[MR2] loss of low beam headlights

[BARRY S DAVIES]

I just had exactly the same problem on my 85 MK1. Although it is true that a common failure for the lights is the dashboard mounted switch, the symptom of high beams only is related to the stalk on the steering column. If you check the schematics, the dashboard switch extends a ground to the stalk, and the stalk directs it to the high, low or both beams. It appears to be a failure of the contact to the low beams which causes the problem. I salvaged the stalk assembly from an old steering column assembly and fixed mine. I'm betting the MKII has the same configuration.
cheers
Barry
 

> Date: Wed, 9 Feb 2011 08:56:51 -0800
> From: telek2 at frontier.com
> To: mr2 at mr2.com
> Subject: Re: [MR2] loss of low beam headlights
> 

> > --------------------------------------------------------------------
> I don't know the details of a MkII, but a common failure point on the 
> MkI is the switch itself. It consists of two circuit boards that are 
> wired together at the edges with stiff wire. The solder cracks and you 
> lose the connection. A few seconds with a soldering iron and it's 
> fixed. The MkI uses a dash mounted switch so it is different. But 
> something to check.
> 
> BTW, for MkI owners ... the same applies to the windshield wiper switch.
> 
> You don't want to know what a new switch costs.
>
> On 2/9/2011 6:33 AM, mr2driver at carolina.rr.com wrote:
> > Car is 1991 MR2 NA which had an intermittant problem previously when the
> > headlights would occasionally go out while my son was driving down the
> > road. This happened only in cold weather and so intermittantly that we had
> > difficulty troubleshooting it. Well, finally, they've failed altogether. He
> > went to the autoparts store and bought a replacement relay and that made no
> > difference. High beams work but low beams don't. The headlights are not the
> > problem, they both were brand new Cibie H4s few months ago . Since he is a
> > couple hours away, it is hard for me to troubleshoot with the BGB and test
> > lights or multimeter, so I'm thinking the only reasonable possibility is a
> > light switch failure.
> > One other "hint" is that the high beam indicator no longer goes on when he
> > uses the high beams. I don't know if this is an association or red herring.
> > What is the general consensus? Do I need to buy a new headlight switch /
> > stalk from Aaron or Ken?
> > 
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