Evening all,

I have a 2005 Td5 defender DCPU.

Around 6 weeks ago the dreaded pink relay behind the instrument panel began buzzing so I decided to replace it with a Lucas 2 pin alternative which has solved the problem. Conincidentally around the same time the battery was also on its way out so I fitted a new one. The odd thing now is that the dipped main headlights have started to stop working for a short period while driving, they eventually come back on after say 1-3 minutes. Meanwhile the main beam works and so does the flash function. This has happened twice now, once before the new battery and once after so can't be rated to that.

Has anybody experienced anything like this, my thought was the steering stalk/switch given the electronic feed must be fine as the full beam works.

Any thoughts would be much appreciated as it's always in the back of my mind when driving in the dark!

Thanks in advance
James

Just because the full beam works doesnt mean the switch isnt at fault, when it happens test the switch for voltage, have you got a wiring diagram? That would be a good place to start, as far as switches go, you have off , sides , main lights , when this goes full and dip will usually go at the same time, the indicator stalk, when that goes its usually just dip or full that is effected. Diagnosing electrical faults without being there and testing things with a meter is pretty much hit and miss, just work methodically, try not to stab in the dark if you excuse the pun.

Had the same occasional, inconvenient and scary symptom on mine - loose connection off the main switch on the column. Sorted

I recently had a very similar sounding problem with my 1999 td5. Except when my lights went out I had nothing. No tails / side lights / or dipped beam, but the main beam worked fine. (and i had the buzzing yellow dim dip relay). eventually traced it to a fault in the supply from the main fuse box under the seat. So i took out the fused link (no 6) therefore isolating the old power supply to the switch and then fed a new 30amp wire with inline 30amp spade fuse to the switch. I cut the wire and fed power to the switch on the switch side of the connector block therefore leaving the loom intact. All my lights work fine now. It's a temporary fix, until in the summer when I hope I can trace the feed from the fuse box which travels through the transmission tunnel into the engine bay in the hope I might find the root cause.
Good luck.