Headlights won't turn on!

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elvaliant66

elvaliant66

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I got a 67 valiant and the headlights don't work . I swapped the headlight switch thinking it was that since the dome light and gauge lights won't turn on either . After I switched it my dome lamp will work but no headlights or gauge lights. The gauge lights could just have some old bulbs but not as concerning as no headlights. So I also swapped the high beam switch thinking that could be it.. That was a no go still no headlights. My parking lamps work but I know that circuit goes thru with turn signals and flashers cuz they both work ( turn signals,flashers). What else could be the culprit? The headlights themselves? When I first bought the car they worked and once I got home and tried turning them on to go for a cruise in the afternoon. They denied my cruise lol. Any advice is appreciated ! Thanks in advance!
 
Check the floor switch for the brights. My plug down there came loose and my headlights stopped working. Dustin
 
elvaliant66 said:
............ dome lamp will work but no headlights or gauge lights. The gauge lights could just have some old bulbs ............ My parking lamps work but I know that circuit goes thru with turn signals and flashers cuz they both work ( turn signals,flashers). ..............!
Click to expand...

Stop guessing and figure out the system

..............Go to MyMopar and download a service manual. also there, are aftermarket, simplified wiring diagrams which are sometimes easier to follow

http://www.mymopar.com/index.php?pid=31

You also need some tools, a test lamp, a multimeter, and some alligator clip leads

There are TWO power sources to the light switch.

Park / tail / instrument lamps power comes from the TAIL fuse.

Power TO the instrument lamps goes from TAIL fuse, through the switch and dimmer, and BACK OUT to the "inst" fuse in the fuse panel, which is all the way to one end of the panel.

HEADLIGHTS power comes from a big welded SPLICE in the black ammeter wire. This splice branches off from the ammeter wire, and feeds the ignition switch, the "hot" buss in the fuse panel, and the headlight switch.

"Probable" trouble areas............

Bad connection right at the headlight switch power or headlights "going out" from the switch

Bad connection at the dimmer switch or bad dimmer switch

Bad connection(s) at the bulkhead connector where the hi and lo beams go through. THIS WOULD AFFECT both high and low beams.

START by accessing the dimmer switch. Turn on the light switch, and probe the dimmer switch "for power." TWO of the terminals of the dimmer switch should be hot. When switching from hi to lo whatever terminal is dead should come hot.

Power FROM the light switch goes TO the dimmer and the dimmer selects one or the other and feeds either hi or lo on out through the BULKHEAD CONNECTOR.

If you have power at the dimmer switch, I would move on out to the headlights. Remove them, examine the harness GROUND point for the lights

Probe the back of the headlights connectors for power.
 
Thanks for the heads up on the link . I'm gonna try to figure it out this weekend .. I'll keep you posted
 
Probe the Green wire going into the floor dimmer switch. If it has no power, the issue is in the harness/switch before that point.

The switch itself may be fried. If you wanted to upgrade lighting performance, look into a relay kit like the ones I build.
 
Check ground wire connection(s) at radiator core support.
 
I had the wiring to the headlights slip down between the battery and inner fender. Battery acid ate through the wiring
Yes, it happened at night on a back road. It was 35 years ago. I know to look for that stuff now.
 
I checked the connectors to the actual headlight I also have power there .. So that means the actual headlight is the culprit?
 
elvaliant66 said:
So I probbed the green wire on the dimmer and there is power
Click to expand...

So follow it out. From the dimmer, two wires go out through the bulkhead connector, out into the engine bay, around to the front of the car in the lighting harness, and go to the headlights connectors. THE GROUND for both lamps is normally "Y"ed together to one ground. If that one ground goes bad neither will work.

Pull one lamp, I'd pull driver's side. Drop the lamp out, let it hang on the wire. Probe the rear of the connector for power. Regardless of which beam is activated, only one terminal should be "hot" (power.) If TWO have power, you have a ground problem.

Follow the harness visually. AT some point, the ground terminal should be bolted to the rad support.
 
i think its going to be that ford sticker on your bumper peel it off and see if it works
 
Mopar Tim said:
OR the ground to the headlights!
Click to expand...

U got it! Hah it was the ground to the headlights:banghead: The bolt was rusty and coming loose . Just switched it out and it worked. Saved $30 bux I was about to buy new headlights lol. Thanks again you MOPAR LORDS!
 
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