HIGH BEAM HEAD LIGHT NOT WORKING..

[jdw66]

As said in a previous post my car just failed it's mot on high emissions and the passenger side high beam head light not working. Problem is when you engage high beam using the column switch the drivers side comes on but the passenger side doesn't plus it turns the passenger side headlight off. Tried the usual things, bulbs and fuses and checked the wiring for breaks. Only thing i've found out so far is that there's no power going to the high beam headlight. Just been reading through similar posts which i should of done first and have feeling it might be the stalk. But if this is the case would it affect only one side?. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance, John.

[unknownmale]

If you're getting the high beams on one side then I would imagine everything is fine up to the bulkhead. I would follow the wiring up until you get power while having the high beams engaged. By how it's behaving I would expect there is a bad ground.

[jdw66]

Thanks for the advice. looks like i will be investing in one of those electrical probe thingys, or as I'm crap with car wiring an Auto electrician.

[GTXTRA]

If your two main headlights work on sides, dipped and main beam that will be ok for MOT purposes whilst you get to bottom of the inner spot lamp issue - just disconnect the bulb in the working one if that's the case for the test. The inner lamps are not an MOT fail if neither are working but you have main beam on the outer lamps.

Sort of like how a single light CL/GT would be set up.

[jdw66]

Wish i know that earlier , as the car failed it's mot last week on the lights issues and emissions of 9.7. So now I'm to drastically trying to resolve the above problems to get in for a retest before the tax expires at the end of the month. Got a feeling i'm not going to make it.

[Nate]

If your two main headlights work on sides, dipped and main beam that will be ok for MOT purposes whilst you get to bottom of the inner spot lamp issue - just disconnect the bulb in the working one if that's the case for the test. The inner lamps are not an MOT fail if neither are working but you have main beam on the outer lamps.

Sort of like how a single light CL/GT would be set up.

the inner lamps on a mk2 are additional spot lights, and as such are not testable. doesn't matter if one both or neither are working.

[Nate]

I'm to drastically trying to resolve the above problems to get in for a retest before the tax expires at the end of the month. Got a feeling i'm not going to make it.

you can drive to the mot test, so long as it is pre-booked, without valid road tax (excise duty) provided you have insurance in force. same applies taking somewhere for repairs to enable it to pass the test (must be pre-booked) and bringing it home from test if it fails

[jdw66]

Isn't that the nearest garage to your home address ?. If this is the case i've got problems because i take my car to my mates garage ( at lest 6 miles away from where i live) where i help out in the afternoons so i don't pay for any repairs.

[Nate]

the rules don't actually specify a distance. so as long as you could argue that it is reasonable (and i don't think 6 miles would be unreasonable. if i didn't like the garage in my village i'd have to drive 15 miles to the next nearest) then it won't be a problem, so long as it is booked in and you can prove it (appointment card or written in the booking diary at the garage, including reg number)

when i was young and daft i drove a car from essex to leeds with no mot, having booked it in to my local (leeds) garage for test. cancelled it when i got home :D not sure how that would have gone if i got stopped though

[jdw66]

Fortunately i've done most of the repairs at home so i shouldn't be needing any more help. I've sorted the lights by disconnecting the inner ones . Last thing to do is fit my new carb which I'm taking my time over because it's to cold outside. Should be done by monday hopefully then back in for the MOT. I'm driving my mothers Citroen Saxo at the moment which is an absolute nightmare to drive, so the sooner i get the rocco back on the road the better.

[mark1gls]

ooooohhhh Saxo.........Small and would not want to crash in one, pedals off to the left so you have to sit on a funny angle and the shortest front seat bases I've know so feels like you are sitting on a bench.
I bet you can wait to get out of that and back in a Scirocco!

[Nate]

hope you've got smaller feet than me! i can't hit just one pedal at a time in a saxo / 106

[jdw66]

You're not joking about the saxo. Probably the worst car i've ever driven in my life. Firstly it's got no power whatsoever . Next problem as you said is the pedals, i wear Dr Marten boots and it's an absolute nightmare trying to get my foot on the accelerator pedal. Gearbox is also crap. I've lost count of the amount of times i've tried to pull off in third when i thought i was in first. I almost burnt the clutch out the other day.
And it's also costing me money. For example yesterday i mistakenly put the door key in the petrol cap instead of the ignition key and couldn't get the bugger out so i had buy a temporary petrol cap followed by a locking one today. Different keys for ignition and door . Door lock was changed after someone tried to break into it. Can't think why?.