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Pesqueeb

bicycle in airplane hangar
Feb 2, 2007
40,138
16,537
Riding the baggage carousel.
05 Subaru impreza
Wife tried going to the market tonight, came back into the house and said her headlights do not work. Not only do they not work, but the tail lights, dash lights and running lights are also inop. High beams work as advertised. Fuse looked good, I replaced it anyway, still no workie. I can not find anything on teh interwebz that matches my problem. I would suspect bad common ground but surely other things must use it too, plus I don't know where it lives. Maybe bad switch? I'll try the stealership tomorrow, just wondering if anyone has thoughts on this tonight.
 

Pesqueeb

bicycle in airplane hangar
Feb 2, 2007
40,138
16,537
Riding the baggage carousel.
could be a bad fuse.
do the blinkers or brake lights work? or hazards?
The fuse looked good and I put a new one in anyway. Blinkers/brakes/hazards all work normal.
*edit: also climate control stuff is not illuminated
*double edit: I can hear a relay clicking behind the dash when I move the head light switch from off-parklights-on
 
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DirtyMike

Turbo Fluffer
Aug 8, 2005
14,437
1,017
My own world inside my head
Common power source, common ground....... Not a ground, too many items grounded in too many locations for that......

BUT, what items turns any and all those items on......... Thats right kids, your looking at a headlight/multifunction switch, bad relay, or a simple power feed to the switch..... Get a diagram and find your common power source for all the items youve listed... Just too far away from each other to be a common ground.
 

Pesqueeb

bicycle in airplane hangar
Feb 2, 2007
40,138
16,537
Riding the baggage carousel.
you sure you checked all the fuses? even the ones that could be possibly under your hood?
Yup, checked under the hood first, its actually easier to get too. The other one hides behind the ash tray by the hood release. Getting the ash tray back in is kind of a pain. Unless a third one lives somewhere I don't know about.
Common power source, common ground....... Not a ground, too many items grounded in too many locations for that......

BUT, what items turns any and all those items on......... Thats right kids, your looking at a headlight/multifunction switch, bad relay, or a simple power feed to the switch..... Get a diagram and find your common power source for all the items youve listed... Just too far away from each other to be a common ground.
I was leaning towards the headlight/dimmer switch, but I can hear a relay clicking when I change the headlight switch to park/on. I don't know if the headlights and dash lights share a relay or not. I'll go look.
 
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illflip

Monkey
Aug 20, 2007
548
0
Newark, NJ
what DirtyMike said.

the fact the dash instruments dont illum AND the lights dont turn on means its something to do with the switch and its power source.
 

HAB

Chelsea from Seattle
Apr 28, 2007
11,580
2,005
Seattle
I used to have Volvo that did that. It was an issue with the wiring in the ignition, wiggling the key made it come back.
 

HAB

Chelsea from Seattle
Apr 28, 2007
11,580
2,005
Seattle
could you also take the key out while it was running?
No. The key fit snugly, it was a matter of turning it slightly back and forth, not wiggling in the sense that it could slop around in the slot.
 

Pesqueeb

bicycle in airplane hangar
Feb 2, 2007
40,138
16,537
Riding the baggage carousel.
More awesome news. Had the dash torn apart today, nothing obvious. The Subaru dealer was just about as helpful as my local BMW motorcycle dealer, just without the attitude, of course if I bring it in to them they can look into it.:disgust: Neither Haynes nor Chilton makes a manual for my stupid car, and Subaru wants 279 :eek: dollars for the stupid switch/dimmer assy. Good news is I found a used one on flea bay for 30 bucks, but I have to wait for it and its starting to get dark earlier. And I'll be up sh/t creek if this doesn't fix it.
I'll try screwing with the ignition tomorrow like HAB said. Though I would think as many times as I've started it the last 24 hours it would have worked at least once were that the problem.
 
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drkenan

anti-dentite
Oct 1, 2006
3,441
1
west asheville
sounds like the relay. high beams might be a redundant safety feature.
I'd definitely say there's a good chance that a relay is malfunctioning but due to what? All I know how to work on are Audis and International trucks, but I'd definitely start with the ignition switch.

And while you're in there, be sure to check the wiring all around the ignition because one could be frayed/loose. Had that exact same thing happen once. :thumb:
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,031
5,921
borcester rhymes
I'd definitely say there's a good chance that a relay is malfunctioning but due to what? All I know how to work on are Audis and International trucks, but I'd definitely start with the ignition switch.

And while you're in there, be sure to check the wiring all around the ignition because one could be frayed/loose. Had that exact same thing happen once. :thumb:
due to what? and you say you work on audi's? random freaking failure, man...that should be in the manual. **** gets old and dies. I think that's the name of my car. It should be printed on every box.
 

drkenan

anti-dentite
Oct 1, 2006
3,441
1
west asheville
due to what? and you say you work on audi's? random freaking failure, man...that should be in the manual. **** gets old and dies. I think that's the name of my car. It should be printed on every box.
Wait...don't you have a URS4/6 or something?

I had a loose wire on the back of my ignition switch on an older A4 I had - almost the exact symptoms as ole Pesquy. I replaced the switch but then had it burn up again in less than 2 weeks. Traced a wire and bada bing.
 

stoney

Part of the unwashed, middle-American horde
Jul 26, 2006
21,518
7,064
Colorado
Get on NASIOC with the problem. They should be able to diagnose. Also, subarugenuineparts.com has oem parts for cheap.
 

stoney

Part of the unwashed, middle-American horde
Jul 26, 2006
21,518
7,064
Colorado
There are a few other discount Subaru oem sellers. I can pm you links when I get home. I use them all the time. Probably 20-30% below retail with fast turn around.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,031
5,921
borcester rhymes
Wait...don't you have a URS4/6 or something?

I had a loose wire on the back of my ignition switch on an older A4 I had - almost the exact symptoms as ole Pesquy. I replaced the switch but then had it burn up again in less than 2 weeks. Traced a wire and bada bing.
I do...and urS6...and at 135k miles things start getting weird...my serpentine belt tensioner, a dealer only item, just starting splitting apart...fuse blew on the afterrun pump/radiator fan...fan clutch went out... Granted, a lot of this stuff was probably bad before I ever bought the car, but things just get old and wacky and lemony....and in our cars' case, german. I know the fuel pump is known to randomly give out at about this mileage...plus the wonderness of coil packs....who knows. I'm just saying that I wouldn't be surprised if it's something cheap like a relay that isn't firing rather than a massive wiring issue.
 

Pesqueeb

bicycle in airplane hangar
Feb 2, 2007
40,138
16,537
Riding the baggage carousel.
Actually, thats a very good statement for this vehicle, depending on if its using a direct system or a module system, the parking brake switch could be keeping the system from coming on.... Would make sense as to why the switch is as costly as it is.
I don't think this is true. We've always set the parking break in all of our cars. Both the wife and I grew up in a hilly area so its how we learned to park. The lights previously would come on regardless of parking brake position. In fact in the Subaru we leave the lights in the "on" position because unless the key is in the run position the lights do not stay on.

There are a few other discount Subaru oem sellers. I can pm you links when I get home. I use them all the time. Probably 20-30% below retail with fast turn around.
Yes please!
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,031
5,921
borcester rhymes
hey wait, do the high beams come on when you click them into position, or do they flash when you pull the stalk?

that could make a big difference. Hi beams shouldn't turn on unless the regular headlights are already on. They should be able to flash without the headlights on though.
 

Pesqueeb

bicycle in airplane hangar
Feb 2, 2007
40,138
16,537
Riding the baggage carousel.
I used to have Volvo that did that. It was an issue with the wiring in the ignition, wiggling the key made it come back.
I'm starting to think you might be right. I cant find a diagram for an 05, but these are from the schematic for an 02 and I assume they can't have changed all that much, they both fall into the "second generation" category.
(click to make bigger)





Note that the circuit powers both FB34 and MB8 which are the dash, and the lights respectively.

hey wait, do the high beams come on when you click them into position, or do they flash when you pull the stalk?

that could make a big difference. Hi beams shouldn't turn on unless the regular headlights are already on. They should be able to flash without the headlights on though.
Hi beams come on both ways. The way I read this schematic is they use a separate relay.



Someone sees something different or has any other ideas please say so. My schematic following skills are mediocre at best. Wife's got the car at work right now so I can't do anything with it anyway. Gonna go ignition switch hunting now.
 
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DirtyMike

Turbo Fluffer
Aug 8, 2005
14,437
1,017
My own world inside my head
hey wait, do the high beams come on when you click them into position, or do they flash when you pull the stalk?

that could make a big difference. Hi beams shouldn't turn on unless the regular headlights are already on. They should be able to flash without the headlights on though.
I'm starting to think you might be right. I cant find a diagram for an 05, but these are from the schematic for an 02 and I assume they can't have changed all that much, they both fall into the "second generation" category.
(click to make bigger)





Note that the circuit powers both FB34 and MB8 which are the dash, and the lights respectively.


Hi beams come on both ways. The way I read this schematic is they use a separate relay.



Someone sees something different or has any other ideas please say so. My schematic following skills are mediocre at best. Wife's got the car at work right now so I can't do anything with it anyway. Gonna go ignition switch hunting now.
We have a winner.... There is the answer to the question.


You have a bad switch. If you can turn the hi beams on in the hibeam run situation, not a flash to pass situation..... Your switch is bad. Even though its showing two seperate parts, its not seperate in the physical sense.

Diagrams can get a bit confusing like that.

For future reference a couple things. dont leave the switch in the on positon when you shut off the car, it increases the startup load when you turn the car on and thats not good.

For others...... and I am going to say this really loud so everyone gets it.

YOU CANNOT COMPARE DIFFERENT MANF AND MODELS FOR THE SAME ANSWER.......ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY COME FROM DIFFERENT CONTINENTS. The wiring systems will not be the same, they will not get the same answer for what "may" be the same symptom

One mroe thing.... You cannot come up with a complete answer as to what is broken over a website, over a phone, over a forum....... the bottom line is you have to be in the car.

Not something I say to be mean or degrading, there are alot of answers sometimes to the exact same symptom. That would be why you always check everything everytime.
 

Pesqueeb

bicycle in airplane hangar
Feb 2, 2007
40,138
16,537
Riding the baggage carousel.
Finally decided to punt. Car spent all day at Subaru where they finally found that the previous owner had, apparently, installed a remote start. I guess when they traded it in the kept the expensive pieces and just left the aftermarket harness. The harness and associated relay had chafed because they had never been tied up/secured and were grounding out. :banghead: