The low beam light does not light up: the main causes and troubleshooting

Issues discussed in the material:

• Why doesn't the low beam light come on?
• Why does the low beam bulb often burn out?
• Why is the low beam light dim?

If the high beam on a car is on, but the low beam cannot be turned on, then any driver would like to know what could be the cause of the breakdown. Moreover, not only used cars are susceptible to this malfunction; even on cars with low mileage, headlights can fail. In this article we will tell you why the low beam light does not light up and how to solve this problem.

Why doesn't the low beam light come on?

Owners of LADA cars often contact service centers with a complaint that even on practically new cars that have recently rolled off the assembly line, the above-described breakdown of the right headlight occurs, while the left one lights up with both low and high beams in normal mode. However, you should not think that such a nuisance can only affect cars from a domestic manufacturer. Naturally, any breakdown can easily occur on foreign cars.

The fact is that over time, the parts of any used machine wear out, regardless of the brand and country of the manufacturer. If it happens that the low beam on one headlight on your car does not light up, of course, the easiest way is to contact a car repair shop, where an electrician will quickly fix any malfunction. But in this article we will tell you that having minimal skills in working with electrical equipment, as well as free time, it is quite possible to carry out repairs yourself.

Why does it happen that the high beam is on, but you can’t turn on the low beam? Let's look at the main reasons:

• the low beam lamp has burned out;
• the fuse is broken;
• wiring is damaged;
• non-standard reasons.

In each of these cases, you can correct the situation on your own.

If you drive a car, you just need to know how to fix broken headlights yourself, because a situation may arise when you won’t be able to go to a workshop or the lights go out in the middle of the road at night. Therefore, we will consider all the main problems with car headlights and ways to solve them.

Reference

Problems with light in a car occur most often at sub-zero temperatures, that is, in the winter season, because then the network is more subject to load. Also, lamps that are made from low-quality materials, from little-known or low-quality manufacturers have the greatest chance of failure.

This also applies to electrical circuit components.

Chevrolet Niva is a joint production product of two automobile concerns - AvtoVAZ and GM. The car belongs to the crossover class, but the presence of permanent all-wheel drive makes it a good option for those who like to conquer off-road conditions

Therefore, it is very important that all components of the car work reliably, because when you find yourself far from a populated area, you need to feel confident that you will be able to get to your destination

But over time, the service life of the parts is exhausted and problems appear with some elements. For example, components responsible for lighting may fail. In this case, it is impossible to continue moving.

The problem may be caused by faulty low beam lamps or wiring problems. First of all, you need to check the low beam lamps. Usually such a malfunction is easy to determine, since usually only one lamp out of two burns out.

But what to do if the low beam is not on completely and the high beam is on. The operation of the high beam indicates that the headlight unit is working properly, a problem with the contacts has been ruled out, and it is necessary to check the rest of the wiring.

To do this, you need to ring the power wire from the relay to the fuses, the relay contacts. Even if new parts are installed, this does not mean that they are in good working order. Relays and fuses can be damaged when the engine is started if the alternator is not configured correctly.

A properly working high beam indicates that the control circuit is in order. This also means that relays K4 and K5 are connected in series and control the high beam. T.

e. the problem may most likely be in the K5 low beam coil. After this, you need to check the power board.

If the circuit does not contain visible damage, it is necessary to check the contacts of relay-K5. It may make a clicking sound indicating it is working, but no signal will come out of it.

If all of the above steps did not help identify the malfunction, then you need to ring the circuit. To do this, use a multimeter or a test lamp with connected wires. It is better not to use inexpensive Chinese indicators, so as not to short the circuit.

Before performing the test, you must turn on the ignition and low beam, and then check in a certain order:

1. Check the voltage at the fuses. It is quite possible that both lamps burned out as a result of a short circuit or as a result of natural wear and tear.
2. After this, you need to turn off the relay and check the presence of voltage on pin 30. If it is missing, then most likely the problem is in the track from the wiring to K5
3. The cover is removed from the relay, after which you need to install it back and turn on the low beam. In this case, K5 should make a click and the plate will press against the contacts. If the light does not light up, you need to manually press the plate to ensure contact. If this action helps, then the problem lies in the relay contacts. If not, the problem is in the track on the board leading to the fuses.

The track can be ringed separately. To do this, K5 is removed, the fuses are turned off, then the multimeter contacts are connected to the fuse socket and relay 87.

If you are the owner of a Chevrolet Niva SUV, then sooner or later electrical problems may arise, just like with any other car. When any device fails, you need to correctly determine the cause of the failure.

First of all, if the current is exceeded or there is a short circuit, the fuses and relays of the Niva Chevrolet fail. Therefore, you need to know which of them are responsible for what and carry a set of spare ones with you. This article describes the main causes of electrical faults and will help in diagnosing and troubleshooting problems.

The relay and fuse box is located under the dashboard, to the left of the steering wheel. To get to the fuses, you need to open the cover. To do this, you need to unscrew 2 screws with a screwdriver.

Low beam lamp burnt out

Firstly, if the low beam bulb does not light up when the high beam is working, you need to check whether it has burnt out. In this case, the lamp may have two separate filaments, one of which lights the high beam, and the other lights the low beam. Therefore, there is nothing surprising in the fact that they can turn on autonomously from each other.

Replacing a halogen lamp on a headlight is not difficult, even if you are not an auto electrician. Let's consider a simple algorithm for this procedure:

• the hood of the car must be opened and secured;
• the protective cover must be removed from both sides of the headlight;
• disable contact group;
• remove the spring clips;
• remove the burnt out light bulb;
• put a new one in its place;
• return all removed elements to their place.

It is important to know a few rules for working with lamps:

• it is necessary to degrease the surface of the bulb before installation, otherwise there is a high risk that the lamp will immediately burn out due to contamination;
• It is not recommended to work with a glass flask with bare hands. This may leave traces of grease on it that cannot be removed and the lamp will be damaged. The best option is to use cotton gloves, and if you don’t have them on hand, you can wrap the flask in a cloth or napkin.

Problem #1: One headlight doesn't work

If there is a problem with one headlight, it usually means that one of the incandescent bulbs has gone out. Tungsten filaments have a limited lifespan, which depends on the number of hours of use and how strong the vibrations are during driving. The more you use your car at night, the faster one or both headlights will fail.

A non-working headlight is a discomfort that affects safety

A typical automotive incandescent bulb (halogen or regular) has a lifespan that can range from 600 to 2000 hours of use. For the average car owner who drives between 12,000 and 15,000 miles per year, this means that the headlights may need to be replaced every five or six years, depending on how often they are used. Driving on rough roads can shorten the lifespan by causing the thin filament inside the lamp to fail prematurely.

How to fix? Replace the burnt out lamp. But before you do, take a close look at the electrical connector on the back of the headlights and make sure it's not corroded or loose.

The housing is a sealed plastic shell with a light bulb and a socket installed on the panel.

The procedure for replacing a light bulb should go through the following steps:

• The socket that holds the light bulb usually screws into the housing.
• By rotating it counterclockwise about a quarter turn, unlock the tabs and pull the lamp out of the housing socket.
• Once the socket has been removed from the housing, you can unplug the old bulb from the socket and replace it with a new one (the bulbs must not only be the same shape and size, but also the same wattage.
• After installing the bulb in the socket, check the plug before inserting it back into the headlight housing.
• Turn on the headlights to make sure the lamp comes on.
• If everything is ok, turn off the headlights, then put the bulb and socket back into the housing.
• Be sure to screw the socket about a quarter turn clockwise to lock it in place (otherwise water and dirt can get into the housing, causing corrosion and fogging).

We would like to give an important tip that even most auto mechanics do not know: use latex gloves when replacing a light bulb, because... sebum and oil residues corrode the glass of the halogen lamp and it eventually burns out earlier than it should.

If the new headlight does not light up when you turn on the backlight, the socket may be loose or corroded, or there may be a wiring problem in the headlight circuit. If the outlet is corroded, treat it with an electronics cleaner.

If this does not restore a good electrical connection, you will have to replace the outlet. Treating the socket with dielectric grease before installing the lamp will help protect it from moisture and corrosion.

The fuse is broken

This is the second common reason why the low beam light of one of the car headlights does not light up. Let's look at how to fix it yourself:

• the fuse box for electrical circuits must be opened;
• if one of the fuses has blown, it needs to be identified (usually this is not difficult) using a diagram;
• The faulty fuse must be replaced with a new one.

We recommend

“The oil light is on at idle: let’s look at the reasons” More details
Let’s clarify that if fuses on your car often burn out, you need to look for a breakdown in the wiring. Then, using a special device, it is necessary to ring the wires to determine where their integrity is compromised. If it is impossible to do this yourself, you need to contact an electrician who can find the cause of frequent breakdowns. In fact, this is a rather serious problem, in which repairs cannot be put off for a long time, since breakdowns in the wiring can lead to a short circuit and fire of the machine.

Headlight device

The first thing that needs to be mentioned when talking about problems with light is the design of the front headlight unit itself.

As a rule, this element includes the following components:

• front lamps;
• rear light bulbs;
• turn signals;
• parking lights.

Design of the VAZ 2114 headlights
In addition, some configurations may have additionally installed fog lights.

There are also several reasons why out of this entire list only the low beam may fail, namely:

• burnout of light bulbs;
• oxidation of contacts on light bulb sockets or sockets;
• electrical circuit break;
• blown fuses;
• broken off/on button.

Diagnostics and repair of VAZ 2114 headlights

As you can see, there are not many possible causes of the malfunction, and finding them if the diagnostics are carried out correctly will not be difficult.

Wiring is damaged

What if the low beam light doesn't come on because of a wiring problem? Then you need to check the blocks through which the relay and fuse box are connected. The reason may be a poor connection, or the contacts may oxidize, which leads to increased current, overheating of the wiring and failure of the lamp. To repair this damage, you need to tighten all the pad fastenings, but before doing this, do not forget to clean all contacts with an abrasive material.

In addition to the pads, you need to check the headlight switch, since the contacts on it may also be oxidized, or there may be a poor connection in this place. Any experienced technician will start searching for the cause of non-working headlights from the button to turn them on, and only after making sure that it works properly will he continue to search for the answer to the question: “Why don’t the low beam lights light up?”

Problem No. 2: one of the xenon phases does not work

Diagnostics: Xenon headlights, unlike halogen incandescent lamps, do not have a tungsten filament, therefore, if the lamp does not light up and voltage is properly supplied to it, then most likely there is a crack in it through which xenon gas passes.

The xenon element requires a high and working voltage, so if this device does not work, first of all you should check the electronics - test the contact with a multimeter. In some cases, the bulb and igniter are connected together and are one device. In such cases, they can only be replaced as a whole.

Problems with xenon

Xenon headlight bulbs are quite expensive (from $50 to $100), and igniters are even more expensive (the price can be about $200!). Therefore, before you start replacing, make sure 100% that the problem is in the xenon.

There is a reliable way to test this: replace the "good" lamp that works on the other side with a headlight that does not work. If the headlight now works, then you can know for sure that the light bulb you removed was faulty and needs to be replaced. Better yet, swap the headlights, then the picture will become completely clear.

Non-standard reasons

Sometimes the headlights don't come on for very unusual reasons. For example, one car enthusiast’s Niva car stopped turning on its low beam after dismantling faulty headlight cleaners. Of course, he was not immediately able to determine that the breakdown was caused by his actions. But, as it turned out, the low beam went out due to the lack of motors that were necessary for the normal operation of the headlights. To solve the problem, the car owner created an imitation of the presence of motors, shorting the wires in the places where they should have been, only after that the problem was solved.

The example given above shows that if you have checked both the wires and contacts, but the low beam lights do not light up, remember what manipulations you recently carried out with your car. Perhaps after the last “pumping” of the car the problem appeared. After all, by making any changes to the design of the car, you can automatically disrupt the operation of the complex system of its functioning, designed at the manufacturer.

If you are sure that nothing has been changed in the car, you need to contact a service station for help in repairing headlights. After all, you can spend an indefinite amount of time and effort searching for the cause of a breakdown.

Knowledge of how to find the cause of the low beam not working and fix this breakdown yourself will also help in the opposite situation, when the high beam does not light up, but the low beam turns on without difficulty. In this case, in addition to the problems listed above, there is a malfunction of the steering column switch, due to which, by the way, only one of the headlights may be on. The best solution in case of such a breakdown is to replace it.

Which bank deposits will be subject to 13 percent?

The following are subject to taxation:

• ruble and foreign currency deposits in banks located in the Russian Federation;
• investments in debt securities.

The total amount of all investments of an individual is considered.

The following are not subject to tax:

• deposits in the amount not exceeding 1 million rubles;
• deposits with a rate of 1% or less (provided that during the year the rate did not increase above 1%);
• escrow accounts.

Do investments add up?

Yes, all deposits of an individual across all banks are summed up. The income received for the year is considered to be based on the value of all bank investments, so there is no point in breaking them up into small amounts of less than 1 million rubles and opening them in different banks.

This is precisely what was stated by the Head of Sberbank, German Gref, who warned against the need to split investments - this will not help avoid a new tax burden.

The tax office will sum up all investments registered in the name of a particular citizen, calculate the total income received for the year on all deposits, and then determine the amount of excess over the product of the key rate and 1 million rubles.

From what date is it entered?

After the statement of the President of the Russian Federation, many are interested in the question of when the changes will come into force and from what date the new tax will be collected. The implementation dates are determined in the new law.

The tax burden on bank investments will take effect in 2021.

Notifications of the need and amount to be paid will be sent to investors as early as 2022. When calculating, the key rate as of 01/01/2021 will be taken.

Why do low beam bulbs often burn out?

According to traffic regulations in force in the Russian Federation, low beam headlights must be on when operating a vehicle, regardless of the time of day. If the headlights on your car work properly, then there will be no problems following this simple rule. But what to do if low beam bulbs often burn out?

Let's look at the main reasons why headlight bulbs can burn out:

• Lamps have a limited service life. This applies not only to the time of constant illumination, but also to a limited number of switchings. In addition, when you replace factory lamps with cheap analogues, you need to understand that their service life is shorter.
• Moisture gets inside the headlight. If the headlight is cracked, or the rubber seals no longer fit tightly between the glass and the headlight housing, there will inevitably be moisture inside. This is easy to diagnose yourself: a headlight whose integrity is compromised constantly fogs up.
• Errors during installation. If you do not follow the basic rules when installing halogen lamps, for example, not using gloves, then greasy marks remain on the headlights, which leads to a reduction in their service life.
• The power of the installed lamps is too high. It is better to choose lamps with reduced power, but with increased brightness, this way you can ensure excellent visibility on the roads in any lighting conditions. It is not recommended to install lamps with a power of 100 W.
  

  We recommend

  “The parking brake light is on: how to solve the problem” Read more

• Manufacturing defect of the lamp. If a defective lamp is initially selected for installation - with a displaced spiral or a tilted bulb, it is not surprising that it does not last long and quickly burns out.
• Battery low. If the machine is used for many years, the old unit begins to quickly discharge. As a result of constant recharging of the unit, an overvoltage occurs in the on-board network of the machine. To diagnose this reason, you need the help of an auto electrician.
• Wiring problems. If the car was purchased from another car owner, it is important to check the wiring, as it can be damaged as a result of careless operation of the car. It must be remembered that if the wiring is faulty, it threatens to break not only the headlights, but also any electrical appliances of the car.
• Low-resource lamp. Unscrupulous manufacturers put on the market lamps that initially have a short service life, and accordingly, they quickly fail.

Why is the low beam light dim?

There are only a few reasons why a low beam light turns dim. Let's consider them further.

Firstly, dim lights can be caused by electrical problems, so to fix such a problem you need to have certain skills and knowledge in this area. Secondly, the reason may lie in the fact that the lamp itself has already lost its original qualities. Thirdly, if the car is operated in dusty conditions, or the glass on the headlight is cloudy, it may also shine dimly. If the headlights sweat, the light also becomes less intense.

An electrical problem should be the last thing checked, and if you don't understand anything about electricity, you shouldn't deal with the repair yourself; it can be quite complicated. If the low beam light is dim, you must first rule out all other causes of this malfunction.

Check the headlight glass itself. To do this, you need to look at it in the light. If the sun's rays easily penetrate the glass, the headlight is smooth, without inclusions, then it will shine brightly. If it is worn or faded, you need to either replace the glass or polish it. You can use any abrasive of low hardness, but it will be more effective to use special polishing pastes.

LED lamps or lamps operating on inert gases are characterized by the problem of dim glow after a certain period of operation. But halogen and other “gas” lamps may begin to shine less brightly due to poor sealing. If the integrity of such lighting devices is compromised, they will lose their original qualities quite quickly.

The service life of LED headlights is about one hundred thousand hours, and manufacturers guarantee that up to 90% of this period the lamp will shine at its original brightness. Therefore, if the LED low beam light is dim, then most likely the reason is a manufacturing defect.

If one diode element is installed, then if it burns out, the headlight will go out completely. But when several dozen weak diodes are installed, only one of them can fail, and the headlight light will dim. At the same time, the voltage on other diodes will increase, which will lead to their rapid wear. Therefore, if one diode is broken, you need to replace it as soon as possible. Each lighting device is marked with characteristics that can help you understand exactly which diode to purchase instead of the faulty one.

Fines

The traffic rules clearly regulate how to use head and additional car lighting depending on weather conditions, time of day and terrain

It is important for drivers to remember that the law prohibits traffic police officers from unauthorizedly opening the hood of a car or removing a headlight, checking what type of lamp is installed in the unit

The inspector stops the car if he visually observes the following violations:

1. Headlight adjustment does not comply with GOST. This is visible to every road user: distant lights blind passers-by and illuminate not the road strip, but the horizon.
2. The lights don't work or are very dirty.
3. The headlights do not have lenses or use lamps that are not standard for a particular model.

In addition to a fine of up to 3,000 rubles, for some violations the driver faces losing his license for a period of 6 months to a year.

For xenon

If xenon headlights are installed on a car instead of standard halogen lights and the inspector, without a technical inspection, determines that such brightness is not typical for halogen low or high beam lighting, the following will follow:

1. Drawing up a protocol.
2. Sending the vehicle to the inspection station.
3. Checking the compliance of lighting devices with standard ones.
4. Fine up to 3000 rubles. plus deprivation of rights for a period of 6–12 months if it is discovered that halogen lights have been replaced with xenon.

Xenon in foglights is also subject to fines and deprivation of rights. When choosing xenon for PTF, it is recommended to choose a lamp with a color temperature of up to 3000 K. The yellow headlight block will reduce the range of the light beam, visibility will improve without changing the brightness.

LED lamps

There is no penalty for diode bulbs in headlights if this type of light is specified by the manufacturer. If the basic version of the car in the model range has halogen installed, and a more equipped version has standard diodes, the driver can replace the halogen lamp with a diode one. Automakers provide this option for car models of the same generation.

Installing diode elements instead of the standard halogen allows you to significantly increase the brightness of the headlight, while the lighting parameters will be within the limits of the rules. It is impossible to determine which lamp is in the headlight unit without disassembling the latter. Diodes, depending on the number of blocks, provide soft, even light, do not overheat the diffuser and have a long service life.

Despite all the advantages of LED blocks, LED bulbs installed without permission also face a fine of 500 rubles. They may also be deprived of their rights for up to 12 months.

To install LEDs in headlights legally, you need to complete the following steps:

1. Purchase optics that correspond to the car model range.
2. Re-equip the lighting system in the car.
3. Visit the traffic police department (at the place where the car is registered), fill out an application for changes to the design of the vehicle.
4. Pass a technical inspection and make amendments to the diagnostic card.
5. Write out a certificate.

If the lamp burns out

If a car is driven with the headlights off, regardless of the reason (a light bulb has burned out, inattention, the wrong light is on, etc.), the driver faces a fine of 500 rubles. In some cases, a fine can be avoided:

1. If the motorist convinces the inspector that the headlight became inoperative a few minutes ago.
2. A fine for a non-working headlight will not be collected if the car is traveling in the direction of the service and there is confirmation - a call to the service station.
3. Motorists can only receive a verbal warning for not having their headlights on if it is a first inattention offense.
4. If all the headlights are on during the day, this is not a violation; such a point is not provided for by the rules. Therefore, the inspector may simply advise not to discharge the battery.

The most common reasons for a fine for lack of lighting:

1. For driving a vehicle with one headlight.
2. When entering the tunnel, they forgot to turn on the low or high beams; they thought that PTF or DRLs were enough.
3. There is no switching of lights at night when vehicles are passing.
4. Broken lenses do not allow you to correct the beam of light, which blinds oncoming drivers.
5. Using DRLs at night without headlights.

For repeated violation of the rules for the use of lighting devices on a vehicle, in 80% of cases, in addition to a fine, the driver will be deprived of his license.

There is no fine for “blinking headlights”. In rare cases, the inspector finds fault with the driver and tries to charge him with “illegal use of a light device,” but the driver can always answer that he did this, warning oncoming motorists about a possible overtaking maneuver on his part.

What car enthusiasts say about the operation of low beam lamps

1. The importance of checking “I had such a situation that the headlight began to shine dimly. I wanted to go buy a new light bulb first, but decided to test it first. I moved the right one to the left one, and it became clear that the reason was not the lamp at all. Then I dug around, searched, and found a melted fuse. After replacing it, the problem disappeared!”
2. If you checked everything...
   "If you are sure that you checked both the lamp and the switch, but the headlight does not light, then the problem is definitely in the wiring."
3. Where else to look for a problem?
   “I had such a situation that the light bulb was one hundred percent working, and the relay switched, but the low beam still didn’t come on. Then I checked the contact connector in the engine compartment fuse block, it turned out there was a breakdown there. Maybe this information will help someone. Access to this block is from the side of the car wing.”

   We recommend

   “The airbag light is on: finding the causes and troubleshooting” Read more

4. How to avoid contact problems
   “The headlight may not light if there are problems with the contacts. For example, the rubber seals often get wrapped up and the headlight does not fit tightly into the connector. On the left, between the air filter housing and the connector, you can lay a seal made of hard foam rubber, it really helps.”
5. If both low beam headlights go out
   “I had a problem that the low beam on the “classic” did not come on. As a result, it turned out that the tracks in the fuse box had burned out. In general, if you understand something about electrics, you will find the problem quickly and easily. In my case, we ran an additional wire under the steering wheel to the block.”

Replacement Tips

Speaking about replacing failed components of an electrical circuit, it is worth saying a few words about the correct replacement of light bulbs.

It must be done in the following order:

1. Turn off the ignition and remove the key from the lock.
2. Open the hood.
3. Unscrew the headlight unit (to do this, unscrew the bolts on both sides) and remove it.
4. Dismantle the contact group by disconnecting it from the reflector (this procedure should be done extremely carefully).
5. Once you find the spring clips, release them.
6. Remove the non-working light bulb.
7. Insert a new light bulb into the vacated socket.

Reassembly and installation of the headlight unit is carried out in the same sequence, but in reverse order. If necessary, a similar procedure can be performed with the second block. It is worth noting that it is highly advisable to replace lamps not with bare hands, but with light gloves - the glass of the bulbs is quite thin, and with strong pressure it can burst right in your hands.