Headlight plug hot both terminals? - Automotive Wiring and Electrical


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Headlight plug hot both terminals?

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Auto Repair Home>> Automotive Repair>> Automotive Wiring and Electrical

madijack
New User

Oct 6, 2010, 8:33 AM

Post #1 of 5 (3473 views)

Headlight plug hot both terminals?	Sign In

97 Acura 2.2CL 156k -

Driver headlight out - stopped working out of the blue -

pulled bulb / swapped bulb into passenger side - bulb OK

Bulb from passenger side into driver side - no go

Checked fuses / swapped fuses - all OK

Checked voltage at plug connector at headlights -

passenger side (working) - 14.3 V on one pin / 0 V on other

drivers side (not working) - 14.3 V on BOTH pins

How could this be?

Thanks for any idea of what to check next -

signed,
daughters' full time mechanic

Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Oct 6, 2010, 8:41 AM

Post #2 of 5 (3465 views)

Re: Headlight plug hot both terminals?	Sign In

The reason your seeing voltage on both sides is because you have no ground and your reading it while it's plugged in. Does the power go off with the switch?

Are you having the same problem on both high and low beam?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.

madijack
New User

Oct 6, 2010, 9:34 PM

Post #3 of 5 (3456 views)

Re: Headlight plug hot both terminals?	Sign In

Hammer Time - thanks for the help

I am reading it at the plug AFTER pulling the bulb

no power with switch off -

high and low same reading -

madijack
New User

Oct 8, 2010, 5:29 PM

Post #4 of 5 (3442 views)

Re: Headlight plug hot both terminals?	Sign In

Anyone?
So I take it I should have one hot and one ground on the plug pins......

How would the ground get hot? My simpleton brain says the ground goes to .........well, ground......the frame, etc.

How do I go about chasing it down? The wire disappears pretty quickly into a loom and then with other wires and out of sight...........

Anyone?
Thanks!

Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Oct 8, 2010, 5:40 PM

Post #5 of 5 (3439 views)

Re: Headlight plug hot both terminals?	Sign In

The bulbs are powered all the time. they are turned off and on with the grounds. You need to be using a testlight that reads power and ground.

Here's the diagram to follow

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.

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