I’m going crazy trying to figure my headlight situation out. If you know about cars, please read the following and suggest something. I’ll be your best friend for life!
HEADLIGHT SITUATION
This was my light situation last week:
DRIVER SIDE (low beam): GE 9006 HB4 (E13) 2B4 12v 51w
DRIVER SIDE (high beam): Stanley HB3 12v MB13 (no watts indicated?)
PASSENGER SIDE (low beam): GE 9006 HB4 (E13) 2B4 12v 51w
PASSENGER SIDE (high beam): (can’t verify, but probably same as driver side)
THE PROBLEM
I noticed that the driver side low beam wasn’t working. I replaced it with the following:
NEW DRIVER SIDE (low beam): GE 9006 HB4 (E1) 25F 12v 51w (Motomaster brand packaging)
The light coming from this new light was considerably less than the light coming from the low beam bulb on the other side. In addition, when I turned on my high-beams, the driver side high-beam didn’t come on AND the new driver side low-beam shut off.
STEP 2
It was recommended that I buy a new high-beam bulb in case it too was burnt out and was the cause of the craziness:
NEW DRIVER SIDE (high-beam): Philips HB3 PR (E1) 22S 12v 60w
This new high-beam bulb has no effect on the problem described above. The same thing happend.
STEP 3
Then I decided to buy another new low-beam. I got a Phillips brand that marketed itself Hi-Visibility (20% more light):
NEW DRIVER SIDE (low beam): Philips HB4 PR (E1) 22T 12v 51w
This new bulb made no difference. The same problem remains.
OTHER INFO
There is a marking near where the headlights live in my Accord that says the following on the right and left side respectively:
6532 Stanley R
6532 Stanley L
I have not tried to replace the (working) passenger side lights because they are in an awkward spot and I can’t get my hand in there. Is there any reason to think that the problem could be resolved if I put equivalent new lights on the passenger side?
This sounds like a wiring/connection problem, not a bulb problem.
I don’t know what all the numbers on the bulb mean, but it seems clear you replaced a 9006/HB4 with the same type. This means same shape, terminal configuration, and wattage. The voltage and wattage specs you listed reinforce this concept. You can double-check the terminals on the old and new bulbs, they should be the same size in the same arrangement.
Look carefully at the connector for the left low beam for any sign of damage, corrosion, or misalignment. If all is well with the connector, I’d say there’s a problem in the wiring to it.
I had an old Japanese car with 4 headlights. On low beam, only
the inner bulb low elements were on. On high beam, the inner
bulb high elements were on and the outer bulbs were on.
The battery was mounted almost directly under the bulbs on
the left side. I checked the socket when I noticed that the left
lights were getting rather dim. The socket on the inner bulb
was corroded from the battery fumes. When I tried to pull it
off (pulling very hard), the solder joints on the bulb failed!
I smashed the socket, removed the prongs, installed a new
socket on the car, resoldered the prongs to to bulb, plugged
in the socket and all was well.
I had the same situation happen to me in my 91 Honda Accord. Changed every light, to no avail.
It turned out to be a blown fuse in the UNDERHOOD fusebox, located at the passenger rear side.
The new bulb is much dimmer on low beam than the old bulb.
2. The light shut off completely when high beam was selected.
The light bulb has three terminals. 1 common, 1 for high beam, and 1 for low beam.
If the cars ground was accidentally connected to the bulbs high beam terminal, and the cars low beam connector was connected properly you’d end up with the two filaments in series, hence the dim output.
Forgive my ignorance, but I’m not sure I understand what you mean by the car’s groud. Also, what should I do now?
P.S. Just to be clear, my 1990 Accord has four bulbs (low and high on each each. It’s not one of those cars while one bulb on each side that does double-duty high and low beam).
I haven’t checked the fuses, no. Replacing the light bulb a major accomplishment for me, so that fuse box thing is a non-starter (no pun intended).
My hope was that I could find a solution that didn’t involve me taking the car into the shop. If there isn’t one, then I guess I’ll have to bring it in.
Kansas, fuses are way easier to change than light bulbs. Look in your owner’s manual for the location of the fuse boxes, see which fuses relate to the headlights & high beam, and replace them with fuses of the same amperage. There may even be spares in the fuse box. If a burned-out fuse is a possibility, it’s so easy and cheap to try it yourself.
You have a 90, and I have a 91 Accord. They are basically the same. Shoot me an email and I will send you digital photos of the fuse box, which ones to change, etc.
If you can learn to change a headlamp, you can learn to change a fuse. Trust me.
If you know about cars, please read the following and suggest something. I’ll be your best friend for life!
