i need to get a sticker on my truck tomorrow, and all the light work except the passenger side head light.

a little back story: the truck has been sitting for a little over a year and i just started it recently and tested all the lights. when i turned the lights on the drivers side front marker light was out, but by the time i walked around the truck to see the other lights it was working. the left blinker didn't work for about 20 seconds and then it magically started working. so now i tested the high beams, at this point i figured the bulb was just dead in the pass. side. i pressed the dimmer switch and the one headlight brightened up as it should, then there was about a 5 second pause and the passenger light came on but very dim. so i thought maybe the low beam filament was burned out. but when i hit the dimmer again the light was still on.

so i pulled the headlight out and the plug was kinda crusty so i cleaned the prongs on the light itself with a file, then i stuck a file in to the plug to clean that a bit. and finally i used DI electric grease on the contacts, and even tried another 2 used bulbs(witch were dimmer than the original) so i put it all back together and still i have one dim headlight.

my father suggested that the problem is the dimmer switch based on this story, what do you all think is the culprit? I'm not looking for a step by step on how to fix this, although that would be nnice... i just need ideas on what to try.

ohh one more thing, the bulb stays the same regardless of whether the high beams are on or not.

thank you in advance for helping me solve this problem!

Bob

 

I would make sure all the grounds are good!

 

i bet you would, i also bet everyone else would too! in fact now that you mention it, i am willing to bet a substantial amount of money, that i hook up a new ground directly from the battery it will work A+!

that totally makes sense too because one of the wires coming off the headlight runs directly over to the headlight bucket, presumably for ground!

this is why FTE is the best, i would never have thought of the ground because its sooooooo obvious. i always look too deeply into the problems on this truck, usually the answer is staring me in the face. the best part is, "IF" this works all it will cost me is a couple small lengths of wire, some crimp connectors and some heat shrink tubing! (all of which i already have!)

later tonight I'll try this out and post back if it works!!

 

i have 4 or 5 laying around, but im hoping its just a ground!!

thanks for the insight!

 

ok, good advise! i might just replace the socket, as the one in question is getting on in years!

 

all it was, was a bad ground. i put a jumper wire from the headlight directly to the battery withaligator clips, and it brightened right up, so i ran a new ground and everything is now AOK! thanks for the help!

 

When the dimmer switch fails, both headlights go out at the same time when the headlamps are switched from low to high beam.