Newbie Q:Correct Headlight Operation
 

Hi there, I'm new to Jags, and don't have any friends with a series 3.

Hopefully someone can help me the correct headlight operation...

1. I can't tell what is highbeam and lowbeam because no light tells me on the dash (should there be? I know all modern cars tell you)

2. On one setting I get only the drivers side, wing lamp, on the other setting I get both passenger side lamps. How many lamps should be on with lowbeam selected? and how many lamps should be on with highbeam selected? If it's only two and two, then which should be high, and which should be low? or are they all double filament.

I do have the Headlamp Circuit Checklist url available to me, and will be going through it tomorrow, but it would help to know how the headlights SHOULD work once fixed.

Thank you

The indicator is above all of the other warning lights, on the warning light cluster.... It shows up as a blue colored high beam....

With low beams on, only the two outer headlamps, and all of the sidemarkers and lower parking lights should be on...
With high beams, the two inner lamps will light up, in addition to all of the other lights (so 4 headlamps, all side markers, and parking lights)..

The problem with any sidemarkers not working is generally either dirty sockets, worn out sockets, or bad bulbs. You remove the bulbs by pushing in lightly, and twisting. Then take electrical cleaner and clean the sockets..

The headlamps are controlled by a fuse box on the LHS wheel well.. There are 5 fuses, four of them control the headlamp operation. Most of the time if the headlamps are doing funny things, it's because of lack of contact with the fuses. Remove each one, clean the sockets, tighten just a little, and reinsert the fuse... Move the fuse around a bit in the socket, and see if your headlamp operation resumes... If not, you can either have a bad fuse, or headlamp relay... The headlamp relay is the silver box with Hella written on it, near the fuse panel....

Good luck with it....

David Boger
Everyday XJ

Thanks, got all four headlights working properly. Still no luck with the high beam indicator. Got most of the marker lamps working too, but the drivers side marker lamps (all 3, bumper, fender, quarter) don't work, the bumper one does work with the turn signal blink, just won't stay on like the passenger side one does. Truly a tinkering mans car...

The high beam indicator might just be a bad bulb?

Dirty, loose, and corroded connectors, grounds, and fuses make up 95% of the exterior light problems.

Cheers
DD