Hi I wondered if anyone can offer any more advice 

My wife has a Fiesta Mk6 2007.  The low/dipped beam has stopped working on both headlights. All other lights working Inc full beam if indicator stalk pulled. There were no events that were noticed that caused this.  I've tried to solve it myself based on internet trawls.  Here's what I've done so far...

Checked the bulbs and connectors to headlamps. All look ok.

Swopped the relays around in fuse box, makes no difference.

Bought a 2nd hand indicator stalk and changed that. All the positions work for flash full beam, indicators etc on the old stalk and the 'new' one. 

The rotating lighting switch appears to work ok, side lights, fogs, when selecting headlights the green light comes on the dashboard but just no dipped beam working. Had the switch out, reconnected the plug.

Car shows no other electrical faults 

Guessing this is some wiring fault somewhere. Any ideas where to try?

 

Thank you

I know you said you'd done this, but you stated the bulbs look OK. Last year, both my dipped beams stopped working. I went through loads of unnecessary diagnosis, till I tried the obvious. 2 x new bulbs sorted it, they both had blown at almost the same time. Just saying, for the price of a brand new bulb, worth trying...

10 hours ago, PlainVanilla said:

The low/dipped beam has stopped working on both headlights.

The low/dipped beam are controlled by the GEM*. I would suspect water ingress to the GEM which is a known problem on many models.

* May not be controlled by the GEM.

Check relay R4

Fast Forward to 15:18 (or risk loosing the will to live 🤣)

 

Thanks for these suggestions, I will try and get a look at the GEM tomorrow. The bulbs are fine, I've had them out and they look good. 

1 hour ago, PlainVanilla said:

...The bulbs are fine, I've had them out and they look good. 

You keep saying they look good - have you actually supplied a 12v battery supply to them to see if they work?

I was going to say that.....

 

I've edited this to add:

I've just had a peep in my Haynes manual, and the GEM module doesn't have any control over the headlights on the mk6.  Each dipped bulb is fed from a separate 10amp fuse; the LH bulb from F9, and the RH bulb from F10. They are switched by  relay R243. I don't have a layout of the fusebox, maybe the fusebox cover will have a layout to help show which is which.

The main beam is switched by relay R244 which SHOULD be identical to relay R243, so try switching relays over.

1 hour ago, nicam49 said:

I've just had a peep in my Haynes manual, and the GEM module doesn't have any control over the headlights on the mk6

Interesting, I will do some more investigation. I know the Fiesta Mk6.5 has a revised fuesbox compared to the earlier Mk6. I'll see what schematics I can find.

Thanks. I have tried a new H4 bulb in each holder, exactly the same, only hi beam working.  The indicators and side lamps also work fine 

I swopped the relays over earlier (as stated above). In fact I swopped them 3 times just to convince myself.  I've also had a brand new Bosch relay in the socket. 

I've had every fuse out of the fuse box, cleaned them. No changes. 

So I considered the indicator stalk and did buy a 2nd hand replacement. There is a possibility that both are duff on the dipped beam, but otherwise all other functions work ok - so it would be bad luck if coincidentally the replacement also broken.

The actual switch for headlights/fog lights. I've had it out, checked the connector. Again, everything works other than the headlights coming on, but it does switch on the green indicator in the dashboard, so the switch is appearing to work 

If I switch the headlights (dipped) on with the switch, I can't hear any click from the relay.  If I flash the headlights from the stalk I can hear the relay clicking. As I said earlier, the relays can be swopped, they both work in the full beam slot, neither work in the dipped beam slot. 

 

Thanks

1 hour ago, PlainVanilla said:

If I switch the headlights (dipped) on with the switch, I can't hear any click from the relay.  If I flash the headlights from the stalk I can hear the relay clicking. As I said earlier, the relays can be swopped, they both work in the full beam slot, neither work in the dipped beam slot. 

I'm still trying to find a schematic for your car, but I was under the impression that the headlight control went via the GEM and then on to the relays (R4 and R5). From what you describe it seems that R4 is not receiving the control signal to the coil. Perhaps @nicam49 could look in the Haynes manual and see if he can find where R4 gets the relay coil supply from ?

Does the car have Auto Headlights ?

Hi unofix, the OP has said that the green light comes on his dash when the dipped light switch is operated, well, in my Haynes, only a BLUE light is fed from the MAIN BEAM relay to the instrument cluster, not a dipped beam indicator light as well. Also, on my son's Mk6, '08 reg,  we don't see a green light on dipped beam (wanted to confirm this b4 writing,but it's chucking it down so will have to wait till tomorrow).

Hi Vanilla, here's a diag of the fusebox from Mr Haynes (hope he doesn't mind) and the 2 relays are the top left hand ones, I think R224 is a typo...are these the ones you've swapped over?

5 minutes ago, nicam49 said:

the OP has said that the green light comes on his dash when the dipped light switch is operated,

 Think this might just be the green warning light that comes on with the sidelights. Like many cars I don't think there is an actual warning light for the dipped beam. Struggling to get a schematic for a Fiesta Mk6.5 or even for that matter a Mk6

Hi Unofix, was going to pm you with the circuit from my Mr Haynes, but there isn't a facility to attach pics, only urls, and didn't want to upset copyright rules by attaching it here.....any ideas? 

5 minutes ago, nicam49 said:

but there isn't a facility to attach pics,

Hi Nick,

you can just drag and drop pictures to the bottom of a PM just like here in the forum 😀

Hi unofix, can't seem to manage that on either my notebook or smartphone...maybe it'll work better if I try again in the morning....🤞

Hi guys, yes it's the green light that comes on when you turn on the sidelights, then turn more for headlights. Blue is only full beam.  The lights are manually operated.

The relays sit next to each other high up to the right side of the fuse box.  There are 2, one low beam, one hi beam. I don't hear any click from the relay if I turn the light switch further clockwise from sidelights to low beam. I'm not sure if I ever heard it before.  However I can hear the hi beam relay clicking if I flash the headlights with the indicator stalk. 

Might be just worth saying if I wiggle the indicator stalk or wiggle the main light switch, there are no signs of a bad connection like momentary flashes of the headlights. Simply dipped low beam is just not coming on. 

 

 

 

Ok, thanks for clearing that up👍

I'll try to get back to this tomorrow and check if I can hear an audible click when turning on headlamps. Not having any joy pm-ing  the circuit to unofix.

TTFN

10 hours ago, nicam49 said:

Hi Unofix, was going to pm you with the circuit from my Mr Haynes, but there isn't a facility to attach pics, only urls, and didn't want to upset copyright rules by attaching it here.....any ideas? 

I think you can only do that if you're a paid up member. I remember having the same issue before I 'officially' joined the forum as a supporter...

Do you have a meter ? Compare the two relay sockets in the fuse box.

I would be tempted to remove both relays and check that you have 12V on pins 3. And check this with a test lamp, as you need power as well as voltage.

Then check coil supply, Pin 1.

DIP - Ignition on, light switch in dip position, check for 12V.

Green illumination is from sidelight supply, which also feeds the "Lights On" buzzer,

Main beam - Ignition on, light switch in main position, Pin 1 for 12V - this point also feeds blue indication.

Coil Earths to E8, Pin 2 in both relay sockets.

With relays still out, remove dip fuses, (F9+F10, but check on decal on glove box) and check resistance between Pin 5, and fuseways.

If you have changed relays, bulbs etc, there is a soldered joint feeding both fuseways.

See the Haynes Manual. for full schematic.

 

I think this is just a switch fault.  Full beam won't 'stick' on the stalk as the dipped beams need to be on for that to work.

I'd try bridging out the pins on the light switch plug for the dipped beams and see if that triggers the relay.

Thanks for the further updates, I do have a meter but I'm not very proficient at using it! I will try and have a look.

 

Tom, I'm guessing the switch you are referring to is the rotary switch to actually turn the lights on rather than the stalk. I will have a look later.  

Four different switches for lights on/off listed, so hopefully you have the correct one, not been able to find the column switch part numbers, but again there may be more than one type.

Note that the supply to the relay base Pin 3, for the contact is direct from an engine compartment fuse, rated at 60A.

 

Apologies for the quality of those schematics.

I've got duplicates in the garage for Fiesta 02/08, Capri, and Sierra, with the latter pair decovered and put in loose leaf folders......  Only missing one from cars I have owned, Escort Mk1, and never had a Granada. 

The Fusion handbook has some information on the facelift Fiesta, that is not in the Fiesta volume.

Thanks for the help with this folks.  I am having to give up.  I did my own fault tracing, swopped out bits and tested what I can. Have tried stuff here so thanks for that. Getting a bit confusing now and Mrs wanting the car on and off, then it rains etc so just going to have to drop it off at the garage.  Could be the switch or whatever but I'm getting nowhere. Not seeing any other faults, switch is activating all the other lights, it illuminates, stalk seems to work, relays work but going to have to let a pro sort it out.  Thank you all. 

Just now, PlainVanilla said:

...t going to have to let a pro sort it out.  Thank you all. 

Please post back the diagnosis to help the next guy that has same issue, good luck...

Hi, fwiw, I checked our mk6, and can hear the relay operating when I turn the switch from sidelights to next setting (dipped) A garage won't help you'll need an auto electrician (unless they've got one) ...

Let us know how you get on or if you want another go at it  yourself 👍