headlights are acting funny

I am having trouble with the headlights on my 2001 double cab and hope someone here may know what is going on.

First off, the truck has never allowed me to switch the headlights on and off correctly. If the truck is running I can not switch off the headlights at all. Is this normal? This is really annoying at stores when parked in front of windows or at ball parks watching a game from the truck.

The new issue(AND MOST ANNOYING) is that I can not switch on my high beams by pushing the lever forward. The high beams only work by temporarily holding the switch lever backwards. Pretty annoying driving around while holding the switch backwards.

Here is exactly how my lights are currently operating:

• Key on "ACC"- No low beam at all, high beam only works by pulling backward
• Key on "ON"- No low beam at all, high beam only works by pulling backward
• Truck Cranked- low beam comes on immediately whether switched to "OFF" "--" or "ON" with the headlight switch. high beam only works by pulling backward

*Blinkers always behave normally.

Do any of you have some suggestions? I am thinking that I should buy a new headlight switch? I've tried searching and am coming up short on any reliable solutions.

 

Your truck has daytime running lights. That's the way they act. They're also not as bright like they are with the headlight switch not turned on.
normal

 

I figured some of that was normal, but I don't think theres a difference in low beam brightness like you described. There is no change whatsoever when that selector knob is turned. Do you have any suggestions for the problem with the high beam? That is the most concerning issue. It can be dangerous to drive here without high beams with all of the deer.

 

something may be wrong with your lever.

 

The drl bightness is only very slightly dimmer then lo beam and you corner lights comr on when “on” and arnt when you switch to off. You can disable the drl if you want. As for the high beam your lever might be messed up.

 

I remembered another bit of information to add to this.... further convincing me that something has gone wrong.

• Over the last 3 years that I have owned this truck I have never had to turn the headlight switch to the "off" position when parking the truck to get the taillights to turn off. Over the last couple of months(the same time that the high beam issue arose) my tail lights do not turn off automatically when the truck is killed, key removed, door opened or whatever. The tail lights stay on indefinitely unless the lights are switched to the "off" position.
• Another interesting thing is that I do not have the capability to operate the headlights unless the truck is cranked. Although the gauge lights, radio, tail lights, etc. will come on without cranking.
• One last point that may or may not have anything to do with this- I kind of think that my check engine light does not work for some reason. This past winter when my engine blew I never saw the check engine light, and honestly I don't think it has ever lit up. That issue alone is likely grounds for a whole other thread.

Any suggestions provided this new information? I haven't picked up a headlight switch yet but I know where a good parts truck is .

 

Sounds like an electrical problem with your lights, i would just start changing out the simple things and start trackng wires to make sure nothing is damaged. and how did your engine blow? Head gasket? If so you probably wouldnt of gotten a check engine light becuit would just been fine till it gave

 

The mechanic wasn't very sure exactly what caused the issue with my engine without taking it apart. He believed that there was an internal problem with one of the pistons. I took his word that there was no way to tell. He did say it seemed like something broke and basically blew the plug out of the top. I do know that one of the plugs was melted into a black puddle of plastic. I would think that the diagnostic mechanism would've noticed a firing issue though? It's possible that the bulb in the gauge cluster is burned out. I don't have a backlit "cruise" light in the gauge cluster.... it was either never installed or burned also. Are the any ways to test the function of the check engine light? I'd like to try something that would safely trigger it to turn on.

I'll have to spend some time investigating the issue with the lights. I'm not very savvy with wiring diagrams, but maybe I can work my way through some of it. Hopefully I can buy that headlight switch tomorrow for like $10 and see if that does the trick.

 

If you were local i would help with the electrical, idk how to safely tigger a check engine light maybe just pull the o2 sensor? I would just hook it up to a obd2 reader. And its possible a light bulb went it behind the cluster

 

Also it sounds like you need a new mechanic if ge couldn’t figure out what happened to your engine