# Headlights randomly shutting off **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [December 30, 2015, 5:22am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/headlights-randomly-shutting-off/92096 "2015-12-30T05:22:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Funkyfresh](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/funkyfresh/32/5555_2.png) [@Funkyfresh](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Funkyfresh)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2015, 5:22am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/headlights-randomly-shutting-off/92096/1 "2015-12-30T05:22:20Z")
So I’m driving and my headlights shut off! I flick the brights and the lights come back on instantly. 5 minutes later it happens again. So I’m driving around wondering when it’s going to go out for good and flicking my surprise headlights. I should mention the brights are out and I haven’t located a fuse for them. In any case it wouldnt be a fuse and probably not a short as the lights come on so dependably when I flick the switch. I’m thinking maybe a bad combo switch or maybe a bad relay. 1989 Nissan Pathfinder Wiring or a switch. I looked in the shop manual and I couldn’t find a relay. Maybe in finding the issue with the brights will relate. Also I’m not driving this car at night right now. ---
**Author:** ![insightful](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/insightful/32/2732_2.png) [@insightful](https://community.cartalk.com/u/insightful)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2015, 6:50am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/headlights-randomly-shutting-off/92096/2 "2015-12-30T06:50:53Z")
Sounds like the combo switch. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2015, 7:38am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/headlights-randomly-shutting-off/92096/3 "2015-12-30T07:38:12Z")
From what I can see there’s two 15 A fuses in the fuse block for the headlights, between the battery and the joint connector. Not sure if they are for right/left, or hi/lo. But there are definitely two fuses. From the joint connector the power goes to the “lighting” switch. From the lighting switch to the headlight connectors. I don’t see any relays involved. The problem is likely in one of the connectors or the switch. I’d guess the switch. That’s a heck of a lot of current to expect a simple switch to handle. You could remove the bulbs and test the filaments, if both hi beam filaments are out you may not have any fuse problems. ---
**Author:** ![Funkyfresh](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/funkyfresh/32/5555_2.png) [@Funkyfresh](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Funkyfresh)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2017, 4:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/headlights-randomly-shutting-off/92096/4 "2017-09-06T16:50:34Z")
Changing the headlight switch fixed this right up. It was an easy change too. I didn’t have to pull the steering wheel. I just unscrewed the steering column cover and unscrewed/unclip the old part. Installed the new one and it worked great.