Headlights wont turn off after motor swap

[infinite_kaos]

Just like the title says, I did a motor swap on a 1996 gst with a motor from a 97 gst. My friend and I had to swap the engine harness and the ecu, cause we couldn't get the car to run otherwise, so now everything is working just fine, except after driving the car with the headlights on, when I stop the car and turn it off and turn the headlight switch off the lights won't turn off, and itsd only the head lights. The tail lights turn off and so do the interior and gauge lights, but not the headlights.
I have to disconnect the battery to get them to turn off, and when I reconnect the battery the lights stay off till I turn them on.

Anybody have any idea?

 

[Backinajiffy12]

Check all your fuses and relays mainly your alternator Fuse! same thing happened to me when i was replacing my o2 i nicked the altonator and my lights wouldnt shut off I blew the altonator fuse.

 

[Harriz801]

That sounds to me to be a bad relay. Make sure to test all your relays to see if they're clicking back to the neutral position.

When the headlights are turned on, the voltage travels through the relay connecting the corresponding pins. When you turn the headlights back off, the relay isnt clicking back to its neutral position and this is whats causing the voltage to carry through the relay and leaving the headlights on.

That would be my best guess.

A good and quick test would be to pull a relay from something that you know is working properly, and plug it into your headlight relay spot and see if they work from there. (Make sure the relay you pull isnt something vidal to the motor though! - Something like the high beam relay might suffice) haha....

 

[infinite_kaos]

I guess I didn't search hard enough last night, I've found that the alternator fuse could be the problem. Which sounds a lot like what my case may be.

So today ill check and replace that, if it fixes it ill be sure to let you guys know.

 

[infinite_kaos]

Ok so I didn't see the posts from you guys earlier, I'm gonna have to check those relays, cause I swapped the alternator fuse, and its till doin it, can anyone show me or point me in the right direction for the location of the relay.

 

[91gvr4gsr]

check all grounds and make sure you didn't break any wires wille putting in or taking out the motor....

 

[luv2rallye]

... can anyone show me or point me in the right direction for the location of the relay.

Engine fuse box, 4th relay from right in middle row.

 

[infinite_kaos]

Ok so I swapped relays with 3 other relays and I'm still having the same damn problem , it sucks cause I gotta disconnect the negative terminal on the battery every time I want my lights to turn off.

 

[luv2rallye]

Do the headlights go off when you pull the relay? If so, the small red wire from the relay socket (lower right pin of relay socket in top view) is permanently being connected to ground which then keeps the relay activated. This can only be due to one of 2 things:
1) the column switch to turn them on is bad (either headlights on switch or the pull back passing switch) or
2) that red wire is touching ground somewhere between the relay and the column switch.
Unplug the column switch (both 6 pin and 10 pin connectors) to find whether it's case 1 or 2.

 

[infinite_kaos]

Yes the headlight turns off when I pull the relay out, I checked the headlight switch, when I removed one of the connectors it headlights still stayed on, I didn't know there was another connector back there so ill have to double check.

When I pulled the one connector I noticed that the large red wire on there was tapped into, but is now covered with electrical tape.

This is why I hate buying used cars , some people just aren't wiiling to do things right.

Ill double check the wire for the relay, and ill check the wires on the connectors.
Thanks for the advice.

 

[boosteclipse]

Did you ever solve this, I am having the same problem.

 

[95GST_OBD1]

once again the answer you need isnt posted on a thread... i guess ill start checking the relays

 

[95GST_OBD1]

Problem solved....

after replacing the relay with a new one the headlight and horn problem still persist. I originally rewired the alternator choke fuse completely because the 100a fuse kept blowing. When I did this i replaced the 100a fuse with a 100a circuit breaker which was external to the fuse box.

turns out i wired it wrong and a power block under the hood wasnt getting power like it should. I fixed it by wiring from the 100amp clear end on the circuit breaker back the the power block and all problems fixed- headlights turn off, horn works, power to windows, everything

 

[boosteclipse]

glad you fixed it,mine turned out to be a bad alt. fuse. A little late but I have'nt been on here for a while.

 

[gameover95]

hey guys I really need this thread to come alive again until I fix mine now .
The car was sitting for about a month but prior to that I had replaced the alternator. The battery was dead so i decided to go out and buy a brand new one. I put it in and the power seat won't power, the radio won't come on, the wipers seem weak,and the headlights turn on but won't shut off. Need help!! Not sure what this can be? Besides what you guys were saying about the alt fuse which I'll check in the morning.

Oh and also my car starts right up and runs/idles great. Just having these issues

 

[reverus]

same issue here, tried new switch tried new relay, no dice.

question. on the relay itself, is there a diagram that shows what prongs get what signal, i know one is batt power in, one is batt power out to the headlights, what about the other two? what switches this relay? a ground? or a hot?