Headlight operation?

[CTE]

Can anyone advise how the headlights are supposed to function on an 1984 S3 car?

When I select main beam both outside dipped lights come on. When I select high beam one outside headlight remains on and one inner high beam light comes on...the other two lights switch off??

All the lights and bulbs function correctly as do the relays. I have not checked the earthing but given 3 out of 4 lights operate and the earth is shared then this I assume is ok...but I will check further.

I suspect a wiring fault of some kind although they must have worked correctly at some point...which brings me to the main question.

When the high beam is selected, do the outer lights switch off or remain on in addition to the inner high beam lights. I read that in about 1987 the function was for the outer lights to switch off and the inner lights only to go to high beam in line with then new legislation. The outer lamps are double filament so I assume they go to their own high beam setting in addition to the inner high beam lights coming on??

[anonymous-user]

CTE said:

When the high beam is selected, do the outer lights switch off or remain on in addition to the inner high beam lights. I read that in about 1987 the function was for the outer lights to switch off and the inner lights only to go to high beam in line with then new legislation. The outer lamps are double filament so I assume they go to their own high beam setting in addition to the inner high beam lights coming on??

It's a while since I owned my S3 (a 1985 car) but you are definitely right about one thing - not all Esprits had the same headlamp configuration.

To the best of my recollection dip beam for my S3 was only the outer headlamps and high beam was all four lamps. A quick click around came up with this, below, which might conceivably be of relevance to your situation,

"Found a broken earth spade connection at the bottom of a relay block. Impossible to see but a slight pull on the wires and found this wasn't attached. New connection and all perfect." https://www.thelotusforums.com/forums/topic/98162-...

[Bob-iylho]

I have an S2 and the headlights are a nightmare, I've had them where just one pops up, full beam but no dip, I currently have a permanant bobber up and down.
Fault finding is usually quite simple, I just start from one end, usually stick and work backwards.

[CTE]

Fixed them...after much head scratching the wires had shorted out under the pop up head lamp unit due to insulation failure...not surprising given nearly 40 years of flexing not helped because the wiring loom does not pivot around the hinge axis...