Brights but no Dim 96 4 runner

[zstevens]

i posted this on Ih8mud as well. i used to own a cruiser, found this site through that one and could use some help seems like a great 4runner forum thanks in advance:

Brights but no Dim 96 4 runner



Hey guys been a while but im finally back in the toyota family.

I could use some help tracking down a headlight issue. I bought a 96 4runner last week. basic sr5 not limited. all the test drives were in the day everything seemed great.

So my first night drive i had the first issue. The brights will come on but the dims... no such luck. when i turn the lights on no matter what position the switch is in blue light is on. when i am in the dim position no headlights at all just parking, when i push it forward the brights come on.

A buddy and I tested the relay with a volt meter and it gave the voltage and made the "clicking" noise. But i do not here any noise from relay, when it is plugged in, if i switch from brights to dim. The 2 headlight fuses are good.

The only other issue is that it had aftermarket foglights before i got it. Seller just cut them out. But they were on a switch not attached to the dims.

It also has aftermarket stereo that i didnt install with wiring there that ran an amp and subs(that are no longer there).

Im not the best with electrical issues but any help in pointing me in the right direction of where to check would be much appriciated.

 

[YotaZach85]

Does it look like anyone may have messed with the headlight wiring harness?

 

[JohnsD90]

Are you sure its the brights that are on? I understand the dash lights say brights, the previous owner may have f*cked with the wiring and had to wire the low beams in the high beams wiring so that when you turn the "brights" on the low beams actually turn on.

 

[Gerdo]

Both low beam elements may be burnt out. Either replace a bulb or two or take a volt meter to the plug on the back of a headlight bulb.

 

[TheDurk]

That pretty much has to be a problem with the stalk switch (fairly common). (I read the Ih8mud posts so I know you've tried good bulbs.) The blue light is wired in a funky way on non-DRL 4Runners. It is really a light that is on except when the dims are on as it short circuits the high beam indicator light ground circuit when the dims come on. The headlights on non-DRL 4Runners are switched grounds, not switched hots, so keep that in mind. This circuit diagram should apply, although wire colors may be different between this non-DRL 2002 and yours.

http://www.ncttora.com/fsm/1996/SIL/techinfo.toyota.com/ileaf/ewdtmc2/ewdtmpdf/ewdsourc/2002/024runne/systemci/019hl.pdf

The relay is an on/off for the common 12V+, it has nothing to do with high/low switching which is done on the ground side through the stalk switch. So if it makes a noise when switching high to low THEN something IS wrong.

 

[zstevens]

Thanks guys, the stalk will be taken apart tomorrow. Yes im sure they are bright. if not i have dim lights that make 5 out of 10 people i pass at night flash their lights....

Durk that makes a lot of sense. ill keep you posted on what i find out. thank you again for all the help.

 

[zstevens]

update

Wanted to thank you for your help. Got new dimmer switch/stalk put in this weekend. took 5 minutes. Works like a charm. thanks again

fyi if this happends to anyone else just replace the switch no need to take off steering wheel 3 screws and all good.

 

[TheDurk]

Wanted to thank you for your help. Got new dimmer switch/stalk put in this weekend. took 5 minutes. Works like a charm. thanks again

fyi if this happends to anyone else just replace the switch no need to take off steering wheel 3 screws and all good.

Thanks for the feedback. Too often, we go to the effort of giving advice and the poster never comes back to let us know what happened.