Headlight problem

[GRU]

Sorry i know it's not the right forum for this problem but I'm not on any other forums so i though someone here can help me.

My 99 civic driver side high beam doesn't work. Everything else works on both sides. I checked the voltage on all 3 connections on both sides and they are all fine. So right away i though i need a new bulb but it didn't solve the problem. I switched the bulbs from side to side and still the driver side high beam doesn't work but my voltmeter shows power to both low and high beam.
The only thing that hapens to the driver side light when i turn on the high beams is a very dim light comes on, not even strong enough to be the daytime running light.

[California98Civic]

Check for an open in a wire or in a connector?

Does the high beam indicator light come on?

[t vago]

Check your ground wire on your driver side headlamp socket.

[GRU]

What do you mean check it? If i check ground to low beam it's showing battery voltage. If i put Ground to high beam it's showing battery voltage, so then the ground should be good, right?

The highbeam indicator on the instrument panel does not come on unless i disconect the plug from the bulb on the drivers side.

[t vago]

Check your ground wire to make sure it's indeed at ground.

Most people, when they check their power wires to ground, they check ground at some bare spot of metal. I'm saying that the actual ground wire itself in your wiring socket may be bad.

Automotive grounds are tricky things. I once had a weird problem with a Neon. For one, whenever the headlights were turned on, the left side low beam would come on very dimly, and the windshield wipers would turn on. It was very weird. I would never have found the problem either, if I hadn't poked around under the hood and discovered a ground wire that had a loose bolt. I tightened that bolt to the chassis, and that weird problem went away.

[Ford Man]

I agree that checking the ground is probably the best place to start. I had a problem many years ago with my '88 Escort where neither of the headlights were coming on. Got to checking under the hood and traced the ground wire back to where it grounded to the frame and the screw was loose, tightened it up and all has been well ever since. If it's not a grounding problem, since the high beam indicator doesn't illuminate I'd suspect the possibility of a switch with a short in it or a bare wire that's grounding out somewhere on metal zapping all the juice going to that light. I know in theory if there's a live wire grounding out it should blow a fuse, but it doesn't always happen that way.

[nemo]

Did you test the voltages with the bulb in or out? Sometime you will get a no load reading of 12 volts and still have a problem on that side. With the bulb in and high beams on, check both at the bulb, if the high side still reads 12v that side should be ok. Now check the low side at the connector it should be close to 0 volts, if not you have a problem on the ground side. For these test use battery negative terminal for ground.

[landsailor]

There are many ground " straps " and connections the hood. The older the car, these sheet metal screws and ring connectors corrode. Usually turn green. remove each ground screw, ring connector, and nut. Sand or brush to a shine of bare metal. Put a decent glob of diaelectric grease(conducts electricity) and re-tighten. Look for ground wire behind the wire looms also.

Because a +/- circuit conducts voltage, it may not conduct enough amperage to fully power a high draw device such a headlight.

Lastly, the circuit relay(small black cubes under the relay box) may be going bad and will not "relay" enough amperage.

[GRU]

Originally Posted by landsailor

Because a +/- circuit conducts voltage, it may not conduct enough amperage to fully power a high draw device such a headlight

That makes sense, because like i said before, i checked the voltage on the ground wire at the plug so the ground is definetley connected, but the connection may be weak and that's why it's giving me a very very dim light from the bulb when i turn on the high beam.

[user removed]

Originally Posted by t vago

Check your ground wire on your driver side headlamp socket.

+1
You might consider adding a temporary ground wire to see if it fixes the problem.
Or you can get a test light and follow the ground from the negative battery terminal to the light bulb. When the test light glows (probably dim) then you have gone past the bad connection.

regards
Mech