American Autowire kit installed, headlights don't work

[Norcalsully]

I posted a while back about retiring my '70 Stepside. I bought the AAA kit and took my time on the install. I just finished the tail lights today. I reconnected the battery and turned the ignition to on to test the lights. I pulled the headlight switch all the way out. Here's what works:
1. Parking lights
2. Tail lights
3. Rear blinkers
4 brake lights

What doesn't work:
1. Head lights; I get the high beam indicator light on the dash when I step on the plug but no lights.
2. Front blinkers

I followed the directions and color coded wires as depicted. Any ideas where the break down is?

[MikeB]

No better support than Donny at AAW.

(800) 482-9473 ext 216

[VetteVet]

Did you have the large blue wire from the headlight switch to the dimmer switch? If so does it have power on it when the HL switch is pulled out?

[jeffahart]

Try your original headlight switch. Those new switches are of poor quality. I'm having a third one sent to me. Why? the first two were bad... and I spent quite a bit of time trying to figure why me dash and courtesy light were not working. I was really perplexed. Then after getting upside down under the dash for the Nth time.. I pulled the switch light on and noticed the dash lights flashed. Well after all my trouble shooting it turned out the switch had to be held out for the dash lights to stay on, and when I let go it would retract back in about an 1/8 inch and dash lights would go out. Put in old switch and it worked fine. They sent me a second switch and it was bad too but different problems.

Anyhow, put the old switch in and try it!

[Norcalsully]

@ VetteVet, which blue wire are you referring to? The diagram for the headlight switch in the kit looks like similar to this:

[Norcalsully]

Update: the bulkhead connector wasn't making flush contact at all points, I tightened it down and voila, headlights! Now the head lights, markers, packers and blinkers work, front and back. New issue has arisen: the dash lights are out. I turned the headlight knob and they got to their brightest and then just went out, now nothing. Also when I step on the dimmer switch with the headlights on, they turn off. Aren't they supposed to go from low to high beam?

[VetteVet]

Originally Posted by Norcalsully

Update: the bulkhead connector wasn't making flush contact at all points, I tightened it down and voila, headlights! Now the head lights, markers, packers and blinkers work, front and back. New issue has arisen: the dash lights are out. I turned the headlight knob and they got to their brightest and then just went out, now nothing. Also when I step on the dimmer switch with the headlights on, they turn off. Aren't they supposed to go from low to high beam?

The yellow or light blue wire to terminal 6 on the diagram you posted.
It feeds the dimmer switch power to select the high and low beams.

Do you lose both beams when you step on the switch? Or when you step on it again do the lights come back on?

The stock wires off the dimmer switch are tan and light green, and they feed the headlights through the bulkhead connector. The dimmer switch might be bad or the wires off it may have lost connection in the bulkhead connector.

Pull the harness connector off the dimmer switch and jum the light blue or yellow wire to one of them, If the lights come on, the dimmer switch is bad. Make sure the headlight knob is pulled out, and you have power on the lt blu and yellow wire.

Check the PNL LTS fuse in the fuse panel to see if it's OK.

[Norcalsully]

I lose both beams (no lights) and they come back on when I step on it again (I assume the lows?).

[Norcalsully]

Update: @VetteVet I pulled the dimmer switch and jumped the tan (low beams); lights work. Jumped the light green (hi beams) no lights. I used a multimeter at the bulkhead connector. Tan wire had about 12V. Hit the dimmer switch and checked the light green at the bulkhead connector, no juice. I'm losing the power at the bulkhead connector.

I called Don at AAW support about the dash lights. He said to check the fuse. With the light switch pulled on I checked the left side and right side of the fuse with the multimeter. I had about 12V on both sides. Then I checked the grey dash lights wire at the dash connector. I also had about 12V at the connector. Is the power is shorting out somewhere in the circuit paper. Today when I turned the knob to illuminate the dash lights it worked fine, then I moved the headlight switch and lost all the dash lights but the turn signal lights stayed illuminated. Is that a ground issue? Bad connection at the headlight switch? Thanks for all the help and thanks in advance for more advice.

[VetteVet]

Originally Posted by Norcalsully

Update: @VetteVet I pulled the dimmer switch and jumped the tan (low beams); lights work. Jumped the light green (hi beams) no lights. Bulkhead connector or both hi-beam lights blown.

I used a multimeter at the bulkhead connector. Tan wire had about 12V. Hit the dimmer switch and checked the light green at the bulkhead connector, no juice. I'm losing the power at the bulkhead connector.

Not exactly. You should have power on the light green wire from the dimmer switch to the bulkhead connector unless the dimmer switch is bad.It switches power back and forth on the two wires, when one has power the other won't

I called Don at AAW support about the dash lights. He said to check the fuse. Hmm where'd I see that. With the light switch pulled on I checked the left side and right side of the fuse with the multimeter. I had about 12V on both sides. Then I checked the grey dash lights wire at the dash connector. I also had about 12V at the connector. That's good

Is the power is shorting out somewhere in the circuit paper.

Most likely you're losing power to the dash connector when you turn the knob all the way on the headlight. Check power at the fuse again and turn the knob all the way and see if you lose power.




Today when I turned the knob to illuminate the dash lights it worked fine, then I moved the headlight switch and lost all the dash lights but the turn signal lights stayed illuminated. Turn signal lights are not part of that circuit.
Is that a ground issue? No otherwise they wouldn't work at all.

Bad connection at the headlight switch? That or inside the switch. When you turn the knob all the way the dome light comes on but the dash lights should stay on.

Thanks for all the help and thanks in advance for more advice.

you're welcome .

[Norcalsully]

Forgot to add that I bought new bulbs in case the hi-beams were blown on the old ones. Also with the dimmer switch attached and clicked over to hi-beams (no lights on) I got a 12v read on the multimeter at the light green wire.

[VetteVet]

Originally Posted by Norcalsully

Forgot to add that I bought new bulbs in case the hi-beams were blown on the old ones. Also with the dimmer switch attached and clicked over to hi-beams (no lights on) I got a 12v read on the multimeter at the light green wire.

Sounds like the open circuit is in the bulk head connector. Pull the left headlight plug and check the light green wire for 012 volts. If you don't get it, then it's the bulkhead connector or a break in the green wire.

[Norcalsully]

Pulled the left head light plug. No power at the green wire with the switch on hi-beam.

[VetteVet]

Originally Posted by Norcalsully

Pulled the left head light plug. No power at the green wire with the switch on hi-beam.

Separate the bulkhead connector and find the light green headlight wire.
Do a continuity check on the wire. Meter lead on each end, meter on ohms scale, looking for zero ohms. If it reads zero ohms then the wire is good and the BH connector is the problem.

[Norcalsully]

Success!!! I separated the bulkhead connector to do the continuity test and saw that the hi--beam connector was bent and not making paper contact with its opposite. And now after adjusting those connections at the bulkhead, the dash lights and blinkers are up and functional. So very stoked that I could get this truck rewired with no prior experience and thanks to all, especially VetteVet, for the troubleshooting assistance.

[Norcalsully]

I guess it never stops. Troubleshot the wiper pump and got that working. The back-up lights still don't work. I replaced the bulbs. The kit comes with loose pink (12v ignition) and green (backup light switch) wires. I attached connectors and inserted them into the V-shape plug. I attached the plug to the backup switch at the base of my steering column. No
Lights. I removed the plug and tested the wires. Even with the key in the on position in the ignition the pink wire isn't receiving power. I didn't see a fuse designated for the backup lamps at the panel.

[VetteVet]

It's right next to the wiper fuse.

[Norcalsully]

VetteVet, the kit's fuse panel looks like this:

[VetteVet]

Well sorry I missed the part where you said you had a blade style fuse connector with the kit.
The solution is still simple. Find a key on voltage source for the pink wire, for instance the wiper fuse, and run the pink wire to the BU light switch to switch the lights on and off when in reverse. Or you can try to find where the pink wire source is at and tie it into the ignition switch and fuse the pink wire to the BU light switch.
You might also give AAW a call and ask them.

Did they send you a wiring diagram?

[Norcalsully]

Jumped the green wire from an Ing source on the fuse panel. Got backup lights! I think there's an issue at the switch.