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Clio RSi main beam problem

Hi,

I've got a Renault Clio RSi (1993) with a problem with the headlight main beam. The main beam is actually 'working', insofar as it flashes on if you pull the stalk back when the headlights are off.

Now, with the headlights on, if you pull the stalk back it's supposed to switch from dip to main, or from main to dip - hopefully you get the picture here. This is the bit it ain't doing. With the headlights on, it stays stubbornly in dip - pulling the stalk back causes main beam to neither engage (as it should) nor flash.

I'm figuring this could be a relay problem - it doesn't appear to be a fuse out, I've checked. But as I don't have a Haynes manual or wiring details I'm a bit stuck on how to proceed. I'd be really grateful if anyone could shed some light. ;-)

Cheers, Nick nbdobb@SPAMTRAP_DELETEiee.org

Reply to
Nick Dobb
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I'd be really grateful if

same prob on my corsa turned out to be a defective switch!

Tom

Reply to
Tom Burton

The clickyness of these switches in on funny french cars in my experience means they are prone to failure. 2 replacement switches for the problems you describe cured 2 occurrences of it in ~200,000 miles of a Peugeot 205 I used to own.

Is it a sort of switch where it works the indicators, pull for flash, turn for sidelights one more turn for dip and clicky on clicky off for main beam?

They are quite complicated and not very cheap from what I remember. Call renault for a price then try a visit to Mr Scrap?

Dunno about the relay idea but I'd reckon if the main beam definately works, your relays are fine.

I have been wrong before (c:

Douglas

Reply to
Douglas Payne

That's it exactly. There's no mechanical click there at all, trouble is, I don't know whether there's supposed to be or not - I can't remember whether there was one before when it was working. It seems to me that the designers could have approached it one of two ways - either with a mechanical switch at the stalk, or with a relay arrangement.

If I had time today I'd nip down the scrappy and see if I could find one to play with, see whether there was a clicky switch on that one.

Thanks for the responses, keep 'em coming!

Cheers, Nick

Reply to
Nick Dobb

from what I recall for the corsa it was £27+VAT

Tom

Reply to
Tom Burton

Could be worse I suppose but it's not exactly cheap. (c:

I've been quoted over £100 for an indicator stalk for my Carlton with cruise control.

I can't remember how much it was for my 205.

Douglas

Reply to
Douglas Payne

As far as I can remember there is a different fuse for main beam flash. So it is possible it is just fuses. With the lights on when you pull back the switch for main beam and release, do the lights stay off or do dips come on again. Find the fuse or fuses for main beam and check with a test light for power.

Reply to
John Egan

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