My headlights came on and drained my battery I put a new battery in and my headlights still wouldn’t go off I took out the bulb an
Last night my headlights came on and I couldn't turn them off. The next day I got a new battery installed it and the headlights still wouldn't go off. My turn signal also wouldn't turn off. I took out the headlight bulb and the bulb was smoking almost on fire. The car is driving fine it's not stalling. What could've made my headlights just turn on and burn out.
My car has 161000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
The common thread between the headlights and the signal lights is the combination switch. The combination switch controls your signal lights, turns the headlights on and off, as well as controls the high beam function. Most like;y the switch or wiring to the switch has an electrical short. This can cause constant power going to the functions the switch controls. While the combination switch is the most likely cause, wiring can also be a problem so I suggest having a certified technician look into the lights staying on to determine if there is a wiring issue before replacing any components. If the combination switch is found to be the culprit, the technician can replace it for you.
How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?
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The likely cause is a fuse, headlight relay, headlight switch, dimmer switch or a wiring fault. About the only cause that is an easy fix is a blown fuse. Consult your owner`s manual to locate the main fuse for the headlight circuit and replace that fuse with one having the same amp rating.
The headlights dim when idling.
When your battery starts to go, all of the electrical components of your car will be affected. If your headlights dim while idling and brighten when accelerating, your battery isn`t holding a charge anymore.
This is probably the most well-known cause of total battery drainage. If you forget to turn off your car`s headlights, fail to close your trunk all the way, or even neglect to turn off an overhead driving light, your battery will keep sending power to your car – until it`s totally drained off energy.
Flat or faulty car battery
A flat battery is the most common reason your car won`t start and can be caused by a number of things, such as lights being left on, something in the electrical system causing a battery drain, or even a faulty battery that won`t hold its charge.
Mix one part baking soda with one part vinegar to create a fizzy paste. Rub the paste on your headlights, let it sit for a few minutes, and then use a soft cloth to wipe it away. You will have shinier headlights in no time.
Even while your car is off, your battery provides power to things like the clock, the radio, and the alarm system. These things shouldn`t have a major impact on your battery. What may drain a car battery when it`s off are things such as interior lights, door lights, or even bad relays.
Your headlights rely on power from the battery to function properly.
Issues such as faulty wiring, bad fuses or interior lights that fail to shut off will continue to drain your battery while it`s idle.
Most car batteries have a capacity of 45 Ah and a vehicle electrical system voltage of 12 volts. So if you have left the interior car lights on all night and two small bulbs with 10 watts continue to burn, the battery will only be empty after 27 hours.
One of the fastest ways to cause a battery drain is to leave your headlights on for long. If your car battery keeps draining, there`s a chance that you have formed the habit of leaving your lights on even when parked. Most times, your headlights stay on until the battery dies down completely.
Car headlights are powered by the car`s battery when the vehicle is off. After you start the car, the engine begins providing power for all of the car`s electrical systems, including charging the battery. The alternator carries energy from the engine to the electrical components of the vehicle.
It will most likely be under the hood of your vehicle where your main fuse panel is located. However, it may be located inside the cab of the vehicle if you vehicle is equipped with an interior fuse box.
If your dirty headlights are physically damaged, toothpaste won`t do much to restore them to their former glory. But if they`re covered with chemicals and dust from the road, toothpaste could actually provide a potent polish.
All the electrical systems in your car, including the headlights, are protected with fuses. These are designed to `blow` and break the circuit if too much power comes through them. This protects all the components on the circuit.
If your daytime running lights do not come on, stay on when the car is off, or produce a burning smell, you may have to replace their module.
Using a test switch and digital ammeter is the simplest, most accurate way to measure parasitic drain directly. A test switch goes between the negative battery terminal and negative battery cable.
Always disconnect the battery when changing a blown headlight bulb. Headlight bulbs are connected to your vehicle`s electrical system. They`ll pull power from the battery while the alternator recharges the battery.
A relay is essential for bright lights. This is the reason for using a relay when making LED lights. 3) With a relay, the electric flow of a high current circuit is controlled by low current ones. 4) Without a relay, the switch cannot handle the LED light current.
Headlight enhancement relays supply a direct 12 volts to your bulbs. This eliminates the problems cause by old switches and factory wiring. Our enhancement kit can be activated by your existing dimmer switch wiring. Comes complete with relays, wiring and full color instructions.
A quick and easy test is to turn the headlights on for 5 minutes or so and then read the voltage across the battery terminals, which should remain above 12V.
The alternator powers most car`s electronic components while you`re driving around or idling, including your headlights, electric steering, power windows, windshield wipers, heated seats, dashboard instruments, and radio.
Well, a lot of cars will cut off power to the power ports (what we used to call “cigarette lighters”) when you turn the car off. So it`s not an issue for most people.
If your wire connection to the battery is loose. Your batter will drain over a period of time. I have personally experience it. If the ground wire was touching the metal then it would have drained the battery.
A bad headlight relay is among the more common reasons we see for low beam headlights not working while the high beams do. You see, the low and high beams each have their own relay, which is essentially an electrical switch. Like fuses, sometimes relays go bad.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
My headlights came on and drained my battery I put a new battery in and my headlights still wouldn’t go off I took out the bulb an
ANSWER : The common thread between the headlights and the signal lights is the combination switch. The combination switch controls your signal lights, turns the headlights on and off, as well as controls the high beam function. Most like;y the switch or wiring to the switch has an electrical short. This can cause constant power going to the functions the switch controls. While the combination switch is the most likely cause, wiring can also be a problem so I suggest having a certified technician look into the lights staying on to determine if there is a wiring issue before replacing any components. If the combination switch is found to be the culprit, the technician can replace it for you.
Battery drains quickly, New battery,Heavy drain, Replaced alternator , drain still there,goes away when bat. main 2 fuse is pulled
ANSWER : Hi there. It’s quite possible that you have one of two things causing the drain to the battery. First, you have a bad ground somewhere in the main relay or fuse box or an exposed wire somewhere that is not allowing the circuit to complete from the alternator to the battery. This can cause a battery draining issue as you’re describing, but it could also be one of multiple other electrical problems. The best way to pinpoint the exact source is to have a professional mobile mechanic come to your location and complete a battery will not hold a charge inspection.
I got a new battery new alternator put in but my battery just gets drained I keep having to buy new batterys
ANSWER : This may be a sign of a failing voltage regulator or potentially a bad grounding problem causing a draw on the system. The voltage regulator is a unit that regulates the charging of the battery by the alternator. Often times this will result in the alternator allowing too much power to be delivered to the battery resulting in damaging wires and prematurely sometimes destroying the battery. In other cases it may result in the alternator not supplying enough power to the battery, resulting in undercharging the battery or not charging it at all. In either case, I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose your vehicle’s charging system.
I have Chrysler 300c. Battery light came on, changed battery and alternator but power still getting drained and battery light still comes on.
ANSWER : Hi, thanks for writing in. This may be a sign of a failing starter relay. The starter relay is a small unit near the starter that directs power to the starter from the battery. When this fails, it may cause a clicking sound and will not allow the starter to engage the flywheel when you turn the key. I would suggest having a professional from YourMechanic come to your home to diagnose your starting issue to determine the solution to get you back on the road.
We have a new battery, new alternator, new coil pk, new master fuse and the car still won’t hold power.
ANSWER : Hi there. The only thing that I could think possible is causing your problem is that something may not have been correctly installed while your son was completing this maintenance. However, if your engine was difficult to start before this service, it’s possible there are different components that are damaged that simply didn’t resolve the issue. The only way of knowing what is going on with your Trailblazer would be to have one of our mobile mechanics in your area come to your location and complete a car is hard to start inspection.
my battery kept draining until i bought a new alternator and battery. i have tightened the belt on the alternator but it still die
ANSWER : Hi there. The best way to diagnose why a battery would constantly drain is to review it’s job and how it is recharged. The battery is responsible for powering all electrical systems until the vehicle is started. At this point, the alternator takes over and also continually charges the battery while the vehicle is in use. A battery will drain when one of two things occurs. First, a battery will drain if it is constantly in use; supplying power to an electrical component even if the key is not in the ignition. Second, the battery will eventually die if the battery is not being charged frequently. However, since this is happening every two days, my initial thought would be that some electrical component on your 86 Olds is continuing to draw power from the battery. This is known as a parasitic drain. The best way to determine the source of this battery issue is to have one of our professional mobile mechanics come to your location and complete a battery will not hold a charge inspection.
I put new alternator, brought new battery crank car battery gauge do not go any further than half and start dropping while driving
ANSWER : You can verify alternator drive belt tension and measure charging system output at the battery posts. If the voltage output at the battery is with the required specification (roughly 13.8 to 14.4 volts but varies by model), check the condition of the battery. Batteries can be load tested to determine condition even if they are new. If despite normal charging system output, and a fully verified (100% charged) battery, you are still experiencing loss of electrical power, a circuit diagnostic will have to be performed to pinpoint the cause. If you desire that that diagnostic be performed by a certified mechanic, please use YourMechanic’s charging system/battery diagnostics service page and the responding certified mechanic will get this taken care of for you. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.
I put in a new starter and battery and my Jeep will not start. Please help me get my Jeep to start.
ANSWER : Hi there. Check to see if the wiring to the battery and the starter are tight and clean. A bad connection will cause a no start situation. If the battery cables and wires are all tight and clean, then go in the cab and turn on the ignition switch and see if any thing in the cab works.
If nothing comes on, then check the fuse box for any blown fuses. If all the fuse are good in the cab and under the hood, then the ignition switch needs replaced. If the ignition switch is good and the accessories come on, then either the starter relay in the fuse box has failed or the wires from the starter relay to the ignition switch has become burned or loose. Check the wires from the starter relay on the starter to the ignition switch. If everything checks out to be good, then the ignition switch needs replaced.
If you need further assistance troubleshooting your vehicle, then seek out a technician, such as one from YourMechanic, that can assist you with your no start situation and help you with the power surge.
