CJ Light problem

the 'main' switch (dash) powers both high and low beam when on. The floor switch just switches the high beam on and off (it should not switch the lights off). It appears like it switches both off because, probably, your low beams never come on.

Sounds like your low beam circuit is broken. when on high beam your low beam should be on too. check both head lights when on high beam, is low beam on too? (probably not) I bet it is probably a short in the low beam wire. there's not that much wire in a cj , your best bet is to trace it back. (you can use a mutimeter to check for a short or broken wire in the low beam circuit )

Thanks, will check. The reason I originally thought it was the floor switch is because the lo beams were on, it was when I hit the high beam switch that they went out, 2 more clicks got me high beams again. That is proably the first time the high beam has been switched since owning the jeep, 4 - 5 years.

the 'main' switch (dash) powers both high and low beam when on. The floor switch just switches the high beam on and off (it should not switch the lights off). It appears like it switches both off because, probably, your low beams never come on.

Sounds like your low beam circuit is broken. when on high beam your low beam should be on too. check both head lights when on high beam, is low beam on too? (probably not) I bet it is probably a short in the low beam wire. there's not that much wire in a cj , your best bet is to trace it back. (you can use a mutimeter to check for a short or broken wire in the low beam circuit )

hmm, that almost sounds like your old switch is a different one than is usually used. the switch is supposed to switch high beams on and off and not 'cycle' between off, low and high.

No it's not cycleing between off, lo and high, it's supposed to be lo-high, but with no lo it's high and nothing. What I was tring to say was my lo beams were working fine for the last few years, it wasn't till that first high beam click that they went out.

hmm, that almost sounds like your old switch is a different one than is usually used. the switch is supposed to switch high beams on and off and not 'cycle' between off, low and high.

I had problems with my old Chevy. Similar switch. End result was I simply bypassed the whole shooting match since everything was old and buggered up anyway. The end result was much brighter headlights.

Similar concept here.

Might read here.

On mine, the pigtail on the floor switch also fell apart from corrosion. Canadian Tire even sells those pigtails in the 'help' section, but those fail very fast also. I would check a wrecker for a GM van and get one (pigtail) there maybe. I am using a Centech harness now and I filled the plug with dielectric grease and got the 'Mopar' floor button for $16.00 vs the $5.00 one because the CT ones only last about 2 years before falling apart.

Oh, CJ dimmer switches turn on 'either' the high or low beams, not both, that would blow the circuit breaker in the switch almost instantly.

Mike

Not on a CJ. The switch turns on 'either' the high or low beams, not both at once.

Mike

I know, the switch is supposed to switch the high beam circuit on and off. I was just wondering because he seemed to have off, low and high, if at some point another switch 'appeared' in his cj. I have seen some older jeeps with a lot of creative wiring.

I know, the switch is supposed to switch the high beam circuit on and off. I was just wondering because he seemed to have off, low and high, if at some point another switch 'appeared' in his cj. I have seen some older jeeps with a lot of creative wiring.

right, that was one of the possibilities suggested a few postings back.

If you have only off and high, than the floor switch is doing what it is supposed to do. So probably your low beam circuit is broken. because when the lights are on, low beam is always on no matter if the high beams are on or not. (the wiring diagram shows that too)

No, the switch sends out one power line only to the dimmer switch. From there it goes 'either' to the high beams or the low beams. The dimmer has a three pronged plug, one input from the switch and two outputs.

He has an issue with the low beam part, that's for sure, but it is after the dimmer switch.

Mike

One way to find out for sure is to take a test light and see if you've got power out at the lights. If there's power and no light, it's probably both bulbs burnt out. Been an automotive tech for 20+ years and I've seen that more than once.