
15
votes
Car won't start, horn won't honk, headlights won't come on, what could cause this?
All symptoms point to a dead battery, but as you have already attempted to rule that out, the next thing I'd check would be bad connections or cables.
Turn on the headlights or something else that ...
- 151
7
votes
Accepted
Is it a cause for concern if one headlight beam points lower than the other
I would say the two peaks should be at the same height. In the UK, beam alignment is part of the annual MOT roadworthyness test, and the government publish a guide as to how to set them up:
https://...
- 28.8k
7
votes
Weird headlight issue!
Each bulb usually has 2 filaments in it, one for low beam and one for high beam. One possibility is that your driver's side bulb has a broken high beam filament and the passenger side has a broken ...
- 25.5k
7
votes
Do matching (left/right) lights often burn out within a short time period of each other? If so, why?
Lightbulb failure is a random event, which is not pre-set to happen after X hours of service or before a certain date. It is provoked by stress from vibration, repeated heating up and cooling down and ...
- 2,652
6
votes
Accepted
Head light bulbs
If the bulb in question is the same fitment as the original (is just a higher wattage or whatever), then it should cause no issues with the wiring. I believe the main differences can be linked back to ...
- 160k
5
votes
How important is bulb grease when changing low-beam or high-beam headlights?
No, you don't "really need" it. However, the purpose of the grease is to keep out moisture that can degrade the connection and the bulb's performance. So if you see any signs of corrosion when you ...
- 14.5k
5
votes
Accepted
How to fix 2007 Mercedes SLK daytime running lights?
After hours of tracing cables, removing panels and taking apart more of the car than I'd like to admit, I figured the issue out. Apparently there's a cable for control current (or something like that)....
- 251
5
votes
Sealing / effectively preserving restored headlights
The best way to keep them looking good is to utilize clear spray lacquer which is is not affected by UV. UV light is what causes the cloudiness in the first place. By spraying the clearcoat on there, ...
- 160k
5
votes
Accepted
How important is bulb grease when changing low-beam or high-beam headlights?
It depends.
What you are referring to is dielectric grease. It doesn't conduct electricity so it is safe to use on electrical connectors.
Modern vehicle assembly lines don't grease bulbs because the ...
- 1,571
5
votes
Accepted
Why do the headlights of supercars looking flashing on video
They flash because that's how their brightness is altered. Rather than use a large resistor to vary the current through the LEDs, they are flashed on and off faster than your eye can detect. When they ...
- 9,296
5
votes
Should I clearcoat my headlights after sanding and polishing them?
You can buy a non yellowing clear coat for plastics that will keep it from yellowing.
Video describing how to do it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEJbKLZ7RmM
Non Yellowing Clear coat paint
https://...
- 151
5
votes
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Is this headlight cover corrupted? (Small cracks from an angle)
Everyday driving puts small scratches and chips in the lens. That along with the impact of UV light from the sun distorts the light beam as it passes through the lens. The light gets scattered and ...
- 20k
5
votes
Is this headlight cover corrupted? (Small cracks from an angle)
This answer pretty much coincides with @mikes' answer, with a little different understanding of what's best.
The pits/marks on your headlight covers can easily be taken care of with a polishing kit ...
- 160k
4
votes
Accepted
Why would headlights stop working after turning over
Turns out what went wrong was my car was turning on the brights (highs) when I would go to unlock it, and the regular (lows) headlights were never working. I thought the car was turning on the lows ...
- 315
4
votes
High beams work, low beams do not. What is wrong with headlight?
There are a few things that could be problems:
Confirm that the bulbs are good. I've seen it happen more than once that one bulb burns out and you don't notice, then the second bulb burns out and ...
- 14.5k
4
votes
How does color temperature influence headlight performance?
The color of light, expressed in degrees Kelvins (K). The sun is about 5800 K. This is called a "temperature," because the hotter a flame or a lamp filament gets, the more it changes from a warm ...
- 3,962
4
votes
Accepted
Temporary loss of engine power when headlights flashed after jump start
To put it simply;
Your alternator was working very hard to charge the battery while you were driving. The additional load of flashing your high beams added to the amperage draw which in turn added to ...
- 9,005
4
votes
How to use acetone vapour to clear headlights?
Answer: Don't.
Never heard of it. Sounds suspicious. Video you provided is unconvincing, and doesn't look like actual "oxidation". Faded headlights are physically worn, and require sanding and ...
- 4,149
4
votes
Low beams do not work, high beams do
There should be fuses for the low beams. Fuse #21 in the under dash fuse box feeds both low beams. #16 and 17 are redundant fuses for right and left. See if fuse #21 is blown, replace if needed. If 21 ...
- 7,990
4
votes
Do matching (left/right) lights often burn out within a short time period of each other? If so, why?
In contrast to the other contributors I have never replaced both headlights at the same time. I am 64 years old and have been replacing my own lights since I had my first car. You will sometimes get a ...
- 91
4
votes
Accepted
corner light (signal light) glass cover is destroyed, how can I make one?'
Generally, when looking for harder to find parts such as this signal light my first thought would be to check online retailers like Rockauto, etc. However, this turned out to be a no go as this car ...
- 643
3
votes
High beams work, low beams do not. What is wrong with headlight?
Perform a continuity test on your combination switch. Get a multimeter and service manual for your vehicle and test the contacts with the switch in different positions.
- 12.2k
3
votes
Having trouble finding socket and wiring harness for xb 2005 left blinker
The part you are looking for can be found in the aftermarket from a company called Airtex. The PN is: AIRTEX / WELLS 1P2139 {#1507} ... You can find it on RockAuto.com. Here is a copy of their picture:...
- 160k
3
votes
My low beam only works when I take the high beam fuse out
Sounds like you have a grounding problem or wires that melted together and are not shorted. I think you will need your wiring schematics and possibly a tone generator to find where the short is.
...
- 2,879
3
votes
Headlight washer blocked by ice
I'm not sure, but I thought the little things used the pressure of the fluid coming out of the nozzles to extend them. If so, there shouldn't be an issue. Either way, if they work when not frozen, I'd ...
- 160k
3
votes
Accepted
more wattage bulb in my pulsar 150cc 2016 model
It looks like your bike isn't capable of generating enough power for a 55w headlight bulb. If you installed one, you'd likely have problems with your battery going flat. You would need to upgrade the ...
- 3,012
3
votes
Accepted
Should I clearcoat my headlights after sanding and polishing them?
Headlights will yellow over time, almost like it's their purpose in life to do so. Once they do, you can treat them (as you have) or replace them.
You will be sanding them again, when they turn yellow ...
- 12.2k
3
votes
High beams work, low beams do not
Check the bulbs, relay for low beam and the fuses for low beams - usually there are fuses per side for headlights.
- 34.7k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible