headlights

[Peetee]

Your opinions please on the most likely cause of the following. No headlights at all, but the mainbeam warning light illuminates regardless of the position of the dimmer switch. No obvious disconnected wires but the dimmer switch has been disconnected and reconnected in the past (to fit underlay) - but so have lots of other things!! Also there is a loose green/yellow wire appearing through the front inner wing. Can't think of any other possible clues.

[aupickup]

possible bad earth
not sure about the loose wire

[Willie]

The dipper switch is fed via a BLUE wire from the lighting switch
so check that the blue wire is live with the headlamps switched on.
If No joy but the SIDELIGHTS are working then it would appear that the
lighting switch is being fed ok (Brown with blue stripe) but it is not
supplying voltage in the 'Headlamp' position. If you follow the
BLUE wires' path you will find that there is a bullet connector in the line.
A favourite for giving trouble!! The only Green/yellow wire on the later
cars is for the 'Oil Filter Warning light switch'.

[Willie]

Further to the above the Dipper Switch should have three wires
on it. BLUE in the middle, Blue/ White on one side, and BLUE/ RED
on the other. The Main Beam warning lamp is fed by the BLUE/WHITE
lead which also goes to the headlamps (main beam)through some more
bullet connectors. If the main beam warning lamp is illuminated at all
times then it suggests a fault in the actual dipper switch(not very
common). The warning lamp should go off if the lighting switch is
turned off??? does it??

[Peetee]

OK I'm nearly there now. Paulk is here now and he has succeded in finding a fault in the earth wires. Full marks to PaulK for not only finding the fault but also successfully explaining it to a complete chump.