I'm unable to flash my main headlights on my M(96) reg Vauxhall Astra Hatchback. The low, normal and high beams on the headlights all work ok, but when I use the control to flash the lights nothing happens. It suddenly stopped working around a year ago. I cannot find a fuse that relates to the flash and I'm struggling to think what it could be.
When you have the headlights on and "flash" it simply illuminates the main beam filament, in addition to the "dipped" (if switched on) - or it does on my car - though I seem to recall it being different on other cars?
Assuming the Dipped Headlamps are on, when one switches the main beam on 'permanent -I.e. not momentary it cuts the supply to the dipped filament, presumably to stop the lamp overheating.
When the multi plug melted and corroded on my lamp, strange things such as the dip filament would stay illuminated, sometimes fully sometimes not with the main beam on, sometimes it would illuminate the wrong filament on flash etc or another favourite was the main beam would illuminate turning left and extinguish when going right. Symptoms pretty much depended on the day of the week.- hence 'headlamp related mayhem'.
For the sake of 20 seconds looking under the bonnet its worth a look.
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