Headlight Con "fusing"!

[Steve S.]

:P Here's a strange one for you all to think about!

My l.h.s. dipped beam keeps blowing fuses, but only after a "good run". The lights don't even have to be switched on.If you change the fuse straight away it will blow with what seems a hefty current. If you wait an hour or two ,or change it next day, all seems well ...at least whilst on the drive, but as soon as you've been travelling a while and happen to switch on the lights, there is the telltale light failure symbol on the dash, and sure enough the fuse has gone again!

Has anyone else experienced this intriguing(spelling??) :huh: fault? I'm pretty jarred off with it and besides next doors garden is filling up with blown fuses !

Suggestions as always very welcome.

Regards to all,

Steve S.

[dave_m]

no idea what that could be, very strange, have you tried swapping the bulb for a new one?

 

if not the bulb it could be a tricky one to sort out :huh:

[Steve S.]

Hi Dave ,

Yes ,they are in fact new bulbs, but the fault was apparent with the old ones. I've looked at the relay(No 128 in my box) but that looks and smells ok besides which if it was faulty I suppose no lights would come on at all?

Steve

[Justice]

I would check the wiring loom to make sure it has'nt been rubbing or kinked so the live is earthing out.

[Steve S.]

I suppose, in part, answering my own question, this has got to be a heat related problem, ie as engine heats up, expansion occurs, conductor shorts out.Back to normal when engine cools.Is anyone au fait with the loom route ,or can suggest likely places where wires/ connecting blocks/fuses/ relays/etc are likely to experience such effects? Is it possible to to test different segments of this circuit easily? Keep your thoughts coming in...together we can defeat this!

Steve S.:huh:

[Steve S.]

Hi all,

Well I've been investigating further over the last couple of weeks..without getting my hands dirty I should add...this enigmatic problem! It appears that if I don't switch the cabin heating on, the fuse stays intact, but,if the cabin gets nice and cosy, after a while the "bulb" failure symbol lights up and lo and behold, on investigation, the fuse has gone, (one more for the neighbour's garden!)

So the question begs itself...where is the most likely location for a short to develop? I suspect the back of the fusebox..just a hunch..but has anyone any other ideas? All gratefully received as always!

Regards,

Steve S.

P.S. I've also developed a rather intriguing cruise control problem but I'll save that for another day. Arn't these galaxies wonderful! (do not reply to this!)