tifosiman

If they are the old sealed beam bulbs, you shouldn't need to pull them out to check. You can test for power at the plug or continuity in the bulb (at the prongs) by pulling the plug off the back. Sometimes it is visually hard to see a burnt out bulb, but the testing will bear out the issue fairly easily.

AndyK

Hard to reach behind the bulbs to get to the plug...but I'll figure it out and give it a try. Thanks!

Also--If I need new bulbs, what should I buy?

Zero10

As far as getting at the plug, I just pull the metal covers on the headlights.
Check for power at the bulb. If you have power at the bulb, then check the ground at the plug.
If you have both, then I'd suspect the bulbs went. However, it is too suspicous that they both went at the same time.
My money is on the headlight switch (the arm on the stalk). Given that they flashed high then you lost low beams. If this is correct, you will have no voltage at the bulb on low beam.
To check this, you would have to check for power at the switch. I do not know enough about the wiring in the connectors at the stalk switch to advise you further, but the next step I suppose would be to jumper around the headlight switch.
If that works, I would try cleaning the contacts in it it, and once they're clean if it still doesn't work, replace it.

AndyK

A new control stalk set is $145! I'll try and get some contact cleaner into the headlight/ surn signal stalk. Strange that the brights work - I guess the switch could be partially shot?

Zero10

I've seen it once before. Not a terribly common failure however.
Don't replace what isn't broken
If it is bad, try getting a used one. Given how rare the failure is, it's probably not a bad idea.

AndyK

I think it's hard to find an airbag / cruise control / no-headlight washer stalk set used. I could check ebay...

Zero10

Most 87+ american 944's with cruise should be like that. The canadian spec ones almost all have headlight washers. Try cleaning yours first.

Luis de Prat

So, anyone know how AndyK got his low beams back? I'm in the same boat with my 951 now. Should probably check that little metal relay I had never heard of until it popped out in my S2.

sghost

I'd love to know this, too.

Steinkrunk

The threads with no reasonable conclusion are awesome....

Same issue ill post up whatever solution I eventually end up at after diag tomorrow

bumflick

The same thing happened to me on Saturday. Had my 951 for a week, lights worked when I drove it home from Dallas to Atlanta. I get up at 5 in the morning to head up to road Atlanta - no low beams. Fogs work, high beams work. Not the fuses. Lights pop up.

I checked the switch and it seemed fine. Will properly remove and recheck with test light. Based on the fact that I got a mild shock while jiggling the wires at the back the drivers side bulb, I guess it is the wires. Will dig into it more during the week and report.

Oh - pulled the headlight motor relay and cleaned it - a couple of the tabs looked a bit dirty/ rusty. Did not think it was related to my problem, but thought it could not hurt. Wrong. Managed to fry the relay and blew 2 fuses (same fuse twice) New relay on order.

Steinkrunk

Well I have the dash off and when I hit the switch my lights turn up but don't turn on. Everything else works(fogs/markers etc). High beams turn on when I pull back the stalk but don't stay on. I can hear a relay clicking on/off like crazy when I flex the wiring so I'm guessing its something to do with the wires.... Joy

bumflick

Popped the new motor relay in and the lamps pop up again. Still no low beams.

Also noticed that side marker light and the fog light on the drivers side also not coming on. Hmm.

RallyDogRacing

Consider me as one who would love to know what the fix ultimately was. Recently a co-worker convinced me to tow away the '83 944 he had in his garage since 2005 (under a cover). Hadn't run/started since then - but was in otherwise good nick for a high miler. Normal crap you'd expect: tires dry rotted, FP-gummed up solid, fuel tank full of crap and clogged suction side filters. Got all that sorted. Car runs fine now and should be road-ready this weekend assuming I can sort the lighting.

I am highly suspect of the column switches.
Symptoms:
1. Headlamp rocker switch raises headlmaps and turns on all exterior and interior lights.
2. Low beams are in-op, but pull left-side stalk rearward and the HighBeams will light up. Oddly - there is no click/detent for staying on high-beam, hence my thinking maybe there is a problem with the stalk.
3. At one time the low-beams came on while fiddling and checking each fuse, only to be never seen again.
4. When checking the headlamp side plug for voltage, I'm not seeing any. IE: presume bulb is good and we have a current delivery problem.

Therefore my plan of action is to:
a) take out all fuses and clean all contacts and replace with known-good units.
b) confirm power is crossing the fuses heading upstream.
c) see if I can get power to the headlamp sockets, if not run a mnaul bypass and relay for low beams
d) try to find a known-good column-stalk assembly

If those of you with a wealth of 944 experience can chim in and point me in different (better) directions - I am all ears. I don't know my way around 944's at all - though it is quite similar to old Quattros.

robmeister951

I have a 86 944 NA and I'm trying to diagnose why the low beam (Porsche calls them "dipped beam") headlights went out one after the other(a year apart).

I fixed the right hand headlight by splicing a wire from the fuse box yellow wire corresponding to the correct fuse and running it to all the way to the headlight harness a year ago.

So it seems the same thing is happening again, the left light no longer works.

Here is where I'm at with diagnosis:

High Beams work fine. Drivers lights on the bumper work fine.
I have a new headlight switch that I replaced a year ago when the right light stopped working.
There is power at the fuses and all fuses are fine.

It seems to me that the problem is between the fuse and the headlight wiring.

I'm having a difficult time determining the correct colour wire that leads to the left dipped beam/low beam headlight since the wiring diagram does not indicate the colour.

Any help is appreciated.

Rob
Sydney AU