Head lamp failure

[djlimited]

I have a 95 Explorer and the driver's side headlight no longer works (high beams work just fine. After checking he voltage to the plug at the lamp, I found it was only getting about 3 volts. I checked the fuse, it was fine and had 12 volts.
Does anybody have any ideas on this???
Thanks

 

[Stephen]

Probably just a bad headlight bulb, the high beams have separate filaments I'm pretty sure.

 

[Alec]

If it isn't the bulb, which I'm leaning towards because you said to checked the plug, it could be the wire. If the fuse is ok and the bulb is ok, the problem is probably somewhere in between. It could also be the switch? Try running a wire from the fuse to the wire harness and see if the light turns on then (if that's the correct wire pathway). If it works, there's a short or damage to the factory wiring in between.

Hope this helps!

 

[jwrezz]

Could be the relay. I believe there are 4: low lft, low rt, hi lft, and hi rt. Your owners manual should be all you need to track down were the relay is and how to replace it. If memory serves me correctly, it's in the box next to the brake fluid res. I'd be if you replace that relay, and the bulb is still good, it'll work fine. I can't imagine that it's just the bulb, if all you're getting at the plug is 3 volts. But either way, bulbs are cheap (unless.... that's another topic). You may have to do some checking of the wiring harness (from the relay to the bulb). Good luck,

 

[Longs]

If you want to eliminate the bulb as a source of the problem, try switching the bulbs between the left and right sides. If the problem moves, it's the bulb.

Longs

 

[<<MONOCHROMOUS>>]

easy for you to say!! if im correct, the headlights on the 95 are the same as on my 98! its really fun changing those headlight bulbs without cutting yourself or touching the bulb with your finger, i wore gloves when i did it. i say change the bulb, dont switch, thats just too much work. i had a great time changing my stock bulbs out for the Hiper Purple Plazma Xenon bulbs, i better never have to change those bulbs again!!

 

[Stephen]

Oh I know they're a pain in the ass to change.

 

[djlimited]

Thanks for all the input!!
You are all right about how hard it is to change the bulb on the driver's side. At first, I could not get the lock ring off; the passenger side came off easy. I worked on the driver's side longer and finally got it. The bulb was fine.
I checked the voltage again, and it is zero to the low beam side and 12 volts to the high beam side. There are four fuses for the headlights(they look fine), no relays from what I can see unless I am just not looking in the right place(power distribution box in front of the master cylinder). I am waiting for a book that I ordered so that I might figure out what is going on, perhaps a bad switch or wiring.
Thanks again.

 

[<<MONOCHROMOUS>>]

are you sure those fuses are ok? switch the fuse to the bad wire with another one. if that doesnt work, check the wire, not just look at it, unplug the battery, both ends, and run your fingers along it the whole length, or at least as far as you can. look especially where it might run against something. even if just a little of the metal from the wire is showing, that is bad and it is your problem. ive had a lot of foglights go bad on me (i installed all of my friends' lights) and frayed wires are the biggest problem, along with the fuses

 

[Ronbo]

Hello,
Did you ever find the problem with you left headlight? I am having the same problem with my 95 EB. I too have 0v at the connector and 12v at the fuse.
Thanks,
Ron

 

[JPM1]

Headlights Out

Had same problem and spent lots of time and money. Final diagnosis was "Lamp out Module" 96 Eddie Bauer part number F578-10K910-AB This part was located in the center consol. Everything fine now.

One comment from tech was that using higher watt headlamps than mfg recommends was possibly a cause.

 

[djlimited]

I ended up running a wire from the back of the fuse box to the headlight plug, thus bypassing the wire. I think the problem was at the fuse box, but when I saw all those wires, I thought it was just easier to run a wire past it. Good luck.