1985-1998 [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
So, I asked a little while ago why my highbeams were turning themselves on. It was suggested that I check the relays for bad solder joints.
I checked the big headlight relay and saw one that looked like it might be iffy, so I reflowed that.
I checked the smaller lamp control realy and just like someone else showed in their post, it was full of cracks. So I reflowed those. Put them back in the car and everything seemed good.
Later in the day, I noticed that my headlights were not on. I opened the realy box and found that the lamp control relay had incinerated itself. The headlight fuses come after it, and it was completely destroyed. I guess I should have done the soldering at work where there is some proper soldering equipment.
Anyway, when I found that the best price on that relay was $106 I started to get a little upset, and also started taking a good look at the wiring diagrams. That's when I realized that the lamp control realy does not actually control any lamps. It doesn't do any switching or anything. It merely senses the current being drawn bu each headlight, and if there is enough of a difference it lights up the warning light on the dashboard pictogram.
When I realized that, I started to think maybe I could do without it. I ended up making two little pigtails to replace it. One carries the current to the lowbeams and one for the highbeams. They plug right in to the relay socket. My pictogram won't light up if I lose a headlight, but I can live with that. Someday I will find a new relay in the junkyard.
So, If anyone else fries their relay or wants to eliminate the pictogram feature (if you get a lot of false indications), it's easy!
The question still remains why my high beams were turning themselves on... Since the problem was so intermittent anyway, it's hard to tell whether I fixed it.
posted by 68.163.63...
No Site Registration is Required to Post - Site Membership is optional (Member Features List), but helps to keep the site online
for all Saabers. If the site helps you, please consider helping the site by becoming a member.
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |