Thread: '09 Headlight High Beam stopped working but Low Beam working ok - What the?

Could be as simple a 2 blown high beam filaments. Take a globe out and have a look. Otherwise a test light in the globe plug .

Running lots of current through your headlights switch by towing something with lots of lights, like a camper trailer, can melt one of the terminals on your headlight switch and cause a problem like what you've got. If that's what has happened, you'll need a new switch and to prevent it happening again, fit a relay to the circuit to avoid running all the current through the switch. Or better still, fit a headlight wiring upgrade kit from Tim at Traxide
Don.

If the main beam pilot is coming on, fuse 24 is OK. Fuses 24 and 25 are the last fuses in the in the left and right hibeam circuits
However if the dip stalk switch is faulty, full power may not be getting to the lights but enough to power the pilot. Check that full power is available at fuse 24 and 25

The high and low beam earths are common so if lo works the earth is ok.
As suggested you may be unlucky to have both highbeam filaments failed. Easy to check by testing direct to battery

Here is a diagram for the lights. I think it will apply to an 09


Mainbeam are K and J kleft and right and the Mainbeam pilot is A
Hope that helps

Well... I'm bamboozled....

Checked all Fuses and all ok, checked Bulbs and all OK... Checked the colour code of wires at the Headlight Bulb and they differ to what the manual says... (see photos attached)

Looking head-on at the Headlight Plug at the Terminals the colours are as follows:

Looking at the Plug at the Headlight face-on going from Left to Right

(1) - LHS Wire Colour Red/Yellow
(2) - TOP Wire Colour Red/Green
(3) - RHS Wire Colour Red/White

Now, here's the interesting thing. With both R&L headlight bulbs out and ignition OFF/ HL switch OFF, at Terminal (3) there is a constant 12v supply.... What the ??

Looking at the wiring Diagram, the feed comes from the BJB > Lighting Control Sw. > Headlight Relay > Column Sw > Central Fuse Box > Headlight Bulbs > Earth.

Why would there be 12volts at the Bulb connector with everything OFF?

Low Beam seems to be working OK but still no H/B....

Any ideas??

Originally Posted by Grappler

Here is a diagram for the lights. I think it will apply to an 09


Mainbeam are K and J kleft and right and the Mainbeam pilot is A
Hope that helps

Another thought
Have you tried to activate the high beam by flashing the column stalk switch? If that works the mainbeam contact in the stalk switch is probably faulty. The highbeam flash is on an indepenedent circuit

Originally Posted by Grappler

Another thought
Have you tried to activate the high beam by flashing the column stalk switch? If that works the mainbeam contact in the stalk switch is probably faulty. The highbeam flash is on an indepenedent circuit

No, tried that w/o success as well


Also, when I checked the supply at the fuses, I cycled through the high and low beam via the column switch and it all seemed to work as normal. I confused as to why there is 12v at the bulb plug when everything is turned off.... ?

That is weird. Has the 12v you get at the globe plug and the fuses got enough grunt to light the bulb
A source of 12volts when the ignition and light switch is off is from the highbeam flash circuit. Perhaps the stalk contacts are burnt and leaking restricted 12v
Not sure about the wire colurs. The diagram is for a 07-11(from Aulro daves PUMA CD). I will have a look at my Defender if I can see it without pulling it aprt. Iwas in there a few months ago to install LED headlights. Cant remember the colours