LED Headlight Issue

bcombs18

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I have a 98 Jeep Wrangler and I upgraded the headlights to LED bulbs. Since then, I've been battling to get my headlights to turn on at night. They don't flicker, they stay on once they come on, and they seem to be getting enough power to run them. If they aren't turned on at all, the high beams don't work as well, but they function as intended as soon as the lights come on. At first I thought it could be related to cold weather as it was particularly bad during the winter, but now half way through the summer, they are still having the same issue. Running lights and the instrument panel lights come on and I even replaced the headlight switch thinking that could be the issue, but it didn't improve the situation. I have noticed that banging on the steering wheel makes the lights turn on, but I don't know what relevance that has to the headlights. Maybe the dimmer switch? It seems like some electrical issue, but they never flicker when I drive so I don't think it could be a bad ground or anything loose in the harness. Any ideas are appreciated. Thanks
 
It very well could be the dimmer switch, yes. That's a very common point of failure for these TJs.The fact that you can hit the steering wheel and make them work sometimes seems to point even more towards this common point of failure. The same thing happened to mine, and it turned out to be the headlight / dimmer stalk.

I'd also probably inspect the connections on the bulbs and put some dielectric grease on there, as well as make sure the connections aren't corroded.
 
It very well could be the dimmer switch, yes. That's a very common point of failure for these TJs.The fact that you can hit the steering wheel and make them work sometimes seems to point even more towards this common point of failure. The same thing happened to mine, and it turned out to be the headlight / dimmer stalk.

I'd also probably inspect the connections on the bulbs and put some dielectric grease on there, as well as make sure the connections aren't corroded.
Okay, I'll look at the connections tomorrow. If it turns out not to be the dimmer as the issue, do you have any other ideas? And is there a way to test the dimmer?
 
Okay, I'll look at the connections tomorrow. If it turns out not to be the dimmer as the issue, do you have any other ideas? And is there a way to test the dimmer?

When my dimmer / stalk was bad, I tested it by smacking it. When I went on when I smacked it, I knew for 100% certain that was the issue (which is in fact a common issue with exactly the symptoms you describe).

I'm willing to bet if it's not the connections, it's the stalk / dimmer switch.
 
Okay, if I replace it, will I need to pull off the steering wheel to get to it? I have replaced one on another vehicle before, but not a jeep. In my experience, Jeeps usually tend to be a little simpler to work on then other vehicles.
 
Okay, if I replace it, will I need to pull off the steering wheel to get to it? I have replaced one on another vehicle before, but not a jeep. In my experience, Jeeps usually tend to be a little simpler to work on then other vehicles.

I am confused reading this thread. The actual dimmer switch is on the headlight switch which is on the dash, but the hi lo beam switch is in the steering column. If that is what you are talking about which I assume you are, I had a broken blinker switch which is the same switch and yes you can replace it fairly easily without pulling the steering wheel. I found a youtube video that was pretty good.

 
From my understanding, I thought the dimmer switch is what controls the hi/lo beams and is a part of the blinker switch assembly. From what I read earlier, the battery sends power to the headlight switch, and then to the dimmer, which then sends power to the headlights. I may be wrong, but that was what I picked up from this forum post.

https://wrangler forum.com/f282/headlights-wont-work-19184.html#post237418

P.S. It wouldn't post this link with that url so take out the space in the address
 
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From my understanding, I thought the dimmer switch is what controls the hi/lo beams and is a part of the blinker switch assembly. From what I read earlier, the battery sends power to the headlight switch, and then to the dimmer, which then sends power to the headlights. I may be wrong, but that was what I picked up from this forum post.

https://wrangler forum.com/f282/headlights-wont-work-19184.html#post237418

I think you or I have a syntax problem. Whether we are confusing each other or not, I think we are talking about the same switch in the column so the video should help you change that. Like I said I changed mine last year. It took about a 1/2 hour total, and was relatively easy to do without having to remove the steering wheel.
 
Okay, that is the switch I was talking about and the video answers my question. I'll try to get it changed out this week and see if it changes anything. If not, I'll be searching for more ideas then. Thanks.
 
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Okay, that is the switch I was talking about and the video answers my question. I'll try to get it changed out this week and see if it changes anything. If not, I'll be searching for more ideas then. Thanks.
Keep us posted, and please followup with the results. Good luck! Ask if you get stuck.
 
Keep us posted, and please followup with the results. Good luck! Ask if you get stuck.

So I've checked all of the connections and grounds to the headlights. I've now replaced the switch we discussed before and I still have the same problem I had before. The lights don't come on when switched on, I can hit the steering wheel and they turn on. I have also figured out that when the lights don't turn on, the high beams will if I try to switch the on. But the low beams stay turned off. I don't know what else it could be at this point. Ideas?
 
Hmm
So you get in the car to do a beer run in the middle of the night. You go to turn on your headlights and no low beams, but you then get a little ticked and slam the steering wheel and the lights low beams come on.

Could it be that when you hit your steering wheel that it is also moving your dash at all meaning when you hit your steering wheel could it be moving your light switch on the dash? What happens when you don't hit your steering wheel but you hit your dash by the light switch instead?

Was there any after-market wiring you had to do for the headlights? Conversion cables, or some kind of a box somewhere?
 
Nothing happens when I do that. I've tried hitting it all over the dash to see if it made a difference. So far, only hitting the steering wheel makes a difference and I have to hit it as if I were going to hit the horn for it to work. Hitting from the side does nothing. I thought initially that the light switch was just worn out, so I replaced it. That didn't fix anything either.
 
Nothing happens when I do that. I've tried hitting it all over the dash to see if it made a difference. So far, only hitting the steering wheel makes a difference and I have to hit it as if I were going to hit the horn for it to work. Hitting from the side does nothing. I thought initially that the light switch was just worn out, so I replaced it. That didn't fix anything either.

Weird. I cannot think of any thing other than your high low beam that would make a difference in your steering wheel unless there is some funky way the LED's are wired up that I am unfamiliar with.

Does your horn work?
 
Yes it does, and the LEDs are wired just like any other headlight. They have controllers in the wires coming from the bulbs and then the controllers go to the three prong connector for the headlights. I just checked them and they are in good condition and they have a solid connection.
 
Nothing happens when I do that. I've tried hitting it all over the dash to see if it made a difference. So far, only hitting the steering wheel makes a difference and I have to hit it as if I were going to hit the horn for it to work. Hitting from the side does nothing. I thought initially that the light switch was just worn out, so I replaced it. That didn't fix anything either.
Ok I have been reading on the Internet and found a lot of people complaining of the same problem. It was either their headlight switch or their wiring harness that goes to the multifunction switch. I have read multiple cases of a bad wiring harness going to the multi(turn signal) switch.

I think you should pull that harness and check for issues like burned wires or broken wires loose connections at the pigtails. which totally makes sense if banging on your steering wheel fixes it.

In all cases that I read they were either a 97 or 98 TJ
 
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My harness seems intact, I don't know that its the issue since the lights never flicker and the high beams work just fine.
 
My harness seems intact, I don't know that its the issue since the lights never flicker and the high beams work just fine.
That is what I read. No low beams
They results in more than one were bad headlight switch and the most were issues with that harness.
Most cases was a loose connection in the wiring in the pigtail.
ONe was someone tapped into it for an aftermarket stereo
Another was a burned wire.
You may want to remove the harness or at least pull the cover then turn your headlights on and grab that harness and wiggle it and see if you can get them to come on.