Terminusvitae

This is the issue I'm currently facing: neither my daytime running lamps nor my headlights work. The details follow.

-It started last week. The daytime running lamps didn't engage when I put the transmission in Drive, I heard a series of rapid clicks not unlike turning the headlights on an off manually, and the "Service" light on the console came on. Manually turning on the lights doesn't work, and with the high beams engaged, only the bulb on the left actually illuminates. The parking lights, rear lights, and turn signals all work as they should.

-The clicks are coming from the fuse box, where the DRL relay is.

-I checked the fuses related to the headlights, and they all LOOK to be in good condition.

-I pulled the DRL relay, but I could not find anything obviously amiss with it, but leaving it out still doesn't allow the headlights to work manually.

-I've pulled out the multifunction switch, and I could not find anything obviously wrong with it, either. All of the connections seem tight, and I didn't see any carbon buildup or corrosion on any of the contacts with either the switch or the wiring.

-I replaced the old multifunction switch with a new one about two years ago when I was having a different problem with the headlights, which turned out to be corroded wiring, which I had replaced.


EDIT: I forgot to ask for help or advice! Shame on me for being so rude. Would anyone be able to help me puzzle this out? I'd rather not take it to a shop to find out it was just a simple issue if I don't have to.

EinST

Well, it isn't unheard of for both headlamps to go at the same time. So, check the headlamp sockets, first. The center electrode gets the battery voltage from the LT HDLP or RT HDLP fuse, depending on the driver side or passenger side. The other electrodes are the switched ground for high beam and low beam and connect to the MFS which grounds the respective circuits to turn on the headlamps.

The center electrode is always hot and thus check the voltage against a known chassis ground. With the other electrodes, check for continuity or resistance to the known ground with the headlamp switched on and dimmer in high beam or low beam, depending. This will give you a direction to proceed, headlamps themselves, the supply side or ground side.

Terminusvitae

Hmmm...it sounds as if I'll need a voltmeter for this. I'll have to check the old home's toolshed to see if there's one lying around because I don't have one here, unfortunately.

Terminusvitae

Sadly, I find myself without a voltmeter or much that can help. The repair shop in my old hometown suggested that it's likely corroded wiring behind the driver's side fender, since I've started having trouble with the low coolant light and my horn no longer works.

Why can't anything ever be cheap and simple?

EinST

Sorry to hear that. I think I paid like $15 a couple years back for the Sears digital multimeter I use most often. It's cheap enough for me not having to worry about dropping it and getting it dirty.

Terminusvitae

Update: swapping around fuses didn't do any good, so that's out.

Unfortunately, I can't even afford a voltmeter, much less an official diagnosis at any sort of service center. This is frustrating, because I need to be able to drive at night or in inclement weather for my job. I guess I should just admit I'm up the river and learn to embrace homelessness.

lromme

I had tehe same thing with my 97 cav, I ended up finding that the wiring harness had multiple fractures.
(bad splices)
I had to basically take the whole harness apart and resplice all the conectors.
it wasnt that big of a job, just time consuming. it turned all the factory splices were disintigrated.