Hello,
I recently bought a 2008 SC 430 with 99k miles. I was wondering if anyone has had an issue with their headlamps shutting off completely while driving at night. There appears to be a short in the headlamps as the left side dims slightly at first and then, bam! complete darkness! I took it to a mechanic, but they said they could find nothing wrong with the headlights. I can tell you there is something wrong as I was continuously plunged into darkness while driving in the mountains this weekend. At least I was able to put them on high beam a lot, and they didn't turn off then. Any suggestions before I contact a different mechanic or take it to the dealer? Also, I don't have an owner's manual and I'm interested in purchasing one. Thank you for your help in advance.

 

If you turn them off and back on again do they come back to life? If so, it's the lamps themselves. Replace and make sure you do not touch the glass. This will cause them to fail. I always clean the lamps with rubbing alcohol before installation.

 

Hi, yes, they come back on when I turn them off and back on again. They also stay on when i put them on high beam. I will replace the bulbs and see if that does the trick. Thank you for your response and your warning about the bulbs.

 

This is common symptom when the HID bulb need to be replaced. Your bulbs will soon be completely burned out. The bulbs are inexpensive but the bad news is they are not easily accessible. You might have to drop the bumper.

 

Thank you. That's good to know. I appreciate you guys.

 

The last time I had an issue like this, it was on my LS400. Turns out the previous owner switched them out with LED's. They burn hotter and can fail when they overheat.

Paul