Outer Limits 4x4 Board

one night my lightforce driving lights stuck on when i dipped the lights and i had to pull over and disconnect the relay power wire, when i looked at the relay the next day it had water damage so i replaced it with a new relay same as it was wired on the old one tried it lots of times worked fine next day it was raining so i turned my lights on low beam and the driving lights came on and stuck on again i lifted the bonnet and smacked the relay and they went off i have tried 3 different brand relays all new ones and they all work fine after fitting tried them about 40 times but in a day or so when u turn the low beam on they come on again and u smack the relay and they go out i tried one 4 pin hella 40amp relay,and two different 5 pin relays one hella one narva,for some reason the relay is energising when u turn the low beam on and staying energised. talk about a long story has anyone else had this happen?

Not stated if it is a new installation, or if the driving lights go out at any stage with the high beams on, or if there is any correlation between the issues you describe and going through deep water at any stage (may have gotten into a splice or two in the loom) or the water makes it worse/no difference.

Two seperate problems:


1. Different relays use different pinouts, some are single throw (4 pin, one power in, one power out, two coil) some are double throw (5 pin, one power in and two power outs, two coil), and some are changeover (one power in, one power out to either of two connection pins, two coil). I'm guessing you bought a changeover and the way it is wired up underneath the relay leaves power from out of the contact even with the coil un-energised (ie using the normally closed terminal).

Also may have connected it up to the parking lights wire instead of the high beam (if it's a new installation).

Water/mud into the loom causing a short that allows the relay to "latch"

Go back to using a 40 amp 4 pin, or a 5 pin double throw, if that is what was originally fitted. Check to see how many wires are under the relay base and CHECK THAT YOU HAVE THE RIGHT RELAY. DO NOT use a 5 pin changeover.

2. Might need to put relay in a small plastic case, or relocate it to a drier spot, although they are pretty rugged and shouldn't blow. Unlikely that rainwater would allow enough current to short anything out internally in the relay, unless it was combined with a good dose of the right sort of mud.

Do you have one of those illuminated switches to turn 'em off/on in conjunction with your high beam?

If so, try a non-illuminated one, or wire it up correctly.

Use Bosch relays, better sealing than the hella and narva junk.

Also, next time it happens, just to rule out switch issue, remove the switch wire from the relay to see if it turns off, maybe a faulty switch.

I have a complete replacement headlight loom in mine and happily running 30amp bosch relays in the front of the engine bay (regularly gets drowned) with 130/90w H4 bulbs, for months with no problem.

thanks boys i found that because it is negatively switch headlamps the earth for the relay has to be run to the opposite wire to the high beam on the headlamp plug