Diagnosing a headlight problem

[Malamute]

I rarely drive my truck at night but a few nights ago I was heading home and the passenger headlight keeps going out and then coming back on. Usually when I hit a bump.

Do I start with the lamp itself or start with electrical? I was thinking about swapping left with right lamps and seeing if it still does it on the passenger side or if it will do it on the driver side.

Thanks.

[joeydurango]

I would check the connection of the lamp to the socket first. Those plug-type sockets can get corroded and/or loose, causing intermittent disconnection. Super easy, too. Check for any corrosion and clean it up, then see how tight the fit on the plug feels, you can always tweak the plugs a little to make sure they are snug in the socket.

[old Chevy guy]

Originally Posted by joeydurango

I would check the connection of the lamp to the socket first. Those plug-type sockets can get corroded and/or loose, causing intermittent disconnection. Super easy, too. Check for any corrosion and clean it up, then see how tight the fit on the plug feels, you can always tweak the plugs a little to make sure they are snug in the socket.

X2 what he said. I don't drive my truck in the dark very often either and had to wiggle the plug to get a connection more that a couple of times. If it was all cleaned up I wonder if some dielectic grease would help that from happening?

[cdowns]

another place to check is by the floor mounted dimmer switch as the connections there routinely get clogged up with crap and crud from your feet

[Malamute]

Thanks everyone. I will check both spots. The dimmer switch does seem very hard to push.

[Ol Blue K20]

Normally if the dimmer is the problem both sides would blink off and on. But cleaning it can't hurt.

[davepl]

Originally Posted by cdowns

another place to check is by the floor mounted dimmer switch as the connections there routinely get clogged up with crap and crud from your feet

I can't think of a way the dimmer could affect only one lamp, though, as it comes out as a full circuit (high beam vs low beam wires). [Edit: whoops, too slow, someone already said that]

If the connections are fine (and the connector carries its own ground in this case) it could conceivably be a loose filament in the bulb itself, but that'd be among the least likely causes... but still possible.

[stsalvage]

All your guys are right.

But I have to add my 2 cents Please!!!

I feel more and more people have problems with there newer trucks from the 90's and up they will wide up going back the the true classics.

I feel any one that keeps a trucks around as a back up should start putting money into it.

Meaning If i was him I would put a brand new wire harness in from M&H wire harness its a plug and play system.then put in the engine harness it wil solve almost 98% of your problems under the hood when it comes to electrical.


Now if you want brighter rear tail light they make a harness for that and all plug and play.People over look there 30 year old wire harness so much plus it put valve back in your truck by 2000.00
then later replace the Fuse box in side your truck.