Poor headlights

[aidantolson]

Hi all,

I'm new to this site so excuse my lack of knowledge and you may of already answered this - I did try to search....

So, I've recently bought a mrk3 1.4, it's got the angel eye headlights but they're really weak, even with the rings and the mainlights on it's so weak you can't tell you've got lights on when driving at all!!!... also I noticed when I flick the full beams nothing happens.

Now I'm assuming that it's been badly wired, so I'll take a look tonight, which may fix the full beam issue.. but I can't see this making the headlights brighter.. I've already got to halfords and got 'super bright' bulb, which proved to be a no win.

I've spoken to a mate and he mentioned weak headlights can be a common problem on mk3's.. and often a new wiring loom is needed.. has anyone else come across this problem?

Thanks guys, looking forward to your responses!!!
Aidan

[notquitecornish]

I'm not trying to accuse you of stupidity or anything, but did you test full-beam with the engine running?

I ask simply because the day I got my Mk3 I took it for its first night run in my ownership, and flicked the lights on when parked up. Full beam didn't seem any brighter than dipped - but then I switched the ignition on and the lights suddenly dazzled my girlfriend who I'd positioned in front of the car 'checking it out'!

Just a suggestion anyway mate, it probably is something to do with the loom. My service history suggests mine was worked on a couple years back - it's 13 now!

[aidantolson]

Hiya, yeah I tried while driving along.. no full beams at all, and the main headlight are about as bright as having oil burners in there! : (

[neileg]

Could be an earthing problem. The dip beams could be earthing via the main beams which would make them dim but with the main beams on, there's no path to earth so no light. Or I may be talking rubbish...

[ini]

Sounds like something is not wired in correctly.

Do the halo/sidelights come on seperately, or at the same time as dipped beam?

Does anything happen when you turn fog/driving lights on (if fitted)?

Are the connectors on the lights standard or modified?

Do they have the same bulb type/fitting?

If it is wired in correctly, the easiest solution is to buy a fused & relayed harness to draw power directly from the battery, with a local earth.

[Driver1.8]

:zx11::mad::aargh4:Hi everyone, following on from this guys question,hope you have now sorted it out,my MK3 also has angel eye headlights fitted but have an interesting problem, once you switch from normal dipped beam at night to full beam the dipped lights(outers) go out, MOT got a little stroppy but couldnt fail it but it would be good to get it sorted.
Any idea's
:zx11:

[ini]

This is a common problem on cars that have single twin element bulbs as standard (H4 etc), and have had twin (single element, H7 etc) headlight enclosures fitted.

On a standard (twin element) H4 bulb the dipped beam element goes out when you switch to high beam.

You need to modify the way the headlight switch operates, either by bridging contacts on the indicator stalk connector block, or at the fusebox.

These links should be helpful:

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=1167457

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=965205