My odometer crapped out again since it was fixed by a VDO repair shop last September. I brought it back to them on Friday to be fixed.

The odometer worked for 45 miles and then stopped once again. This happened on about a 200 mile roundtrip. When I finally got to a red light, I noticed that my speedometer would not go below 35 mph! Thankfully the speedo registers (correctly) my speed above 35.

And, last but not least, there's a third problem to top everything off. As I was moving my car tonight, I noticed my headlights won't turn on. I'm assuming that something wasn't plugged in correctly when the cluster was reinstalled. The parking lights come on, and I checked fuse #2 and it looks fine, the horn is on the same fuse as the lights, and it works.

If I try to turn on my high beams, they do come on; however, the high beam indicator on the panel doesn't light up -- which may be a clue.

Obviously, I'm going back there next week. But, any thoughts about my headlights and speedo?

Thanks..

Eric

"...I noticed my headlights won't turn on...my high beams, they do come on..."

OK, I'm confused. Do they or don't they?

I thought the high beams and low beams used different fuses, or maybe it was that one went through the "bulb out" sensor and the other didn't.....

"...the high beam indicator on the panel doesn't light up -- which may be a clue..."

Maybe it's your low beam that work, not the high beams.

Don,

When I turn the knob to turn on the headlights, the only lights that come on in the front are the yellow parking lights. This happens regardless if the car is running or if the key is set to the second position in the ignition.

FYI, the bulb-out light doesn't acknowledge that my lights aren't on.

What's weird is that I can engage my high beams if I pull the turn signal lever towards me (like usual). They will stay on until I disengage them.

Ordinarily, the high beam indicator light will turn on when the high beams are on. But, that indicator light doesn't come on, like it normally does. That's why I'm thinking perhaps something wasn't either plugged back in correctly or something is fried.

I have a voltmeter gauge installed. Usually, when you turn on your parking lights, the meter will drop a little bit, and then when you turn on the headlights, it'll drop down some more. For me, the gauge drops if I turn on my parking lights, but when I turn the headlight knob all the way to the right, my voltmeter gauge doesn't drop down anymore -- as if it's not even trying to turn on the lights.

I'll double check the fuses again, but I'm almost positive that they are fine.

I hope I explained everything... I can live with the miscalibrated speedo and the broken odometer, but we're due up for some rain again here, and I'd like to try and get my headlights working again before I leave.

Thanks for the quick reply, Don..

Eric

"...turn the knob to turn on the headlights, the only lights that come on in the front are the yellow parking lights..."

That's normal when the key's off.

"...regardless if the car is running or if the key is set to the second position in the ignition..."

That's not normal, however.

"FYI, the bulb-out light doesn't acknowledge that my lights aren't on."

That sounds right. The sensor detects a mismatch in current between the right 'n left bulbs. In this case the current is matched at zero.

"...can engage my high beams if I pull the turn signal lever towards me..."

That sounds normal to me.

"...that indicator light doesn't come on, like it normally does. That's why I'm thinking perhaps something wasn't either plugged back in correctly or something is fried..."

Mmmmm..... Check the high beam indicator bulb on the outside chance that the mechanic bumped or dislodged it.

Your description of the voltage readings tracks with what you'd expect from various loads on the system. The reason you see the voltage drop is because the higher current causes a greater voltage drop across the resistance in the circuit (such as at the fuse clips). It's Ohm's law, and we must obey or suffer the current consequences. Sorry -- couldn't resist the potential in that one!)

Don't forget that your car has the headlight relay on the inside firewall, directly ahead of the brake pedal -- just above the kick panel. This is the relay that shuts off the headlights if the key's off. I wonder if it's involved in this problem?

Personally, I'd be all over your car with a schematic, test light, and DVM. I'm sure it's some simple, dumb thing.

Don,

I pulled out the instrument cluster (everything is still plugged in), but I found 2 wires, black and orange, that have female spade connectors on the end, that are not plugged in.

I have a tach installed, so I'm assuming one of them is for the large clock. But, I'm not sure what the other one is for. Perhaps the black one gets connected to the back of the headlight switch?

I'll try and look up the wire in the archives.

Thanks,

Eric

Check out the headlight relay. I had the same symptoms on a car a few years ago. It was a defective relay.