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heapster

Member Since: 22 Mar 2010
Location: East Sussex
Posts: 29

Headlights turn themselves off whilst driving....

On my TD5 110 the headlights have just started turning themselves off after about a minute - completely off including all the dash lights. Sidelights work fine but nothing from the headlights including the full beam (although the full beam flash still works). A few minutes later the headlights will all work again for a minute or so then the cycle repeats. I can't think that it's a fuse problem as it seems to reset itself after a while rather then fail completely, nor a switch problem for the same reason. It's almost as if a trip circuit is blowing then resetting once cooled down.

Just thought I'd check before I send it into the workshop - does this sound familiar to anyone?

17th Mar 2011 11:15pm

Paul_1978

Member Since: 08 Nov 2009
Location: South Yorkshire
Posts: 384

Check the head light / side light switch on the steering coloum.

18th Mar 2011 7:52am

landy andy

Member Since: 15 Feb 2009
Location: Ware, Herts
Posts: 5683

2006 Defender 110 Td5 USW Zermatt Silver

As above

Andy

18th Mar 2011 7:55am

bm52

Member Since: 04 Apr 2010
Location: Kent
Posts: 2189

2014 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Havana

could be the relay on the way out! but also check for dry connections and bad earths. they coud be coming back on when you hit a bump which will restore a loose connection. BM52

18th Mar 2011 8:11am

heapster

Member Since: 22 Mar 2010
Location: East Sussex
Posts: 29

Thanks - I'll take a look at the fusebox and the switch at the weekend to see if there's anything loose. The strange thing was it did this whilst driving on flat road and it seemed to trip at the same time, as if something was warming up and tripping off, then cooling off allowing it to work again. Plus there was no dimming, just on/off.

Thanks for the replies.

18th Mar 2011 9:41am

blackwolf

Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17361

2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey

Usually headlight problems are caused by the switch on the column overheating and allowing the contacts to move around. Worth checking.

The swirch is of course supplied by Lucas - the Princeof Darkness.

18th Mar 2011 12:01pm

heapster

Member Since: 22 Mar 2010
Location: East Sussex
Posts: 29

blackwolf wrote:
Usually headlight problems are caused by the switch on the column overheating and allowing the contacts to move around. Worth checking.

The switch is of course supplied by Lucas - the Princeof Darkness.

Many thanks - will pick up a replacement and see if that does the trick. Paddocks are showing £30 for a replacement and the dealer just quoted me £85 for a genuine part ("We don't sell Mickey Mouse spares, sir. It's probably failed because it's non-LR....").

18th Mar 2011 12:38pm

110SEB

Member Since: 29 Jan 2009
Location: Essex, England
Posts: 1444

2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Java Black

I had something similar on my old 90. Check battery connectors are tight. They may just look tight but in fact be loose.

18th Mar 2011 12:50pm

heapster

Member Since: 22 Mar 2010
Location: East Sussex
Posts: 29

So I just replaced the main headlight switch and that seems to have cracked it. The main beam contacts on the old switch seem to have melted a bit into their plastic support so I can see what the problem was.

Thanks to all for the advice - managed to avoid a trip to the garage which is always a bonus.

Cheers

22nd Mar 2011 7:44am

Anderzander

Member Since: 08 Feb 2011
Location: Lancashire
Posts: 999

I've been through a few of these - if you've bought a pattern part my experience is that it will fail sooner rather than later ... There is a third alternative though in that you can buy the Lucas part, which is the OE part. It's more money than the cheaper pattern ones but still a fraction of the land rover price.

22nd Mar 2011 8:52am

blackwolf

Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17361

heapster wrote:
So I just replaced the main headlight switch and that seems to have cracked it. The main beam contacts on the old switch seem to have melted a bit into their plastic support so I can see what the problem was.

Thanks to all for the advice - managed to avoid a trip to the garage which is always a bonus.

Cheers

Out of interest, was it the the dip switch (the usual suspect) or the main lighting on/off switch?

22nd Mar 2011 11:31am

heapster

Member Since: 22 Mar 2010
Location: East Sussex
Posts: 29

Anderzander - I ended up haing the LR part as it was pretty urgent and Mrs H was passing Caffyns so picked the one up they had in stock. Not sure if the old one was the original or a pattern part replacement (04 year).

Blackwolf - it was the main on/off switch. It looked like the contacts had sunk (melted?) into the plastic mounting so wasn't making the circuit any more.

23rd Mar 2011 8:03am

blackwolf

Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17361

heapster wrote:
Blackwolf - it was the main on/off switch. It looked like the contacts had sunk (melted?) into the plastic mounting so wasn't making the circuit any more.

Interesting, more often than not it is the dip switch that does this - the contacts oxidize a little so that they generate more heat, the plastic softens, and the contacts move. Beats me how these switches ever worked in the days before headlight relays were used. Total crap design, but we love it because it's a Defender!

23rd Mar 2011 9:03am

heapster

Member Since: 22 Mar 2010
Location: East Sussex
Posts: 29

blackwolf wrote:
the contacts oxidize a little so that they generate more heat, the plastic softens, and the contacts move.

Thanks - I was wondering what the root cause was. Looking forward to the dip switch failing soon.....

23rd Mar 2011 12:15pm

Anderzander

Member Since: 08 Feb 2011
Location: Lancashire
Posts: 999

blackwolf wrote:
Interesting, more often than not it is the dip switch that does this

That's interesting - my experience is the opposite. I've come across endless failed main light switches!

23rd Mar 2011 7:15pm

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