Superformance S-1 Headlight problem.

[Off Road SHO]

Specifically, the headlights no longer work. And the fuses that supposedly protect the headlight wiring are no longer "hot" at any time. The fuses are all good, but the sockets they reside in at the fuse panel, positions 3,4,5 and 6 are dead, both side, key on and key off. Do any of you S-1 owners know if there is a master fuse for the headlights?

 

Do you think they ran a relay in there (I have one in my car, next to the fuse block, that is not on the wiring diagram) that feeds the power to those 4 fuse positions?

 

Any help would be appreciated, thanks.

 

Tom

[Nick OTeen]

Have you checked the headlight switch, itself, to see if it operating properly?

[Off Road SHO]

No, I hadn't gotten that far and now they're mostly working. I don't know what I did to get them working. That separate relay next to the fuse panel is a VW headlight relay and the pin-out doesn't match the standard US relays so I couldn't swap in another. I hate it when I can't pinpoint a problem.

 

Tom

[crewst]

solid state relay I had to replace mine. I don't have info at the moment on where I got it, but if I can find out, I will post it.

[Off Road SHO]

Mine is not solid state because I can hear and feel the relay clicking when I toggle between high and low beams.

 

Tom

[S1Steve]

No, I hadn't gotten that far and now they're mostly working. I don't know what I did to get them working. That separate relay next to the fuse panel is a VW headlight relay and the pin-out doesn't match the standard US relays so I couldn't swap in another. I hate it when I can't pinpoint a problem.

 

Tom

 

Tom, A few years ago I had a problem with my headlights. I replaced that VW relay, and the

 

problem was fixed. If you need a part #, I can send it to you.

 

Steve

[Off Road SHO]

Steve,

 

Please do, I'd like to be prepared. One thing I found on my investigation of this problem was that a 30 amp fuse had shed its plastic enclosure. The bent wire inside was still making contact but the top and sides had come loose. Very strange. I replaced it with a new one anyway.

 

On another note...I replaced the cheap ass Land Rover tail and turn signal lights with LED unit and while very bright, the turn signals not flashed a such a fast rate that they almost looked like they were just on and not flashing. I had heard that this would happen when I went to LED's instead of incandescent and that a simple relay change would fix it.

 

It did, but getting the correct relay proved more difficult. O'Reily's and Auto Zone didn't carry them and it took NAPA two tries to get me the right one. The NAPA number is EP-35L. Now I've finally got the tailight, turn signals, brake light switch and flasher relay all doing their respective jobs in a dependable manner. WOOHOO!

 

Tom

[S1Steve]

Tom, Sent a photo of the relay. DNI 0127. VW part as you already know and pricey..

[Off Road SHO]

OMG! I found it! It was a loose 8-way connector behind the glove box, it was only latched completely on one side. I found it with my homemade voltage/continuity tester (Tom Tester) that has a LOUD warbler and flashing red LED whenever it sees 5-30 +DC volts or continuity. Was looking for 12 volts with it at the dimmer relay on the large Red with white strip wire that connect the headlight rocker switch to the dimmer relay. It had power, it didn't have power. Took the glove box out and while doing the standard wiggle test on everything, BINGO! the sounder goes off. There are 3, 8 wire connectors all tied to a bar with a cable tie that goes through the same pocket that the connector's latch is supposed to go through! I don't know if tightening down the cable tie dislodged the clip or what, but the cable tie should not have been attached to the 8-way connector in that fashion.

 

You can even see where the loose connection caused enough heat to discolor the white plastic of the connector housing.

 

Finally. Will take it for a test drive tonight.

 

Thanks for all the suggestions guys.