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Headlight failure

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  • 26-10-2009 10:31pm
    #1
    The Yipper
    Closed Accounts Posts: 115 ✭✭


    Just been driving home down a country road (so no street lights) when all of a sudden the headlights failed...went off completely! No warning, not so much as a "by your leave"...just went off
    The parking lights are working and the rear lights are fine.
    Full beams work also, but I can't drive anywhere in the dark...was a bit lucky to get home
    Anyone got any suggestions as to what's happened here.
    I'm pretty sure it's not the bulbs, as I reckon the chances of BOTH of them blowing at the same time would be a bit of a long shot
    I thought it might be a fuse or a relay, but I'd like a couple of opinions before I go to a mechanic tomorrow and he tells me I need a new car!!!
    Car is a 02 Focus...recently serviced...about three months ago (major service)
    Thanks in advance


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    #2
    Alanstrainor
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 23,157 Mod ✭✭✭✭Alanstrainor


    My first thought was a fuse, it'd be easy to check too, once you find the fuse box you could temporarily swap fuses with a fuse of the same rating from something you know is working. I wouldn't rule out both bulbs going at once, i had it happen on a Polo before, although they were brake lights and may not have gone at exactly the same time.


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    #3
    The Yipper
    Closed Accounts Posts: 115 ✭✭The Yipper


    cheers mate.....appreciate the input....I'll check it out in the morning.
    All advice helps!


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    #4
    cml387
    Registered Users Posts: 8,389 ✭✭✭cml387


    It could be a problem with the stalk switch on the steering column
    I've had this, on a Sierra (don't ask).


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    #5
    martinr5232
    Registered Users Posts: 2,298 ✭✭✭martinr5232


    Cant be a fuse both dip lights are on separate fuses.

    Check bulbs first its quiet possible that one was gone you have to start somewhere this is the easiest.


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    #6
    dkd
    Registered Users Posts: 30 ✭dkd


    As martinr5232 said it could be bulbs. Last Tuesday morning I had both dipped headlights fail within about a half an hour of each other. The second one failed just as it was getting light enough to drive without absolutely needing lights and none of the filling stations were carrying H7's that I needed.


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    #7
    johndaman66
    Registered Users Posts: 4,095 ✭✭✭johndaman66


    martinr5232 wrote: »
    Cant be a fuse both dip lights are on separate fuses.

    Check bulbs first its quiet possible that one was gone you have to start somewhere this is the easiest.

    Would agree with martinr5232. It is quite possible you were driving for sometime with one bulb blown. I know from my own experience its not always easy to tell from the drivers seat if you have a headlight bulb blown. When the second one blew you would be left in darkness.


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    #8
    Anan1
    Registered Users Posts: 22,818 ✭✭✭✭Anan1


    cml387 wrote: »
    It could be a problem with the stalk switch on the steering column
    I've had this, on a Sierra (don't ask).
    +1, I had the same thing on an Audi years ago.
    johndaman66 wrote: »
    Would agree with martinr5232. It is quite possible you were driving for sometime with one bulb blown. I know from my own experience its not always easy to tell from the drivers seat if you have a headlight bulb blown. When the second one blew you would be left in darkness.
    No disrespect meant, but one would want to be very unobservant not to realize that one headlight was out.:)


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    #9
    martinr5232
    Registered Users Posts: 2,298 ✭✭✭martinr5232


    Anan1 wrote: »
    No disrespect meant, but one would want to be very unobservant not to realize that one headlight was out.:)

    Not on modern headlamps ive had loads of people come into me with both headlmp bulbs blown thinking they have a serious problem.

    As I said its the easiest place to start.


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    #10
    johndaman66
    Registered Users Posts: 4,095 ✭✭✭johndaman66


    Anan1 wrote: »
    No disrespect meant, but one would want to be very unobservant not to realize that one headlight was out.:)

    You might be surprised one day (or night:D) Anan1 but its probably not always immediately as obvious as you may think. You would probably tell pretty quickly on a narrow country road with a ditch or bank at the same side as blown bulb but not always as immediately obvious on a wide open road.


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