Headlights turning off while driving - Honda Prelude Forum

pkspx · 01-30-2006, 01:08 PM

Extremely dangerous: The headlights just decide to stop working. This is on my 93 VTEC 5speed prelude with 210K. I can't tell you how often this happened ... at least a dozen times. The very first time it happened startled me because I was doing almost 80 miles per hour, on a gradual curve, and there were NO street
lights anywhere. I stayed calm, kept the curve going as I decelerated quickly and made it to the side of the road safely. If it wasn't for the rumble strips, I may have gone off the road. It took about 5 full minutes for the lights to come back on. I played with the on / off control and then got out of the car to hit the engine hood near the lights with my palms. After 3 or 4 hits, and a lot of swearing they came back on. I have checked the fuse and they are ok. Please help

Si_g · 01-30-2006, 02:48 PM

what type of bulbs are you using? if you use 9005 and 9006, and use stock harnesses, its possible that your harnesses are metled...which would cause the light to turn off...and all it would need would be a lil push in the back to come back on...thats only a temp fix, u ll find that you ll have to do this almost everyday....if that is the case....then u should look for some heavy duty harness that can withstand the heat

if thats not it...which types of lights to you have? have u messed with any of the wiring ?

Xander · 01-30-2006, 05:38 PM

it maybe your headlight switch

pkspx · 01-30-2006, 05:44 PM

Stock headlights.

Tola · 01-30-2006, 05:50 PM

Loose headlight relay. It's in the fuse box in your engine bay.

I've been dealing with this problem for a while now, never fixed it permanently. Whenever it goes out, or doesn't come on, I would pop the hood, wiggle the relay a bit and it comes back on. It went out on me at the worst time last night too. If it wasn't for my blinkers lighting the way, i'd probably hit a wall.

jinusean · 01-30-2006, 09:31 PM

^^^OMG, how can you stand to keep driving it knowing that it could happen anytime? Knock on wood that this has never happened to me when driving around my lude. Wow, both headlights at the same time? If so, I think it would have to be a ground somewhere. Sounds scary to have that happen with no other lighting around.

prelude9si · 01-31-2006, 08:07 PM

^^^^^^^
This always happened to me too!!! Just like TOLA said its the relay in the fuse box in your engine bay. Just go to a junk yard or a order a new relay, since I replaced mine I havent had any problems.

pkspx · 05-08-2006, 06:59 AM

Thanks guys. Just for feature searches... Indeed it is the problem.

Tola · 05-09-2006, 12:18 PM

^^^ I don't get it. How is this update related to your original problem?

dark_rican · 05-15-2006, 03:01 PM

Thats the problem...My relay under the dash always does this too...I always had to get out my car and tap it to work again...Until i got my part lude and just switched it out.