A new problem with my new suby (85 gl-10). My wife came home from work last night and realized that no head lights were on. The running lights and everything else are fine. Fuses check out good. Where would the relay be? something in the steering column? The brights flash if I hold the turn signal arm down, but thats it.

Also, I have a 72 V.W. van about 5 meters away, parked. Could gremlins be infecting my Subaru, from the van. I might have to burn the veedub down just to be sure...

The relays are above the kickpanel on the driver's side.

Are you SURE they were in "on" and not in the parking light position? (turn clockwise one step for parking, two for head, counterclockwise and in for parking lights while ignition off)

Sorry, but many people get confused by the lighting controls on Subarus. (The 87 - later ones are even harder - in my opinion at least.)

Also check fusible links. But if they flash the relays and fusible links should be OK, so my best candidate is a bad switch.

 

- don't know about VW gremlins though, may have to look into that

 

welcome to the board!! enjoy your Subaru!!

Could be the bulbs themselves. There is a different filament for the low beams than the high beams. Both would get the same amount of use if they were replaced at the same time before, therefore dying at the same time now.

 

A new problem with my new suby (85 gl-10). My wife came home from work last night and realized that no head lights were on. The running lights and everything else are fine. Fuses check out good. Where would the relay be? something in the steering column? The brights flash if I hold the turn signal arm down, but thats it.

Also, I have a 72 V.W. van about 5 meters away, parked. Could gremlins be infecting my Subaru, from the van. I might have to burn the veedub down just to be sure...

our Subarus use two relays for the headlights. One for the left one for the right.

 

Highly unlikely both relays are gone poof.

and

the fusible link that feeds these relays also

feeds the running lights which you say are working.

 

I would go with Martin's idea.

What I have seen happen is one side's

low beam element burns out and goes unnoticed,

 

then the other side burns out and well now you notice.

 

If you are going to try new lamps, Sylvania Silverstars are

the mutt's nutz these daze.

 

If you are going to trouble shoot - be advised the lights work with a switched ground

much different than an American car that employs a switched hot.

 

Hope this helps

on XT models there's a wire connector that gets corroded, dirty, burnt, shorted out...etc just above the pedal assembly down by your feet. various interesting electrical problems can happen here. often on XT6's the headlights will be the only thing affected. not familiar with your model, but something to check if the bulbs are good.

hmm 85. so does this mean it has the dash operated light switch?

 

if so I had the exact same problem on my 85 gl. it was a bad connection in the switch. you can take it apart and try to clean the contacts up but its probably best to just find a new/good used unit to swap in.

then I just leave em on all the time as they turn off with the car off. saves wear and tear on the switch.

One common electrical problem I have found on my 1985 Subaru is that the lubricating grease put in the control switches was not of ideal nature - ie it reacts over time with the copper to form a noncondutive coating on the contacts.

 

I have not had issues with my headlight switch and this problem, but my intermitent wiper was problematic until I cleaned it out, and I have yet to fully fix my turn signal (in cold weather it can short out). Once the switch is cleaned, it works like new. I would go ahead and put some dielectric grease in there to keep everything lubed and functioning if that is the problem.

It was my light switch! The wife figured it out. I would say I'm ashamed she solved it first, but I'm actually proud of her. It means she is listening to my endless rants about the inner-workings of the automobile.

She still can't change her own tire though...

She still can't change her own tire though...

 

I'm prolly gonna catch some crap for sayin this, but not many can change a tire..