High beams burn out simultaneously.
 

Hey guys... obviously, I need you help.

Here's what happened. A few days before I put my car away for the winter I was driving on a back unlit country road with my highbeams on. Suddenly my lights dimmed down to my low beams. There was no flash or noise. I couldn't get my highs to go back on.

So two days later I was at my dealership to get my oilchanged for storeage. I asked them to check the lights. When they got back to me all the service department said to me was... "You highbeams have both burnt out and we have no bulbs to replace them." So they've got them ordered and all and will be ready to put in when my car comes back out.

Having both highbeam bulbs blow at the same time is very freakish... has anyone else had this happen? or heard anything about this happening? I know I should tell them to figure out why this happened... but I'm thinking it may have been just a one time thing. What should I do?

Thanks in advance for you help.

Never had both beams burn out at the same time for any car before even though that's the way it's suppose to happen. Theoretically, both bulbs are on at the same time and off at the same time and with the same life, should both burn out together but they never occur that way. Ever check the fuse? Maybe the dealer missed it?

Also, I've never had my highs go out either. Maybe someone else might know.

Had both low beams burn out simultaneously on a Toyota pickup. It can happen. Let the dealer replace them under warranty and if it does it again it has to be somthing esle.

This is unusual in several respects. First, it's unusual for headlamps to burn out this early in a vehicle's life. Even more so for high-beams, which are typically used infrequently. I've had several low-beams burn out over the years but not high-beams, even on 15 year old cars. Second, weak lamps will typically blow from current surge when first turned on. It's less common for them to burn out while in operation. Finally, while lamps seem to fail closely together (maybe within a few months of each other) I personally have never had them both fail together at the same moment. I would be more suspicious of a blown fuse or electrical problem, but not saying it's impossible. I'd wait for them to replace the bulbs under warranty, but in the meantime I'd check the fuse and/or relay. I would imagine they checked it, but you never know....

Sounds like.....
 

Sounds like the relay. I bet they didn't take the bulbs out, just flicked the switch to diagnose.

The giveaway is your comment that the car "dimmed to low beams." - if your high filaments burned out, you would still be in the high switch position, your lows would be off, and you would be in total darkness.

The relay switches between hi/lo and I think that is the culprit.

S

The low beams stay on when the high beams are illuminated.

Thanks guys. I will check the fuse and relays for the problem.

Thats exactly right. Thanks Stealth.

Ditto
 

Yes, me too! 26,000 klm' .. I have had problems starting and engine shudder followed by engine light warnings (twice) Its not often ,but its awfull to experience.. I'm not sure ,but h beams dont seem the same. They used to be blue-ish bright,now their yellowish dim. Any comment or feedback would be appreciated

Make sure they didn't change your bulbs (or headlights) to the GS model (non HID)