Hello everyone, I had just bought a 2002 tj about 3 months ago and i’m experiencing some electrical issues. What’s happened is when my headlights are turned on, the driver side lamp stays on Bright mode and the passenger side lamp is complete off. The passenger side amber light doesn’t come on at all, even if i use the signal stick. If i signal to the passenger side while my headlights are on, the passenger side headlights flickers as if it were a turn signal and the passenger side tail light flickers faster than it should. I know my headlights aren’t bad because i had just got new led halo headlights so they shouldn’t be bad in the matter of two months. Anyone have any ideas what is going on?
Electrical issue with headlights
- Thread starter gtack0400
- Start date
I had the same issue with my 01 tj, but with rear lights. Ended up being a bad ground , the electrical system will search out a ground causing all kinda weird things to happen. My 3rd brake light would flash really fast with right turn signal .
I wouldn't rule out "shouldn't be bad in the matter of two months" by any means: any product can be defective, no matter how much you may have paid for it. That said, it sounds like you may well have a grounding issue in the admittedly quirky floating-ground turn signals, and possibly something going on with the high-beam circuit as well.
Questions:
- Did these issues exist before you installed the new headlights, or did they show up some time afterwards?
- Was the new headlight install a plug-and-play system, or did you cut/splice/add/remove/ or otherwise-fuck-with wires?
Questions:
- Did these issues exist before you installed the new headlights, or did they show up some time afterwards?
- Was the new headlight install a plug-and-play system, or did you cut/splice/add/remove/ or otherwise-fuck-with wires?
Are all four front amber lamps on when the parking lights are on?
Do both of the front amber lights flash full brightness when the hazards are on? Do the sidemarkers flash? The way the sidemarkers are wired in is rather odd. They ground through the inactive filament in the fender signal bulb. Thus if one of the filaments is burned out, it can cause issues with itself and the sidemarker bulbs.
I’m assuming the fender and sidemarker bulbs are all the stock halogen bulbs? Led turn signals in the front are unfortunately not just plug and play. I’ve done the retrofit and there are some wiring changes that need to be made.
Have you tried replacing the flasher relay?
Do both of the front amber lights flash full brightness when the hazards are on? Do the sidemarkers flash? The way the sidemarkers are wired in is rather odd. They ground through the inactive filament in the fender signal bulb. Thus if one of the filaments is burned out, it can cause issues with itself and the sidemarker bulbs.
I’m assuming the fender and sidemarker bulbs are all the stock halogen bulbs? Led turn signals in the front are unfortunately not just plug and play. I’ve done the retrofit and there are some wiring changes that need to be made.
Have you tried replacing the flasher relay?
In that case, you've already isolated the problem: those headlights are not playing well with the stock system. If you want to verify that hypothesis, plug the stock housings back into the harness and see if the problem goes away. It may be something as simple as a bad connection or you not having the proper flasher relay (as suggested), or it could be much more complex; the lights you bought simply may not work well with the TJ's wiring, despite being a physical fit.
Edward Turner
TJ Enthusiast
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