Headlamps

[MHunter]

I am trying to understand how the front lights and dashboard light switches are supposed to be working. The Ultima has 2 sets of 4 front lights (1 set on each side). The turn signal is the orange light, and works as it should. Beside the turn signal is the driving light. Above those 2 are the low/high beams. On the dashboard, there's a 3 way switch, and a push button for the high beams.

My questions are:

When is the driving light supposed to be on and how is it turned on?
I have never seen the high beam light above the turn signal turned on. How is it turned on?
In Canada, Daytime Running Lights are mandatory. This means one of the 4 lights must be turned on at low or full intensity automatically as soon the motor is running, but I don't see anything in the wiring loom to support this. I can easily buy a DRL conversion kit and install it, but I wanna make sure I need this kit first.

What happens right now for me is:

- If the light switch is in position off, there are no lights turned on (obvsiouly) and the highbeam button flashes the driving light and the low/high beam light above it.
- If the light switch is in middle position, the low/high beam above the driving light is turned on at low instensity. the highbeam button flashes both the driving light and the low/high beam light above it.
- If the light switch is in the last position, the low/high beam above the driving light is turned on at low instensity. The highbeam button turns on/off both the driving light and the low/high beam light above it, instead of just flashing them.

There seems to be no difference between the light switch in middle or bottom position, except in the way highbeam button flashes or turns on/off the highbeams.

Am I all confused or what?

[Steve_D]

MHunter said:

I am trying to understand how the front lights and dashboard light switches are supposed to be working. The Ultima has 2 sets of 4 front lights (1 set on each side). The turn signal is the orange light, and works as it should. Beside the turn signal is the driving light. Above those 2 are the low/high beams. On the dashboard, there's a 3 way switch, and a push button for the high beams.

My questions are:

When is the driving light supposed to be on and how is it turned on?
I have never seen the high beam light above the turn signal turned on. How is it turned on?
In Canada, Daytime Running Lights are mandatory. This means one of the 4 lights must be turned on at low or full intensity automatically as soon the motor is running, but I don't see anything in the wiring loom to support this. I can easily buy a DRL conversion kit and install it, but I wanna make sure I need this kit first.

What happens right now for me is:

- If the light switch is in position off, there are no lights turned on (obvsiouly) and the highbeam button flashes the driving light and the low/high beam light above it.
- If the light switch is in middle position, the low/high beam above the driving light is turned on at low instensity. the highbeam button flashes both the driving light and the low/high beam light above it.
- If the light switch is in the last position, the low/high beam above the driving light is turned on at low instensity. The highbeam button turns on/off both the driving light and the low/high beam light above it, instead of just flashing them.

There seems to be no difference between the light switch in middle or bottom position, except in the way highbeam button flashes or turns on/off the highbeams.

Am I all confused or what?

First thing is to understand that daytime running lights are not a requirement in the UK so that is why it is not included in the loom.

The lights used are….
• Side or parking lights which is the first switch position (after off).
• Headlights, second switch position.
Headlights can be dipped, high beam or flashed which is controlled by the button.

The light cluster.
Top outboard..….Is high beam + side/parking light
Top inboard…..…Is dipped beam.
Lower outboard...Is high beam.
Lower inboard…..Is turn indicator.

The button
• Press the button with the light switch in the off or sidelight position will give headlight flash and light the upper and lower outboard lamps + the blue warning. These are the high beam lights so will dazzle oncoming motorists hence the blue warning lamp.
• Press the button with the light switch set to the headlight position the button will change from high beam to dipped beam (upper inboard lamp).

If the side light will fulfil the daylight requirement then that will be the easiest to wire into.

Your confusion may be because you dip/high beam relay is faulty (a common problem). Try the lights again and see if you get what I have shown above. If not then report back.

Steve

[MHunter]

Hey Steve,

I finally received my replacement relay, and it fixed the problem. I indeed had a faulty relay. Thanks for the help.

Now to wire the parking light as a daytime running light, I guess I need a relay that it turned on from the white wire coming from the ignition switch?

Thanks!
MH

[Steve_D]

MHunter said:

....Now to wire the parking light as a daytime running light, I guess I need a relay that is turned on from the white wire coming from the ignition switch?..

Glad you found the problem. Should you need it again the relay is a VAG part 111 941 583 which you should be able to get locally.

I would not use the white wire as this is not fused. Use a green wire from either fuse 1 or 2. Both are ignition switched. Fuse 2 probably has the least load on it at present but to drive a relay does not use much power so any green wire you can find local to where you site the relay will do.

For future maintenance it would be best to site the relay alongside the others. I now have 14 relays and 16 fuses on my car compared to the original 8 & 8.

Are you intending that your 'parking' lights will now only come on with ignition or do you still want them switched from the light switch? The original UK requirement was that a vehicle parked at night on an unlit road had to be left with parking lights on all night. The law may still exist but is not widely used.

Your options are to:=

• Have your relay supply into the red wire going to fuses 7&8 so either the relay or the switch will switch the lights
• Remove the red wire and have the relay supply fuses 7&8.
• Use a change over relay that will switch the light supply between ignition or light switch.

Steve

[MHunter]

I just went to my local store and bought a Daytime Running Light kit. I spliced it into the red wire going to fuses 7&8. this results in the rear lights turning on as well, but it won't fail me so it doesn't matter. The kit gets its power from the battery, and splices into the oil pressure gauge wire to turn on the light when the engine is running. works quite nicely.

MH