high beam switch

[bkprolix]

'02 passat wagon v6, auto
My headlights don't work but the bulbs are good. One mechanic said that it looked like the harness had cracked insulation & might need replacement. a friend who has a mixture of 5 passats & jettas suggested the hi-beam switch... My question is where is this switch located.

Also there seems to be s short somewhere in the system which is draining the battery in cold damp weather. I havennot replaced the headlamp harness but have new ones. could the headlight switch be the cause of the short?


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[soundguybob]

The high beam switch is part of the turn signal stalk, and is most likely NOT your problem. The low beams stay on, even with the high beams, so the high beam switch does not interrupt the low beams at any time.

What harness was the mechanic referring to? The ones in the headlights, or elsewhere?

Have you checked the fuses? How do you know the bulbs are good? It's VERY common for both low beams to fail at nearly the same time.

The headlight switch could be a cause for the lights to not work, but there are also a few other things that could cause the headlights to not work. Does anything else electrical in the car not work, such as the heater fan, windows, or horn?

Do you have a test light or multi meter? If not, you should at least go buy a $10 meter at the auto parts store... It will make tracking down the issue relatively simple.

[bkprolix]

I should have said the hi beams don't work & the mechanic said the hi beam bulbs are good. I have the harness for the head lights.


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[soundguybob]

Got it... That rules out the headlight switch, but not the high beam switch. There are 2 fuses for the high beams... 1 for each side. Check them both, with a meter. I'd change the headlight harness and check the fuses before going any further. Also, check the high beam bulbs with a meter to see if they are indeed good. I've had bulbs go bad that still looked good.

I'd also verify that the bulbs are no higher than stock wattage. You WILL have a failed wiring harness, and possibly damage the housings themselves with over-wattage bulbs.

[bkprolix]

Well the battery issue turned out to be the battery it self. It was under warranty & Interstate replaced it for free as well as restarting the warranty! Very happy with excellent customer service.
So where exactly is the hi-beam switch, and am I going to have to take apart the steering column to get to it?

[soundguybob]

Does the high beam indicator come on at all? Have you tried both pushing the stalk forward (high beams on) and pulling it back (flash to pass)?

[bkprolix]

Nothing happens, either pushed forward or pulled backward.

[bkprolix]

Bump