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BuckBlu110

Member Since: 19 Apr 2014
Location: in the pub
Posts: 719

1994 Defender 110 BMW M57 3.0 Diesel CSW Buckingham Blue

TD5 Low beam not working

Hi all, minor crisis last night in that we lost the low beam on my dads td5, Thank fully he wasn't too far from home. Ive had a bit of a look round this morning and am a bit stumped, its got a lot more elecrtickery than my 300. Its a base spec 02 td5 with trucklite led headlights. All lights work except low beam, so side lights work, flick the switch to low beam and nothing happens, flick the high beam on and all work fine

First port of call was the light switch, of which seems to be fine inside and using a multimeter, seems to do its job. fuses all fine for the low beam too. Next I removed the lights to see if they were the issue and they work fine, but not getting power to the low beam pin in the connector on the vehicle, so now thinking its somewhere between the headlight connector and the switch. Is there any relays in the low beam circuit that might be causing this problem?
There seems to be plenty of results on Google for vehicles that have lost all lights or all headlight function, but couldn't find anything that matches these symptoms.

18th Nov 2015 11:49am

K9F

Member Since: 12 Nov 2009
Location: Bournemouth
Posts: 9610

2008 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Stornoway Grey

Sounds like another possible stalk switch problem to me? Here are a few TD5 related threads on the subject matter.

http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic17125....alk+switch

http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic38911....alk+switch

http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic33261....alk+switch If you go through life with your head in the sand....all people will see is an ar5e!!

Treat every day as if it is your last....one day you will be right!!

Last edited by K9F on 18th Nov 2015 12:12pm. Edited 1 time in total

18th Nov 2015 12:10pm

tasr12

Member Since: 09 Jun 2013
Location: Dorset
Posts: 228

2002 Defender 110 Td5 CSW Zambezi Silver

I had exactly this last week on my 02 TD5. In the end it required the dash off and the wiring behind the fuse box sorting (there was a break in there somewhere). I had tried: bulbs, fuses, relays and switches (supposedly the most commmon failure) before handing it to AL Services to resolve....which they did in about 2.5hrs! 2002 110 CSW TD5, Zambezi Silver
1995 110 CSW 300TDi - SOLD

18th Nov 2015 12:11pm

blackwolf

Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17610

2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey

The most common fault with Defender headlights is that one or other of the two switches has melted. I have had both over the years.

If you have sidelights Ok, but no headlights at all except on flash, it is the main light switch on the column, and this is the most common failure. Usually the sidelights will also go out when the headlight switch is in the ON position in this case.

If you have sidelights whcih work normally but have either lost just the dip beam but have main beam (most common), or have lost main beam but have dip beam (less common), then usually it is the dip/main switch on the column.

There are of course other components which can cause similar failures, but usually it is one or other switch.

In your case, I would test the dip/main switch with a meter before going further, it is highly likely that this is the faulty part.

18th Nov 2015 1:13pm

BuckBlu110

Member Since: 19 Apr 2014
Location: in the pub
Posts: 719

Thanks for the replies guys, I've had a look at the indicator/ main beam stalk an it appears to be fine, no melting and every thing making contact where it should. One thing I have found out now is that there is no power to the low beam fuses when the ignition is on, where to look now?
Cheers

18th Nov 2015 2:15pm

Martin
Site Admin

Member Since: 02 Apr 2007
Location: Hook Norton
Posts: 6641

2015 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Montalcino Red

The dipped beam fuses are "live" only when the switch is in the dipped beam position.

I assume the main beam works totally normally, when latched in the pushed away position, rather than just when held in the flash position?

1988 90 Td5 NAS soft top

2015 D90 XS SW

18th Nov 2015 2:44pm

Martin
Site Admin

Member Since: 02 Apr 2007
Location: Hook Norton
Posts: 6641

Hmm wonder if it is a dim dip relay failure?

On a Td5 the dip beam supply from the switch to the fuses is "broken" by the dim dip relay.

Although the two relay positions are to connect the dipped beam fuses to either the dip switch or permanent supply via the dim dip resistor, if the relay is jammed between the two or otherwise failed, there will be a connection to neither.

The quick test would be to remove the dim dip relay (under the wing near the brake booster) and bridge positions 2 and 8, which should reconnect the dipped beam fuses to the switch directly.

Martin

1988 90 Td5 NAS soft top

2015 D90 XS SW

18th Nov 2015 2:54pm

BuckBlu110

Member Since: 19 Apr 2014
Location: in the pub
Posts: 719

^^^ winner!!! Dim-dip relay had had it! The pink one behind the dash. Have done the bypass and all lights work as they should! Thanks Martin

18th Nov 2015 3:14pm

Martin
Site Admin

Member Since: 02 Apr 2007
Location: Hook Norton
Posts: 6641

Sorry yes it is behind the dash on the Td5

1988 90 Td5 NAS soft top

2015 D90 XS SW

18th Nov 2015 3:15pm

blackwolf

Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17610

On the Puma the dim dip arrangement (where fitted - ie to models which are "commercial" in origin) is much simpler, and it is much easier to disable permanently this ultra-useless, bulb-eating feature!

Glad you're sorted, anyway (next time it will be a melted switch)!

18th Nov 2015 5:25pm

Martin
Site Admin

Member Since: 02 Apr 2007
Location: Hook Norton
Posts: 6641

Not so, the Puma system is the same as the Td5

1988 90 Td5 NAS soft top

2015 D90 XS SW

18th Nov 2015 5:26pm

tasr12

Member Since: 09 Jun 2013
Location: Dorset
Posts: 228

Glad it was a simple fix for you - I wish mine had been!

Tom. 2002 110 CSW TD5, Zambezi Silver
1995 110 CSW 300TDi - SOLD

18th Nov 2015 5:33pm

blackwolf

Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17610

Thanks Martin, you are of course absolutely right!

For some reason I have always been under the impression that the Puma doesn't have the pink relay, but your comment inspired me to look at the wiring diagram and I see that it actually does.

Everyday a schoolday!

18th Nov 2015 5:38pm

Martin
Site Admin

Member Since: 02 Apr 2007
Location: Hook Norton
Posts: 6641

1988 90 Td5 NAS soft top

2015 D90 XS SW

18th Nov 2015 5:38pm

BuckBlu110

Member Since: 19 Apr 2014
Location: in the pub
Posts: 719

Thanks for all the help guys!

18th Nov 2015 6:50pm

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