[tedge]

Did a search and didn't see anything with this exact problem.

Having a weird headlight issue. When driving with my headlights on, my high beam indicator on the dash will slowly start illuminating. At the same time, my headlights will start going out. I don't have any high or low beams when this happens. All of my other lights work fine, as far as I can tell. Thankfully I still have my fog lights when allowed me to limp home after work. After a few seconds, the dash light goes out and my headlights come back on. I replaced the switch on the steering column today and it didn't help. Fuses are fine.

Any ideas?




Can't seem to update the title, but the issue seems to have been solved. Replaced the stock headlight connectors with some generic ones from RockAuto (~$6 for the pair)

 

[oldscoobyturbo]

check the plugs on the headlight bulbs to see if the wires are damaged or if the connection is loose

 

[Bassmaker]

As above. The plastic connectors that fit on the back of the bulbs on the older Subarus are quite fragile and in rare cases, can melt and if that is the case, uprated parts are easy enough to source online and none too costly either. Are you aware if the car was ever fitted with an uprated current draw bulb (over 60W for the main beam and 55 for the dip)?

Can you pull the plug off the back of the bulbs and do a visual inspection? Subaru lights are also wired in some weird a*s way which I can't recall right now so check the earths are sound at the headlight/plug/loom end. If you have a meter to check the continuity of earth and the cables, perhaps you could check for 12V or greater coming down the appropriate cable when the lights are switched on dip beam and then main beam, cross checking to make sure there's no shorting or leakage.

Such things as WD40 can be useful for diagnosing this kind of problem too or even just helping keep things working the way they are meant to. EDM/JDM models of this year used the H4 bulb in the headlights, is that the same for the USDM model? The H4 is running the two beams from one bulb and so puts a little more strain on the plug which can cause problems if it's not up to the job. Later cars run separate dip and main beam bulbs in different housings so over heating is a little less likely to occur and perhaps fusing/shorting is a reduced risk, but not altogether impossible.

 

[tedge]

Thanks for the replies.

The passenger side headlight was dim. I got some new H4 connectors and got it soldered in. I don't have enough sunlight right now to get the driver's side. The female connectors in the plug were a little corroded, but otherwise undamaged. I think I'll try to drive a little tonight to see if that helped.

Not sure how this would cause my high beam indicator to come on in my dash, though.

Edit: Just went for a short drive and no problems yet. I'll put the other side in tomorrow and report back if there are any problems in a day or two. Thanks again.

 

[Spankey]

Check the hidden headlight relay. There are DRL and highbeam relays hidden on the back side of the interior fuse box. The 4 pin one is high beam headlights the 5 pin relay is DRL daytime running lights. Look at interior fuse boxes on ebay and you will see a picture of the back containing two relays.