Toyota Highlander 2009, v6 base model. 140k odo
A month ago my right headlight low beam went out, high beam was functional. I changed both the headlights with fresh bulbs. With gloves. Fast forward to now and the right headlight low beam went out again. A week after the left went out! Both will function with high beams. I checked fuses for low beam lights, they are perfectly fine. Even tested a spare fuse. Still no low beam. What's going on? I haven't checked the relay yet. What factors could cause this recurring failure?
Check to see if you're getting voltage at the headlight sockets. If not, you need to perform basic electrical troubleshooting to find the fault.
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Thanks.
@chucktobias I noticed that. I wanted to delete the duplicates but then the system logged me out and I couldn't get back in. I only pressed submit once, then the browser said network error and refused to load. I was attempting to refresh my browser and fix the browser itself. That must of triggered the duplicates.
What other things can I look at if the sockets have voltage?
@skmiles_away No problem about the accidental duplicates, just making you aware of it. Just bear in mind that once you press the submit button your post is immediately processed even if the site appears not to respond. You can confirm this by checking the main page to see if your post is there.
If you're getting power to the headlights and they are burning out quickly I would have to conclude that either the voltage is too high or the headlights are junky Chinese-made "flashbulbs".
@chucktobias got it, so I just replaced one again with a brand new bulb sylvania brand (brand I used last time) regular halogen. It works on low beam. So I have to test voltage next, would bad relays create a similar problem? Can I check voltage with a scan tool? Via live data?
@skmiles_away Did you buy the bulbs from a trustworthy supplier? Some sellers (like Amazon and eBay) are notorious for counterfeit goods.
I guess a scan tool would show you the car's overall system voltage but normally I would just test voltage at the headlight sockets using a voltmeter. Unstable voltage from a bad relay could over-stress the bulb's filament but usually you would see flickering if that were the case. Ditto for corrosion in the connectors.
@chucktobias usually an auto parts store or retailer I get them. My connectors seem clear of corrosion, they are still greased up and the grease is clean. I'm kind of new to using a multimeter. How would I use one to test the voltage in the sockets?
@skmiles_away There are probably a huge number of youtube videos demonstrating how to use a multimeter. Basically you set the meter for the function and range expected and probe the sockets using the meter's test leads. This is a fundamental skill you need to acquire if you expect to do any kind of electrical troubleshooting.