27 replies to this topic

[Leafystream]

Hey guys, I recently had my high beams stop working. Along with them not working the light that usually turns on, when engaging the high beams on my dash does not show up/work as well. Is there a main fuse for the high beams that may be blown, if so is it located in the fuse box under the hood or under the driver side dash. Thanls for any help!

2003 Matrix XR 4WD (Auto)

Edited by Leafystream, 29 April 2012 - 10:49 AM.

[Salsa Guy]

I suspect it's the Switch if the light on the dash isn't working. But there is a fuse and relay involved. Let me look at a few drawings and see.

BTW welcome to MO!

[Salsa Guy]

Looking at the diagram there is one main fuse and main relay for both headlights (high and low beams) so if the lows are working that's not the problem.

Then next easiest thing to check would be the Dimmer Relay (High Beam) and the two 10amp high beam fuses (not likely you've blown both fuses) located in the engine bay fuse box. Those relays are cheap and common. You could even swap it with another relay in the fuse box to test it but make sure it isn't the main headlight relay.

If those all check good it's either the combination switch, the DRL module or a grounding/wiring issue for your high beams.

Goodluck!

[Leafystream]

Thanks for the reply Salsa and the welcome, I checked all the under the hood fuses this morning and none are blown. Im going to go try swapping the dimmer relay with the other one to see if that may be the issue. PS. this all arose from HIDz I installed the other day.

[Leafystream]

So I tried swapping the Dimmer relay/fuse module with the other one in the fuse panel with no better out come. I used a 12v light tester and I get power on 2 of the connectors in the fuse box as shown in the picture, but no power at the light plug ins for the high beams and no dash notification icon. As stated previously I checked all the fuses under the hood none are burned out. This only happened when I installed the HIDz, but I didnt have to cut into any of the stock wiring and am not using the high beam harnes for them just the regular beams.

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Edited by Leafystream, 30 April 2012 - 08:24 AM.

[Salsa Guy]

Leafystream, on 30 April 2012 - 07:53 AM, said:

Thanks for the reply Salsa and the welcome, I checked all the under the hood fuses this morning and none are blown. Im going to go try swapping the dimmer relay with the other one to see if that may be the issue. PS. this all arose from HIDz I installed the other day.

I assume those were on the high beams? Troubling shooting 101 my friend when installing something new and it doesn't work the chances are it isn't the old stuff (ie...fuses, relays, switches). You need to start with what you know. Without that information, about the HIDs, in your first post you sent me on wild goose chase.

What HIDs did you get? Some of those connectors need to be reversed and had to do that on my HIDs. Your problem is with the HIDs or wiring not the relays and etc.

[Leafystream]

Sorry for not mentioning them in the first post. Even when they are completely disconnected my high beams will still not turn on, thats why I hesitated at stating I had them. This is the kit I purchased
Kensun HID Xenon Conversion Kit with "Slim" Digital Ballasts - H4 (HB2) (9003) Bi-Xenon - 8000k

[kpace]

i like how this thread started with "my lights dont work"

and somewhere along the lines it stated oh... this all started when i installed my HID's...


hrmm.... wonder whats wrong?



Do your high beams work when you remove everything and put it back to stock?

[Salsa Guy]

So you return everything back to stock and the high beams still don't work? After reading the specs on those things the current inrush is very high so you need to check the fuses. The high beam 10 fuses are between the 100Amp fuse and the EFI relay. So you didn't have 12V on the high beam connectors? The High beam indicator only comes on if the circuit is good after the high beam fuses. PM me your email and I'll send you a diagram.

[Leafystream]

No sadly they dont work with everything back to stock, and went threw all the fuses under the hood and under that dash nothing blown, triple checked the 2 10amps that are between the 100amp and efi and replaced them just to humor my self and incase it was blown and couldnt see that it was, and still no dice, and no 0 volts at the high beam connectors, but I get voltage at the dimmer fuse/relay(brown little box thing) so Im guessing it must be between there and the head lights?

[Salsa Guy]

Step 1) Remove the dimmer relay, turn on the head lights and you should have 12 volts on legs 1 and 3 of the relay connector.
Step 2) With your high beams on you should read close to 0 ohms on leg 2 of the relay connector. Remember you can't tell if the are on or not so you may need to cycle the switch once. If not your DRL Module is bad or the wiring is fried.

Step 3) If that checks out turn off the head lights and reinstall the relay, remove both high beam fuses turn head lights on and high beams , there should be 12 volts on 1 leg each of those 10 amp fuses.
Step 4) If that check outs you should have power on the High beam connector, if not the wiring or a connector some where is bad.

Goodluck

[Leafystream]

Hey Salsa I followed threw the steps you gave me and step 3 fails, I dont get any voltage on the 10 amp fuse legs.

[Salsa Guy]

Ok it's either the relay or the connection between the two. Turn on the headlights with the relay installed and switch the high beams off and on while touching the dimmer relay (you'll need help on this). You should be able to feel the relay pull in and/or release.

Now on step 2 if you turned the headlight off and on you should see 0 ohms (when the highs are on) or infinity (when off) to ground

You get the diagram? You understand it?

[Leafystream]

Not the best with scimatics. I tried what you suggested with putting my hand on it while turning the beams off an on and I feel nothing. But I can feel the other relay switching just not the dimmer one. I tried swapping the relays they both work on the fron most relay but both niether will work when placed in the dimmer socket.

[Salsa Guy]

If the relay isn't pulling in see Step 1 and 2 again. You either have a bad DRL module or burnt wires.

Edited by Salsa Guy, 02 May 2012 - 12:35 PM.

[Leafystream]

Sooo the weather cleared up today and decided to rip out the DRL relay, what a wonderful smell it had, that of nice n crispy burned tech. So I opened it up and sure enough its fried black. I inspected all the harnes wires not a single one scorched not a single blown fuse lol. So I think I found the problem.

So my next question would be can I bypass the DRL relay module all together or do I hav to drop the money on a new one.

Included pic of toasted DRL relay

[Salsa Guy]

I have no idea and would think it would be more off a hassle than replacing it. Also you run the risk of cooking something else. Put a WTB Post I think dnm may have one.

[Leafystream]

Thanks for all the help Salsa

[Salsa Guy]

You must have had something really connected wrong in order to fry that DRL module. The relays are there to isolate high current from it. Or some how you back fed the HID power into the DRL. Either way the relay should have taken the beating.

My question is what did you think you did wrong? This really isn't a fail if we all can learn something from it.

[Leafystream]

The HID kit I recieved has a 3 prong plug into the stock headlight harnes for the signalling of the headlights being turned on. The stock harnes for the matrix is only a 2 prong so I took 2 of the 3 prongs from the HID kit and wired them to the 2 of the stock harnes, so I'm imagining I put power to the ground maybe? Other than that I'm not sure. lol and I know its something I did so I'm not blaming the trix or anything.

UPDATE : I went to a local junk yard for a trix n ripped out the DRL relay and put it in mine. Everything works like new cost me 30$ but live n learn I guess.

I have a few questions about the HIDs I have, they are Bi-xenon so I take it they have 2 stages to them? lower and higher
I can get them to work fine but only 1 stage will work, I am taking it that it has to do that it has 3 wires connected on the harnes and the trix only has 2 wires. Do you happen to know how to wire it?