S3 Head light Problems Is this a common fault?

[C100cbk]

I have an S3 which currently rhs headlamp only dimmly glows, neither the Main or dip beam work, however when I engage the Main Beam and then disenge the main beam the head lamp on the LHS stays in full beam mode. Does anybody know of this problem or has had this problem and of any possible resoultions????

[wedg1e]

Sounds like a bad earth or two.

[C100CBK]

I have exmined the earths and they are all nice and tight.

[lotusguy]

Hi,

Try swapping out your headlight relays, I suspect this is where you'll find the problem. Also, to rule out the headlamp itself, take a multimeter and check voltage at the headlamp socket and the relay socket.
Happy Motoring! ...Jim'85TE

[Dr.Hess]

It does sound suspiciously like a relay, but just FYI, looking at a ground connection and seeing if it is nice and tight is no indication of it actually working. You need to take your multi meter to the wire before the connection and check it against a known good ground point. One way to make sure you have a known good ground point to test against is to find two ground points. With your meter on Ohms, low scale, put each lead on a ground point distant from each other, preferably on different "things" and you should read close to zero Ohms if you have good ground sources. Leave one of the leads on the ground then go poking around with the other lead to confirm your suspected connection.

Dr.Hess

[lotusman]

I had a similar problem on my '89 non-SE shortly after I bought it in 1996. The head lights would act funny, not go up together, nothing but high beams, not come up at all, etc. After changing out relays and such, I decided it had to be the dash switch. That was it! I bought a new one from Star Motors in Houston and was able to change it out without taking out the binacle.

Looking into the switch, I found several fried contacts.

You might try it. It was a cheap fix.

lotusman
'89 non-SE

PS. There are so many different models; What is an "S3", exactly? I found my electronics were changed in mid '89. Please YEAR, type.

[C100CBK]

It is a Esprit S3 2.2 N/A 1985 RHD, I have put it to bed for the next two weeks, due to typical british summer weather , so will start by examining the switch then the relays then pray to Colin for the answer

[C100CBK]

Does anybody know where i could get a relay at a reasonable non-lotus price?