hi-beam malfunction

[jkane98]

Has anyone had an issue where you flip your hi-beams on you lose all headlight? Problem just started on my 2004 Pilot EX-L. Thanks for any replies.

[rocky]

New one to me.

On another car I had a similar but not as severe problem on one side. Ended up replacing the switchgear inside the car.

[theirishscion]

Check the high beam relay, or relays (anyone know if the Pilot has separate circuits for left and hight hand lamps?)

Check for proper switching for control line to that relay(s) (make sure the headlight high-low switch is setting the control wire for that relay 12v and 0v as you'd expect):. If not, odds are you have a bad headlight switch on the column. If the switch check out ok, it's a bad wire or connector elsewhere. Make with the multimeter and lots of patience.

If none of this makes much sense to you, you might do well to take the problem to a professional. A failing high beam can sometimes be a foreboding of a failing lighting system if the column switch is on the way out. Losing both high and low beams in the dead of night on a turn at 60mph is surprisingly unpleasant. Ask me how I know.

[2010exl]

If the low beams turn off when the high beams are activated......then if both high beam bulbs are burned out you will not have any headlights when the high beams are activated.

I am not sure if the 2004 pilot headlights work this way......but most cars will shut off the low beams when the high beams are on.

Also ....Check the fuses...there may be a separate fuse for each head light. Also remove the bulbs and look to see if the filament is broken on the high beam.

[whizmo]

Originally Posted by 2010exl

I am not sure if the 2004 pilot headlights work this way......but most cars will shut off the low beams when the high beams are on.

Good thought, but on my 2006, the high beam adds a bulb, but leaves the low beams on.

- Mark

[theirishscion]

Originally Posted by whizmo

Good thought, but on my 2006, the high beam adds a bulb, but leaves the low beams on.

- Mark

Right, suggesting that this person's problem lies in the combination switch. I can't be sure but I'm strongly suspicious.

[jkane98]

Thanks for the replies. They have been very helpful. I have checked out the relays and they are okay. Bulbs are good. So my next step is the switch.

[jkane98]

Again, Thanks for the help. It was the switch. Went and picked up a new one for $26, replaced it in about an hour's time. Everything works fine. Wonder what a dealer would have charged.

[theirishscion]

We live to serve Glad it worked out. Factor no less than an hour's labor at the dealer, plus $40 for the switch, so ~$160 when all is said and done.

[whizmo]

Originally Posted by jkane98

Again, Thanks for the help. It was the switch. Went and picked up a new one for $26, replaced it in about an hour's time. Everything works fine.

Glad you got it fixed. Any tips or gotchas on the repair? Over the next 20 years or so while this forum is around, there might be a lot of people running into the same problem.

- Mark

[jkane98]

No major gotchas. Having a shop manual was an asset. I did remove both bulbs and the filaments looked good on both but I replaced them anyway ($20.00). I also checked the relays with a multimeter to verify their integrity. The only issue that I had was that when I removed the 2 screws that held the switch in the bracket, I still met with resistance extracting it. Upon real close scrutiny of the diagram in the manual I realized that the manual showed a small pin molded into the switch that slipped into a tiny hole in the bracket. Just inserting a small screw driver head and prying a little allowed the switch to easily slip right out. Once all that was done the job was all but done. One other thing... turn the ignition key on just to free up the steering wheel and turn it so that the screws for the switch are exposed for clear access to the screws. I messed around with an offset phillips screwdriver until it dawned on me that I could do that. You'd think that would be obvious but I couldn't see it for awhile.

[rocky]

Love it when I guess right!