Headlights won't work despite high beams still working?

[jsb96]

Hey guys, so the reverse light on my eunos roadster (1991) stopped working and the fuse and bulb was fine so we started looking under the car by the transmission for the switch (we are still yet to find that so if you have anything on that that would be helpful as well) anyway my dad found something and unplugged it, but we then decided this wasn't it as the tail lights stopped working and the headlights stopped working, however when he plugged it back in the headlights wouldn't come on (High beam works though and they do pop up) but the tail lights work again. I'm completely confused by this.. Any ideas?

PS. I've checked the 30A fuses in the engine bay and they are all intact

[bruce]

That happened to mine. Both low beam filaments had somehow died. Two new globes and it never happened again.

[Magpie]

Fuse box in the drivers compartment?

[Mr Morlock]

I think the chances of the low beam filament packing it on both lamps highly unlikely. Check to see if there is power to the low beams when switched on. If not then a fuse is the most likely cause or a connection that affects both bulbs. Also check the owners manual or the workshop manual to see location of fuse box and information on this occurrence. An inspection of a bulb will tell you if the filament is broken or the bulb has blown.

[hks_kansei]

Reverse switch on the NA is a round thingy screwed into the gearbox housing.

Off the top of my head it is located on the right hand side with the wires clipped to the PPF frame.
It looks similar to a Speedo sender, but on the NA telling them apart is easy since the Speedo is mechanical (so the one with thin wires is the reverse)

[jsb96]

Thanks guys I'll look into that, side note, anyone have any ideas where to buy a reverse switch?

[bruce]

Both low beams did blow, with no obvious reason. Never happened again.

[bruce]

They were the original globes, so maybe a manufacturing defect. This happened decades ago.

[hks_kansei]

Thanks guys I'll look into that, side note, anyone have any ideas where to buy a reverse switch?

You in melb?

I've got a couple of boxes sitting in the shed, I think theres still a switch in one of them.

6 pack of beer?

[jsb96]

I'm on the gold coast unfortunately mate

[93_Clubman]

I think the chances of the low beam filament packing it on both lamps highly unlikely.

No - both low beams went simultaneously on all three of the NAs I've had. Filaments were intact, but it looked like their coating was starting to peel. Did nothing but replace the globes & both high & low beams worked again. Other forumites have also reported this issue in the past.

[hks_kansei]

I think the chances of the low beam filament packing it on both lamps highly unlikely.

No - both low beams went simultaneously on all three of the NAs I've had. Filaments were intact, but it looked like their coating was starting to peel. Did nothing but replace the globes & both high & low beams worked again. Other forumites have also reported this issue in the past.

I'd imagine that the globe filaments are weaker than the fuse.

So if there's a short somewhere, or over-voltage, or whatever, i'd imagine the bulbs would likely blow long before the fuse.

[Mr Morlock]

That is all very odd. Bulbs mainly fail because the filament breaks . A fault in the filament can also be hard to see. A bulb that blows often also shows blackening in the bulb. If bulbs fail simultaneously then the root cause will not be the bulbs. The idea of a fuse is quite simple- its sacrificial and a surge of power knocks the fuse out not the H4 bulb which is a very sturdy piece of kit.