Serviced brakes on my Forester...now my headlamps don't work

Help!

I just had my brake rotors/drums machined and replaced my pads/shoes. Brakes work great now but my headlamps no longer come on. I suspect it has something to do with the hand brake circuit. The hand brake is stiffer and has less travel than it used to. I assume this is due to the rear brakes being tighter.

I also had a rear outer CV joint boot replaced at the dealer (which sucked, but that's another story).

Could either proceedure have something to do with my headlamps not working? How can I check?

Greg Smith

Reply to
Greg Smith
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Reply to
mulder

No. My dash brake light is not on except when the brake lever is pulled. I have a 2000 Forester so I don't have DRLs (though I do drive with my headlamps on during the day) however, my headlamps will normally turn off when the brake handle is pulled.

Reply to
Greg Smith

Yikes. That is frightening. Good thing they fixed it. I suspect you DO have the DRL, and that you HAVE been driving with just them on.

Reply to
Cam Penner

New info just in. My high beams work. My low beams do not. Also, my interior, overhead clock is out. Last week, during a period of extreme cold, I recall smelling an electrical short smell right after starting the vehicle.

I now think this problem occurring at the same time as the brake work is just coincidental. I think I have another problem at work here.

Headlamp fuses check out okay. What are the chances of both low beam elements burning out at the same time? I would think not very high.

I'll pull the bulbs and have a look.

I assume there is a relay that cuts power to the headlamps when the engine is off. I typically leave my lights turned on at the stalk switch so they are on whenever the engine is running. Is this a bad practice?

Reply to
Greg Smith

Reply to
mulder

This appears to be the case. I don't know the reason nor do I know if it will happen again in the near future but both low beam filaments were broken.

I have replaced the bulbs, which, true to form for every auto repair I have performed lately, were an absolute bitch to get out. The contacts were not corroded but they felt like they were soldered to the connector. Took a huge amount of force to get the wiring connectors off. One of the bulb's blade connectors tore off and had to be extracted from the connector.

Thanks for all the hints. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it was just a coincidence and some kind of electrical spike that caused both bulbs to burn out the same day. If not, I'll be back for more advice I'm sure.

Thanks again.

Reply to
Greg Smith

Yes. It happened to me.

Reply to
John Varela

Me too. Made for a fun nighttime trip to the auto store. I suppose it had to be a power surge or something, because the chances of two bulbs blowing simultaneously is pretty slim otherwise.

-John O

Reply to
John O

Carefully check your battery connections. If one comes loose while you're driving you can get a huge short-term voltage surge, called a 'load dump' You may get 30-40 volts on the

12 volt buss for up to 1/2 second.
Reply to
Jim Stewart

Replaced both bulbs and all is fine. Had to be a power spike. Nobody can manufacture bulbs with MTBFs that consistent. :-)

I am also heeding snipped-for-privacy@x.files advice and turning off my lights before shutting off my engine.

Reply to
Greg Smith

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