Solved! (no dip headlights on 2000 Zafira)

Thought I would post this as a follow up to an earlier post I made. was well
and truly stumped at this. (For details see original thread).
wife was gonna take it to an auto electician next week, as needed sorting
for mot due soon, and she was fed upwith driving round on front fogs anyhow.
anyhow, was having a look under bonnet, looking for the big connector in the
loom where it passes through the front bulkhead (as I had been informed by
me140) when I noticed what I thought was a cover for relays. opened it up
and found some serious fuses. 60 & 80 amp stuff. they checked out ok, then
I noticed what really was a relay box cover, but \i couldnt get the coveer
all the way off. I was reluctant to start a major dismantling in ikeas car
park, and was staring glumly at the rear of the headlights when an 'oh shit'
moment overtook me. I realised that the headlight bulbs that I had so
confidently examined and pronouncd ok were in fact the main beams!. I
quickly removed the nearside one and sure enough, blown. then I managed to
get the offside one out-not easy with the air filter box in the way-and that
was gone. to make matters worse, her majesty picked then to turn up, saw the
bulb holders and sussed what happened. She's vowed not to let me live this
down for quite a while.

Anyhow, I'd like to thank everyone for their efforts and suggestions.
especially me140 who, had I followed his suggestion to check the bulbs
properly, would have saved me no end of grief.

the moral of this sorry tale should be obvious:dont let your wife/GF etc
near when you are trying to cover up your mistakes


Mike

 

Mike wrote:

Ah right!
She'll be dining out on that for a while then.
I presume that all your mates know by now?

Seriously though, this proves the point of checking the obvious and
checking again.
It's most unlikely that both bulbs failed simultainiously. Your wife/GF
has probably been driving around for months or weeks with one headlamp
duff. She only noticed when the other one failed.
Dave

 

i bet that cost you at least a week of "No Conjucals"

dB

 

Dunno. ask me again in a week.

Only sussed today, but guess you're right.

Dont think Mr Happy will be coming out to play for a while.

Mike

 

Good one!

Glad its sorted - and congrats for having the ba**s to say what really
happened - many wouldn't. As for wife /GF, just have a quiet word next time
they make a mistake - shouldn't be a long wait...

 

Speaking personally, I dont have a problem about 'fessing up my mistakes. I
like to think that if even one person learns something from my experiences
then the effort typing things out hasnt been wasted. I have a formal
education in things engineering (actually aerospace) but that doesnt stop
the odd screw up. Also, at the risk of sounding bigheaded, I like passing on
my experience. however it is a coin with two sides, good and bad and you
must give equal time to both, IMHO.

Anyhow, the biggest mystery of all is why herself didnt sus it out straight
away, as she already knows everything......

Mike

 

Tee hee...... I like it

 

Like I said up there. both headlight bulbs will not have failed at the
same time. You can console (sp?) yourself with the thought that she will
have been a one eyed monster until the second failed, probably weeks later.
Dave

 

for the same reason that she says "well, if you don't know why then i'm
certainly Not going to tell you !" ?

dB