[Marblehead]

Finally got to the point this weekend to where I could pull the car out of the garage and spin 'er around the street a few times....minus everything but one seat and the steering wheel. While checking a few things over before beginning the alarm install I tried the headlights. Well, they turned on but didn't go up.

Looking thru the TSRM electrical manual I see that there are 3 light relays, 2 of them being light retract relays. One is a light retract relay the other is a light control retract relay (one is below the work light in the engine compartment, the other is near the speedo cable behind the gauge cluster). Does anyone know how these work in conjunction with one another? Does one relay operate the other relay? Do one of these relays have a tendency to fail more often than the other? Thanks for the help!

A balanced diet is a beer in each hand.
Scott

 

[MK2Racer]

I was unaware of the one behind the dash, but I replaced my under-hood one and the lights still dont move, comes on fine, but wont go up or down. Tested the motors, all work fine when 12v is put to them. Where is the third relay?

 

[Marblehead]

The third relay is simply for the on/off operation of the lights themselves. That relay is located in the fuse box in the engine compartment. The retract relay behind the dash is a blue box, approximately 2x2x1 inch located behind the gauge cluster and just below the speedo cable. You could probably get to that relay by removing the lowest of the dash panels (the black fairly flat plastic with the courtesy light near the pedals). Reach up until you feel the speedo cable thru the metal panel and into the gauges. Of course it might be easier to remove just by removing the dash hood and gauge cluster.

I THINK I saw a fourth relay in the electrical manual. I'm in the process of installing an alarm while the interior is stripped and have been doing a lot of reviewing of the electrical manual....quite handy in locating harness connections and hidden relays. I haven't looked at the headlight section as much as some of the others so I can's say for certain but I believe the auto light shut-off is also relay driven. I'll look more into it tonite and even more so if I can't get these lights to come up.

I had the same thing happen in my Celica. The lights came on but not up. This was years ago before I felt comfortable tracing lots of wiring, plus I was out of town and needed it fixed that day, so I took it to the dealership. Ever since the lights operate fine but the auto shut-off no longer works for the headlights only on the parking lights. That's why I mentioned a possible auto shut-off relay. Somehow these may be connected. Requires more research.

Lights are on but nobody's home.
Scott

 

[Dave A.]

Check the fusible link in the black fuse/relay box located by the battery that supplies a constant 12 volts to the retract relay. If that link is blown then your headlight motors won't operate properly. The 85 & 86 have a 4th relay called the "light retainer relay" that functions as part of the factory alarm system.
HTH!

 

[MK2Racer]

Ah, that is why I couldnt find it on my 82. I bought what I thought was the retractor relay, but it was the retainer relay and I couldnt find it. Hmm, no alarm either....