No high beams when high beam switch is pulled

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mountaindude
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Posts: 52
Joined: Sat Apr 13, 2013 10:04 am
My tercel:: 1984, 1985
Location: Northern Nevada

No high beams when high beam switch is pulled

Post by mountaindude »

Now my car is all ready for Winter snow driving, I forgot about a previous issue. I pull the signal lever and I have no high beams, just darkness. The low beams work great and you don't want to use high beams in snow, but I would like high beams as we have deer here.

I have had the car since 2009. I have never replaced the headlamps. Do you think it's the headlamps, maybe the high beams are burnt out? Or something else?
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dlb
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Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2009 9:03 pm
My tercel:: '87 sr5, '83 dlx parts car
Location: bc, canada

Re: No high beams when high beam switch is pulled

Post by dlb »

First check the high beam fuses. I think they're in the fuse box in the engine bay. If they're fine, my money is the bulbs. And if they're not the problem, it could be the switch itself. If you have a spare switch you can just remove the plastic trim below the steering wheel, unplug the controls, plug in your spare controls, and test them out. No need to remove the steering wheel and swap everything over if that's not the problem.
mountaindude
Advanced Member
Posts: 52
Joined: Sat Apr 13, 2013 10:04 am
My tercel:: 1984, 1985
Location: Northern Nevada

Re: No high beams when high beam switch is pulled

Post by mountaindude »

I bought new bulbs. I figured it was time and I will work my way backward if that isn't the issue. Thanks
mountaindude
Advanced Member
Posts: 52
Joined: Sat Apr 13, 2013 10:04 am
My tercel:: 1984, 1985
Location: Northern Nevada

Re: No high beams when high beam switch is pulled

Post by mountaindude »

Resolved! The new headlights fixed the issue. I have both high and low beams.
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dlb
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 7305
Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2009 9:03 pm
My tercel:: '87 sr5, '83 dlx parts car
Location: bc, canada

Re: No high beams when high beam switch is pulled

Post by dlb »

Nice. Gotta love the cheap and easy fix.
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Petros
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My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: No high beams when high beam switch is pulled

Post by Petros »

we once were on a cross country trip in our Mazda minivan and I noticed that both low beams were out at the same time. I quickly just adjusted down the headlights at a rest stop so I do not blind anyone when driving on high, and would take a look at it later. figured it was something wrong in fuse or switch to have both out at the same time. turns out both the low beam bulb elements were burnt out in the bulb, a stop at a parts store in Wyoming took care of it. seemed strange to me that both would go out, but I suspect the high energy bulbs were so good it was hard to notice when one was out while driving. than eventually the other went out too: hence, no low beams at all.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
mountaindude
Advanced Member
Posts: 52
Joined: Sat Apr 13, 2013 10:04 am
My tercel:: 1984, 1985
Location: Northern Nevada

Re: No high beams when high beam switch is pulled

Post by mountaindude »

This specific '84 Tercel played second fiddle to my more powerful '85 and little attention was paid to her. When my 85 rusted out, I sold it.
The 84 is a manual transmission and is actually better suited to the dangerous icy mountain roads. I don't think I ever had high beams before since I owned her. I paid $400 for her and she was used only for snow driving. You don't use high beams in a blizzard anyway.

While I overlooked her, she turned out to be a solid and reliable car. I have done a fair amount of work to keep her going. They are actually fun cars to work on.
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