Headlights went out on the highway! Have the DMCH switch.

[DeLorean]

Yep, they popped off while I was rolling down the highway, this portion did not have streetlights because I was not near an interchange, and no other cars were around. Perfect timing... it was instantly pitch black with no warning.

I "Felt" my way onto the side of the road, and noticed that the LED for the headlight switch was no longer lit, and the switch was not responding - I have the DMCH headlight switch upgrade, which replaces the headlight switch with a momentary contact switch and a control module.

Checked my main fuse panel, was all good there. Then checked the fused link to the control module. The 5 amp fuse there was blown. This with only probably about 20 hours of use, if that. I stuck the lowest spare in that I had at the time (a 10) and it has been working fine ever since. Should I up-size this fuse with a 7.5, leave the 10 or what? I don't think I want to replace it with another 5 amp, as having the headlights just cut out like that can be very dangerous in the wrong situation.

[sean]

Same issue/situation with a local owner too, DMCH unit poppin the 5amp fuses. Haven't been able to figure out the short but didn't want to bump the fuse amp and risk damaging something else. I've been meaning to contact DMCH about it and you might consider that too incase it's a known problem they have a fix for.

[jangell]

Quick tip that I learned only after I pulled over when my headlight fuse blew out (stock headlight switch): you can still use the high beams even when the low beams are out -- they seem to be on a completely different ciruit. I got off te road safely, but it was snowing on a rural road with no headlights; I just got lucky that it was a straight stretch.

-- Joe

[DeLorean]

First thing I tried, and not with the DMCH switch, when they are gone, they are gone. I had NO headlights main beam or low beam. The only way I found the side of the road was with use of the hazard lights!

[jangell]

I'm going to have to keep the hazard lights tick in mind for when I find out the hard way that the high-beam switch doesn't work. Thanks!

-- Joe

[Chris 16409]

When I bought my new headlight switch it came with a 20 amp fuse installed. At some point they made a change in the rating of fuse used, and I can't remember what the current rating is. But, I seem to remember the first run of switches had the 20 amp fuse and the later runs had the 5 amp fuse. It seem to me that certain cars are more tolerant of the lower amp fuse and others are not. I don't see anything wrong with running a 10 amp fuse if the 20 amp fuses were used initially.

[EdR5150]

I too lost my lights while driving on two occasions with the DMCH switch and that 5 amp fuse. I posted on the old dmctalk.com and someone said replace it with a 10. No problems since installing a 10.

[Mark D]

Thanks for the heads up on this guys, I'll have to go check my inline fuse and see what it's rated at.

[Bitsyncmaster]

When I bought my new headlight switch it came with a 20 amp fuse installed. At some point they made a change in the rating of fuse used, and I can't remember what the current rating is. But, I seem to remember the first run of switches had the 20 amp fuse and the later runs had the 5 amp fuse. It seem to me that certain cars are more tolerant of the lower amp fuse and others are not. I don't see anything wrong with running a 10 amp fuse if the 20 amp fuses were used initially.

I have an original new unit on my bench and it has a 20 amp fuse. I think that fuse still needs to power the "parking lights" so a 5 amp fuse would be to low unless you have updated your parking lights to LEDs.

[Blackie]

Mine went out in January, put a 20 amp in and haven't had a problem since