high beam switch failure?

[rsfeller]

I have to admit over the last year I've driven my 1997 986 about twice at night, so who knows how long this issue has been there.

I noted that when I put the high beams on they would not work nor is the dash indicator on. When I pulled back on the stalk for the "flash" they worked fine. Usually I would assume relay, especially from lack of use but I was also assume the same relay runs the "flash" (back) as well as the on (forward) position. Low beams work fine.

Can anyone verify if they do in fact use the same relay?

Is this a common failure point?

I see low beam issues but nothing pertaining to high beams on a non-litronics system.

[por986]

Hey there,

I have a 2001 but the exact same thing happened to me the other night, and I realized that I only had my fog lights on. If this is the case, you cannot turn on the brights unless you pull back on the stalk - exactly the same behavior as you described. With the low beams on, it works as expected. So, check that first just to make sure!

[rsfeller]

haha! I'll bet you that is it!

Will test tomorrow and post results...

[juniinc]

...

Edited August 4, 2008 by juniinc

[rsfeller]

The wife pointed out that I am a double dumbass. POR986 hit the nail on the head. I didn't have the full lights on. My full lights are so crappy that they are not much an improvement over the driving lights. Looks like I didn't go one click far enough and thus the high beams didn't work!

Why did the wife say I'm a double dumbass? Because she said I did the same think last summer!

[por986]

The wife pointed out that I am a double dumbass. POR986 hit the nail on the head. I didn't have the full lights on. My full lights are so crappy that they are not much an improvement over the driving lights. Looks like I didn't go one click far enough and thus the high beams didn't work!

Why did the wife say I'm a double dumbass? Because she said I did the same think last summer!

That is classic. Luckily when it happened to me my wife wasn't with me. But I tell you what, I went through the whole "Oh geez, I hope I don't have an electrical issue; gotta run home and find the fuse mappings, ..blah blah" - I am not mechanically/'automotivly' inclined, so it worried me for sure. Phew!

Glad that my experience helped you out.