Main beam

[Andy Walker]

When I was out playing in the snow the other night both my high beam lights suddenly stopped working. Dip beam still works. I've checked the fuses and they seem ok. There doesn't appear to bea live feed to the main beam. When I try switching the main beam on the dip beam goes out.
Is there something I've overlooked, or do I need an auto electrician?

 

[Dave]

You need a new relay, one of the big ones in the main fusebox under the bonnet. There's 2 there, one feeds power to the other, which then points it to dip or main, with dip being it's default position. Could try cleaning it first if it's only dirty contacts, but if the coil is gone get out your wallet and spend the 40 quid.

 

[Dave_S]

Read somewhere that you can just tweak the contact gap in the relay - common fault apparently - may be worth a look or do some searching on here (in case I dreamt it!).

 

[Andy Walker]

Are those relays just standard relays or special Toyota ones?

 

[Dave]

Special ones

 

[Dave]

The relay that switches between dip and main is black, with part no. 85926-30020 and has DIMMER RELAY written on the side. Assuming you have a UK spec car, if it's jap then it will probably need a column stalk.

 

[Andy Walker]

Thanks Dave..... Just out of interest, what's the other one for

 

[Dave]

Thanks Dave..... Just out of interest, what's the other one for

The brown one switches the power and sends it to the black dimmer one, that one sends it to dip or main.

 

[Michael A S]

Same thing happened to me a few weeks ago. But when I opened the fuse box there was that elec/plastic burning smell. A fat wire going up into a connector on RH side as you look down (opposite the relays) had shorted/burnt out and was loose in the box. Awaiting repair but dips and all other lights fine. Maybe the relay as well ?

 

[Andy Walker]

Thanks