2003 Toyota Avensis headlight out

[Avocet]

Hi All, I've been lumbered with what I thought would be a simple job! Long story short...

...saw wife's mate and noticed she had a headlight out. Suggested she came round for a chat with the Mrs while I changed the bulb for her...

...and it's not the pigging bulb! It's the left hand headlight, dipped beam. The bulb is fine. She had the handbook, (which bore no resemblance whatsoever to the fuse layout)! Does anyone know which fuse the left hand dipped beam headlight on a Toyota Avensis of 2003 vintage is, please? According to the handbook, it's a small fuse box above the radiator, but the space where it says the fuse should be is empty. I've pulled all the fuses I can see and they seem fine. I get 0.11 Volts at the connector that pushes on to the back of the bulb.

 

[Peter.N.]

I had a similar problem with a Peugeot 406, after wasting a lot of time I came to the conclusion that there was a wiring fault so I fitted a relay driven by the working headlight, works a treat now.

Peter

 

[Avocet]

Thanks Peter, that sounds like a plan. I guess the downside is that then they'd both be on the same fuse though? I'd just get a bit worried in the unlikely event of her blowing the fuse one night and loosing both lights simultaneously. Anyway, will have a look at the weekend but might have to resort to that!

 

[Mursal]

Haynes says there are fuses behind the storage box (you have to take it out) on the drivers side facia. It only says that there is a list on the back of the box to show what fuse goes where. Also mentioned the fuse relay box under the bonnet.

If you take each fuse out in turn (put it back after testing and move to the next one) to find the one for the good dip main beam? The suspect fuse should be positioned in the fuse box beside it? If you cant get the good one to stop working by pulling the fuse, you are in the wrong fuse box. If that makes sense?

Just found the circuit diagram and it shows the L/H main beam and the L/H dip main beam sharing the same 15A fuse? But I would have thought they would have separate fuses, as you say to ensure you don't loose all the lights if a fuse goes. Worth also checking the wires going into the light unit for bad connection

Hope this helps

 

[Belle427]

check fuse f10 15 amp, should be in an engine bay fusebox.
as said should control both dip and main beam for left side

 

[Peter.N.]

Thanks Peter, that sounds like a plan. I guess the downside is that then they'd both be on the same fuse though? I'd just get a bit worried in the unlikely event of her blowing the fuse one night and loosing both lights simultaneously. Anyway, will have a look at the weekend but might have to resort to that!

You can always fit an inline fuse if you are concerned, very cheap on ebay.

Peter

 

[Avocet]

Thanks all. I definitely remember seeing a pair of 15A fuses next to each other in one of the underbonnet fuse boxes. As suggested, I'll pull each of them and see if the good light goes out. That'll be a good start. I was wondering about the separate in-line fuse, but ultimately, I guess the feed to it (and the relay) will ultimately have to come via the "good" headlamp fuse though.

 

[Peter.N.]

The power feed to the relay comes direct from the battery or an auxilluary circuit, only the relay control voltage comes from the other light so you still only have one lamp loading the fuse.

Peter

 

[Avocet]

Sorted! Thanks everyone! Much easier than I had feared in the end. A high resistance on the contacts that the blades of the fuse push into.