Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing Headlight issue

Interesting experience last night.

While driving home in the dark on flicking to main beam both headlights extinguished, Main and dip. Found ourselves with the wing mounted side lights on and generally in not a happy situation to be in. All indicators were also disabled, although the hazards still worked. The dash light was still showing blue!

On limping home I found to my amazement the replacement of a single blown 10A fuse in the main fusebox restored all headlights and indicators.

This cannot be right for obvious reasons and a main dealer visit is a certainty before any more night driving.

Any thoughts from the collective as to the root cause?

Concerning indeed, glad you made it home Chris

That`s why I had spots fitted as it happened to me a few years ago - at least if it happens again I can get home - my problem was the switch. There should be seperate fuses for left and right lights.

It would be interesting to know what the 10amp fuse you replaced was labelled as. This may give a clue.

My main light failed on the trip to Italy when the car was only one year old. It was caused by the light switch. The fuses were still ok. On the 2014 4/4 the light switch is from an older Freelander or Discovery model, I don't remember exactly. The switch was replaced in southern Germany during the trip.

I noticed afterwards that with heavy rain there was always a drop of water continuously dripping exactly onto the light switch. Maybe that was the reason. I have fixed that since then.
As far as I know there is no relay for the main light, so in your case the switch may have caused an intermittent short circuit?

Chris, the Hazards would still work as there is a permanent fused feed via the BCU to allow them to be left on stationary car in emergency. The individual indicators and headlamps are fed via ignition switch from a single fuse 13 on body fuse box though. The headlamps are then fused again individually. The main beam warning remaining on may be caused by a latching effect from the BCU when fuse blew. If it was fuse 13 that blew it would explain your symptoms although it should be 15 amp! This in itself may expain why it blew.

There could be a wiring fault causing a short

Hi Richard

It was fuse 13 labelled indicators and headlamps that blew.

I may be mistaken about the amp rating and shall check this out tomorrow. A mobile auto electrician is coming out to investigate tomorrow.

With the car I inherited a pair of spotlights wired in with the main beam but have no further info thereon.

In discussion, the electrician suspects the issue may be lack of a relay fitment to the spotlights.

Thanks for everyone’s suggestions. Shall relay, excuse the pun, the findings. Definitely want an independent switch to the spotlights.

Chris, whatever the issue with spotlights, fuse 13 on body fuse box needs to be 15 amp. Would be interesting to know if past and present fuse is of that value.

FWIW your car is pre-wired with feeds to optional front fog lights with blue/yellow cables under front of wings providing a feed from fuse 9 (15 amp) on body box, and controlled by BCU in conjunction with headlight selection. The factory expect an extra latching dash switch to be fitted, similar to rear fog, and wiring should be there behind the dash for the hookup. Of course this only provides BCU switching appropriate for additional front fogs

From your description a PO has fitted (botched) a pair of spotlights on without relay and without any other control. If you wish to keep these lights I would definately add a diode relay (as suggested to you already) triggered by headlamp main beam with main power feed from a suitably fused source - fuse 9 maybe. There will then be no need to uprate headlamp main beam fuses (lack of which may have contributed to fuse 13 blowing) as draw for relay coil will be negligible.

I agree with Richard the spots will just add to much load and with no relay a possible spike as they come on.