Odd headlight issue
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
iTrader: (2)
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 68
Likes: 1
From: Waterloo, Ontario
Odd headlight issue I've got a strange headlight problem that I'm scratching my head over.
I've got a 99 WS6 with DRL and auto headlights I disabled the auto headlights a couple years ago. Everything has been working perfectly until the last couple times I had the car out where I needed to use the headlights. When i take the car in the early morning I'll turn the headlights on while it's still dark and they come on fine. Then as I drive an hour or so to work the sun comes up etc and then I turn the switch off. The headlights stay up and don't shut off. I can drive the rest of the way to work and they stay up and on. I pulled over and shut the car off. The headlights turned off and went down no problem. Started the car to continue on and they popped up again and lights came on even though switch is in the off position. Got to work shut off car and they went down and off properly. Came out at lunch and everything is now ok, no more problems they don't come up and do come up if I turn the switch in and then go down when I turn it off.
A couple weeks later I took the car again first thing in the am again and ran into the exact same issue
I'm baffled by this. Any ideas?
I've got a 99 WS6 with DRL and auto headlights I disabled the auto headlights a couple years ago. Everything has been working perfectly until the last couple times I had the car out where I needed to use the headlights. When i take the car in the early morning I'll turn the headlights on while it's still dark and they come on fine. Then as I drive an hour or so to work the sun comes up etc and then I turn the switch off. The headlights stay up and don't shut off. I can drive the rest of the way to work and they stay up and on. I pulled over and shut the car off. The headlights turned off and went down no problem. Started the car to continue on and they popped up again and lights came on even though switch is in the off position. Got to work shut off car and they went down and off properly. Came out at lunch and everything is now ok, no more problems they don't come up and do come up if I turn the switch in and then go down when I turn it off.
A couple weeks later I took the car again first thing in the am again and ran into the exact same issue
I'm baffled by this. Any ideas?
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,328
Likes: 345
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
How did you disable the automatic headlights? There are several methods and some can cause side effects. Even the best way (clip a Scotch Lock connector across the sensor wires) could lead to intermittent problems as the connector gets old and its resistance increases. If that's the case, then installing a new shorting connector would solve the problem.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
iTrader: (2)
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 68
Likes: 1
From: Waterloo, Ontario
That's exactly the way i did it. I did notice while I was in there doing this mod that the PO had done some playing around with the wiring when they had disabled the DRL and that some of the other wiring had insulation stripped off and that some of the wires were frayed. I taped them up at the time but now that you mentioned the weakening I'm wondering if some of those wires have maybe become more degraded. The wires that I put the scotch clip on had not been disturbed like the others when installed the clip. Is there any way to fix the damaged wires besides cutting out the frayed section and soldering? Would trying some liquid insulation on them help?
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,328
Likes: 345
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
Fixing it depends on the condition of the wires. If the wire conductor is in good shape (unbroken and not corroded) and only the insulation is damaged then you can repair the insulation with electrical tape or liquid tape. But if the wire itself is damaged then replacing it is the best option.
