Thread: Dim Head Lights

Hi guys,

The head lights on my 1996 110 appear to be far more dim than I think they should be. The right front headlight only produces a soft glow whilst the left front is better, but not great.

Both my batteries are in great condition and provide full voltage. Also all the bulbs are the recommended ratings from the car guide.

I think it may have something to do with when the previous owner had installed spot lights.

Can anyone think of where I can start to look for how to resolve this issue??

cheers, David

The Defender does not use headlight relays, so the entire current passes through the two switches on the column (on/off and hi/lo). So you will be losing volts on the wires to and from. If higher wattage bulbs have been fitted, this will make it worse, not better. Switch contacts and fuse contacts are another source of voltage loss.

The difference between the two lights suggests that the dim headlight has a poor earth connection, but it could be a fuse contact, as there are separate fuses L/R, or the actual plug on the bulb.

Get a voltmeter and start looking for where the voltage loss is happening, but strong recommendation is to fit headlight relays - there are kits to do this (one from a member here),or you can design and install it yourself. A bit of a search will find a lot of posts on the subject.

John