So here I am driving just before dusk the other night. Getting a bit dark, think I'll turn on my headlights. They worked for all of about 1 second and promptly die in the arse. Left me in the sticks and no lights.

I've looked closely at the fuses under the ignition, all of them fine.
Is there a fusable link and relay somewhere on the headlight circuit that I need to check in case it's blown as well?

Check the fuses with a multi meter. I once had my headlights go out. All the fuses looked good, but the lights one had lost continuity inside one of the end caps where I couldn't see.

so they dont work on either high or low beam?

my low beam died a little while ago when one of the connections in the high/low beam switch broke...stil had high beam working though

Thanks guys,

No, definatly no lights at all, high and low beam aren't working.

I'll grab a multimetre from work tomorrow and have a fiddle with the in-car fuses.


It's wasn't fun trying to get home from Yass without headlights I can tell you. I tried and failed and had to call someone out.

Check if you have power going into the light switch from the ignition then check if you have power comming out of the switch when you flick to low or high beam. IF NO POWER COMMING OUT REPLACE SWITCH OR CLEAN CONTACTS.

If you have power comming out from the light switch go the fuse. IF POWER ONLY AT 1 SIDE OF FUSE REPLACE FUSE AND CLEAN FUSE TERMINALS.

If you have power at both sides if the fuse go to the relay. IF YOU HAVE POWER GOING IN BUT NOT COMMING OUT (on either low or high beam) REPLACE RELAY.

If you have power going into the relay and power comming out go to the head lights. If you have power going into the bulbs but not comming out REPLAE YOUR BULBS AND OR CLEAN YOUR EARTHS AND OTHER TERMINALS.

If you have power comming out of either switch, fuse, relay or bulb but not reaching the next item in the curcuit then you have a brake in the line.

Hope this helps dude, wiring problems SUCK BIG TIME

Thankyou Bundy,

Very comprehensive list to work through, exactly what I was after...

All that and it seems you can do it all with just a plain old circuit tester.

Just a small update on my headlights.

Basically, if your own headlights appear to have blown like mine did. Do what A14force described. He was right on the money, the headlight fuse appeared to be ok, but with further testing using a simple I/O circuit tester I was able to find out that it was infact blown. The fuse appeared OK on the outside, but thankfully it was the only thing I had to replace to get my headlights going again.

Also not forgetting what Bundy said to check out. That would've no doubt helped me out in the end. Thanks!

Once again, the Datsun1200 community has helped a fellow rev head get his ute back on the road. Thanks guys!

Glad to see you fixed the problem dude. No one likes driving at night using a handheld spottie or torch, not that I would do that cause its "illegial"

I find using a test light is even easier that a multimeter but each to their own.