Joe440

Just bought my car last week and noticed drivers high beam light didn't work. I installed new silverstars and the drivers side still doesn't work.

Pulled the light connected it to the battery ....... Light bulb is good.
Tested power to the light plug connector without light bulb........ 12 V.... Good
With light connected there is no power.

Passenger side light works.

Any ideas what to check or replace ?

drvqz33

iTrader: (10)

What year headlights?

Halogen or HIDs?

Joe440

2005
Low beam = HID
High beam = Halogen

K51

With the headlamp assembly connected to the chassis harness, check your voltage at the halogen bulb's plug. Maybe that's already been done - hard to tell from your description.

I'm not familiar with the older type headlights, but does the halogen bulb have one or two contacts? If only one, then it needs to be grounded through the headlight assembly, so that's another possibility.

Jennifer 2

Joe each high beam bulb has its own fuse. They are located in power distribution module, which is in the battery compartment.

Joe440

The light has 2 wires. I measure 12V when the light is not in the socket but the voltage drops to 0V when the light is in.



I will check the fuse tonight. i just can't figure why it has 12V when the light is out of the socket and no power when the light is in the socket.

K51

Could be a bad/loose connection, either on the power or ground side. You've got enough current flowing to trip on the meter, but not enough to illuminate the bulb. That's why the voltage drops to zero when the bulb is in the circuit.

Jennifer 2

Joe if this is a Canadian spec Z it will have daytime running lights. On a 03 to 05 Z this works by running power through the high beams in a series connection as opposed to a parallel connection (when the high beams are on).

I don’t know if I’m explaining this right, but by running the current first through one bulb then through the other side bulb before grounding allows the high beams to function at about 40% of brightness which is just right for daytime running lights. Also the DTRL are off when the parking brake is on.

I know I’m not much help in trouble shooting your problem, but I thought these random facts might be of some help. Also, I’m bored with of all the guys here sending me to the kitchen to make sandwiches all the time. Hope you get this fixed.

Joe440

Yes, its a Canadian model....... funny thing is that the DTRL dont work at all. I didn't have time to work on the lights tonight.
i just finished installing a new JVC head unit.


You know more about the 350z than me. I wouldn't be sending you to make sandwiches, i'd be making them while you fixed my car. lol