RH dipped beam no current

[pugnut]

HI y'all,

2003 406 Exec Estate HDI 110

I clumsily shorted out the +ve blade connector while trying to change a headlight bulb in the dark with the lights on. Done this quite a few times without incident but this time my stupidity has bitten me in the arse big time.

My son, (doing vehicle technician level 1 at college) cautioned me that this was unwise ("hah! What does he know" - famous last words...)
After the uncomfortable realisation that my lads advice really was spot on I confidently told my son that "I've merely blown a fuse, I will fix it in a trice in the daylight son!

Ha ha ha ha ha my word there's the rub!

Haynes manual has a diagram of the "passenger" fusebox (on the drivers side) which bears NO relation to the fuses in my 406 apart from the top row.

I know it's a 10A fuse
I know it is independently fused from the LH dipped beam (thank god! At least I still have one functional dipped beam).
It's NOT the bulb.

I think I've pulled out every 10A fuse in the passenger and engine compartment and circuit tested every one - I CANNOT find the damned fuse. And visually inspected the rest in case its a 15 or 20A - nothing untoward, no melted metal.... nnnnnnothing!

Any ideas?... anyone?...

Thanks in advance - perchance victory may yet be snatched from the jaws of defeat (ergo: those jolly nice chaps at Autoelectrix down the Road).

[lozz]

Double check fuse's with a new one or multi-meter,

you can get the odd ninja fuse, theyve had me a few times over the year's.

[GingerMagic]

Could be worse - I once spent 20 minutes changing a headlight bulb but every known good bulb in my arsenal wouldn't work, checked fuses and everything.
Turns out I was repeatedly removing and checking and then removing and checking the bulb nearest the grill, this is in fact the full beam bulb....
To change the right bulb took 15 seconds.....

[Doggy]

It's in the engine fusebox, IIRC F9,10,11 & 12 are the dip & main beam fuses, all 10A.

[pugnut]

Many thanks Doggy I'll let you know how I get on.

Ginger Magic, before I blew the dip beam circuit I did the very same thing - I'd had a double failure of both dip bulbs (DONT be tempted to buy those dirt cheap ten packs of H7 bulbs on ebay - they are rejects - 6 out of 10 didn't work ) - changed BOTH high beam bulbs, cheerfully tossing two perfectly good bulbs before realising my mistake.

[steve_earwig]

Haynes doesn't even cover a 2003.... Not that the fuse or wiring diagrams are much use anyway.

BM34




The fuses are after the relays so you could check the fuses on the panel for voltage (current?) with the lights turned on - best to check both to make sure the diagram is somewhere near accurate

[pugnut]

SORTED!!!

http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff5 ... USEBOX.jpg

A 15A fuse masquerading as a 10A - AAAAAAARRRRGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!! Fuses should not try to be funny!

Steve, Doggy, just PM me your house number and postcode and some beer tokens will magically appear through your letterboxes - I need to share the joy of having NOT had to give an eye watering sum to an auto electrician. I am not affiliated with Nigerian cash release schemes nor am I the proprietor of anything remotely resembling a boiler room. I am just very very grateful.

(This site should start up some kinda bit coin reward scheme - seriously!!!)

[Doggy]

Well done pugnut!

Always good to hear about someone saving some cash.

[steve_earwig]

Aye, that's what we're all about

[GingerMagic]

I was just peeping at your 406 photos, nice repair job.

The chrome trim below the grill ( we call it ' the Welton Panel ' ) has not been fitted to the replacement bumper. I simply prized mine off the old bumper, cut the locating lugs off and superglued it on....

[pugnut]

I was just peeping at your 406 photos, nice repair job.

The chrome trim below the grill ( we call it ' the Welton Panel ' ) has not been fitted to the replacement bumper. I simply prized mine off the old bumper, cut the locating lugs off and superglued it on....

Well spotted Sir! I still have the chrome trim - it broke clean in half on impact but you'd be hard pushed to notice ... if I ever get round to gluing it back on

[PeterN]

I had a similar problem with my Hdi estate, I checked and double checked the fuses but they were all OK, I ended up fitting a relay driven by the other headlight.

Peter

[mjb]

Haynes manual has a diagram of the "passenger" fusebox (on the drivers side) which bears NO relation to the fuses in my 406 apart from the top row.

Try looking at it upside down or back-to-front. Seriously...

I think I've pulled out every 10A fuse in the passenger and engine compartment and circuit tested every one

Handy hint: if you've got a multimeter, you shouldn't have to pull those fuses - in most makes of fuse, the metal from the blades actually continues and peeps out the top of the fuse so you can test in situ. Bear in mind you may need to push hard and rub the probe on it a bit to get around corrosion, dirt or poor moulding. Saves 'ninja fuse' syndrome too, where the fuse is actually broken, but when you pull it out to test, you cause the fuse wire to touch so it seems fine

[Doggy]

..and sometimes they're 15A not 10A fuses, naturellement