Running lights work, Headlights don't?

[Mopar-Charger]

Pretty much the tittle, what will happen is if my battery drains, my headlights won't turn on.

I have a 1973 charger so if you guys are familiar with the instrument cluster, there's the little red dot that lets you know when you headlights are on.

In a perfect situation, the red light only lights up when the head lights are on (low red - low beams, Bright red - High beams)

When I pull the nob out to turn my headlights on, the red light, lights up bright with just my running lights. THen when I pull it all the way out, no head lights turn on, and the red light stays the same.

I've had this problem before, it would go away just by driving the car? (about 30-60 minutes running). I figured it was the battery, I charged it to 100% and it still has the same problem.

Any suggestions, Would be much appreciated. Thank you!

 

[440roadrunner]

So this has concealed headlamps? You have a shop manual? You can download a free one (two sections) from MyMopar. That manual, and a few others, by the way, came from the guys on FABO

Start with the "body" manual, page 5-18

 

[jcskokos]

I had a similar issue with my 67 coronet. I went into the connector at the engine side of the firewall on the drivers side and cleaned all the corrosion from the pins, bent the female sides a bit to have a better contact and put a little electrical jelly on it and haven't had the problem come back since (happened about 3 years ago)

 

[Mopar-Charger]

I figured it was something like that, I looked at my car manual and it said pins at firewall, or pins at dash. (ruled out bad battery, or bad ground)

I purchased a engine wiring harness, I plan on putting that in tomorrow. I'll pull off both both and fix them. Where's the best place to buy electrical jelly?

Also, I have a new set of relays (ceramic, better grounds). they have what looks like a connector on them, but it is not long enough to reach the fire wall? I can send you a picture of it if need be.

Thanks,

Jake

 

[mopar 3 B]

Did you check the wiring at the dinner switch?

 

[Mopar-Charger]

I have not yet.

 

[bigmanjbmopar]

Did you check the wiring at the dinner switch?

You have a dinner switch? Does it magically make food appear? where do you get one? :headbang:

 

[mopar 3 B]

You have a dinner switch? Does it magically make food appear? where do you get one? :headbang:

I will pass that one on to grammar checker after dinner some day. Mean while you know where your dimer is?

 

[Cranky]

You can buy dielectric grease (electrical jelly) at any auto parts store.....and wish I had a dinner switch. Might lose some weight with one of those lol

 

[Nacho-RT74]

the pilot light on cluster just turns on when HIGH beams are on, never on low beams... there is not two stages on that pilot light

 

[Mopar-Charger]

I pulled off the connector at the dash for the "Dinner" Switch and the connections looked fine and didn't have a problem

The connectors at the firewall for the headlights and engine bay are wacked. Previous owner made a mess with the wiring. THat being said I wasn't able to pull off the switches cause the engine was hot (Headers DO bite...). When I have a chance I will try and get that off and apply some electrical jelly. However, when I was wiggling it out, I noticed all power to the car went out (when i reconnected the battery after messing with the wiring) No headlights, no dome light, no ignition, nada. Wiggled some more, everything worked except the headlights?

Any thought to why that is?

 

[Mopar-Charger]

I had a similar issue with my 67 coronet. I went into the connector at the engine side of the firewall on the drivers side and cleaned all the corrosion from the pins, bent the female sides a bit to have a better contact and put a little electrical jelly on it and haven't had the problem come back since (happened about 3 years ago)

I did this, made sure there wasn't any corrosion on the pins. Still headlights don't work. I'm going to buy a switcher for under the dash to replace it and see if that fixes the problem.

Again, for anyone who hasn't viewed this. The nob pulls out and only running lights come on (with the red dot in middle of dash).

 

[bm02tj]

electrical jelly ask for dielectric silicone for electrical connections non harding and keeps moisture out

 

[Mopar-Charger]

So you're saying that will fix the problem? If I just put that on the bulk head?

 

[bm02tj]

It does not fix it
it prevents it happening again after you fix it by cleaning or replacing

 

[Mopar-Charger]

Yeah, I'm stuck at the fixing point. All the contacts throughout the wiring set are clean. I'm not sure about the grounds because my 73 SE has a ground on the harness by the battery, however, the coupe 73 doesn't?

 

[440roadrunner]

You cannot troubleshoot electrical problems by "simply" looking at connections, although that is a start

"Catch" this when the problem exists. Arm yourself with a clip lead wire or 3 (so you can extend the meter leads or hook them when you cannot hold onto the probes)

The dimmer switch is a simple 3 terminal switch. It RECEIVES power from the headlight switch, and one or the other of the remaining terminals is ALWAYS hot, depending on high or low beam. As said above, the cluster indicator (high beam) is powered off the terminal feeding the high beams.

So see if you have power there at the dimmer Even a 12V test lamp will work here. "Probe" it and or wiggle the connector with the lights on, see if anything happens.

Get out front and check the harness ground for the headlight harness.

 

[Mopar-Charger]

You cannot troubleshoot electrical problems by "simply" looking at connections, although that is a start

"Catch" this when the problem exists. Arm yourself with a clip lead wire or 3 (so you can extend the meter leads or hook them when you cannot hold onto the probes)

The dimmer switch is a simple 3 terminal switch. It RECEIVES power from the headlight switch, and one or the other of the remaining terminals is ALWAYS hot, depending on high or low beam. As said above, the cluster indicator (high beam) is powered off the terminal feeding the high beams.

So see if you have power there at the dimmer Even a 12V test lamp will work here. "Probe" it and or wiggle the connector with the lights on, see if anything happens.

Get out front and check the harness ground for the headlight harness.

Ok, I'll try all of those. For the last thing I can't find the ground for the headlight harness? I looked at the headlight harness from my 73 se and it was grounded behind the battery, however my non se doesn't have that. Where else could the grounds be? Could 1 headlight bulb go bad and kill the circuit?

 

[Mopar-Charger]

I was looking at my Parking Lights (valance lights) and there is only 2 wires going to the driverside light, and 3 wires going to the passenger. I assume that the extra one going to the driver side lights is the ground? I couldn't imagine that that was the ground for the entire forward headlights? before I cut that wire and hard wire it to the body can anyone confirm that?

 

[mopar 3 B]

What is the wire color and strip color on the wire you want to use for ground? Then someone can tell you if you will be using the right wire.