2006 Renault Kangoo 4x4

When I switched them on yesterday (Weds) - 1st click sidelights, 2nd click nothing .... panel lights working, headlight dash lamp working, warning bleep (for leaving lights on) working, high beam working.

[This time of year I always put lights on - daytime too - but last time in the dark, that I know for sure they were working was Mon, eve.]

Checked fuses (2 for each side - hi/lo beams) - all seem to be in tact.

I find it hard to believe that the filament for low beam for each side blew simultaneously .... I don't start engine with lights on because of possible power surge.

Before I make a dogs bollock of things by fiddling around and marking things worse, or pay a mechanic an hours labour for 30 secs. work (having just moved I haven't found or replaced my friendly neighbourhood mechanic) .... is they anything obvious, simple that I may have overlooked.

I believe the lights are normal halogen type, but there is a silly "umbrella" thing right in front of the bulb, inside the headlight.

I've also been running a lot with a trailer, but connections seem fine with that.

Relay has probably died.

Almost certainly this. Google your car and 'headlight relay' to find out where it is; if it's accessible you can tap on it which ought to snap it to life (and confirm that it's the problem). Get a new one, replace.

You could buy one of these, and find where the 12 volts is missing,

http://www.hd-systemstore.de/product...-400-Volt.html

Thanks for replies.

If it was the relay, would that not also effect hi-beam (which works).

Relays seem to be located in same location as fuses - have also wiggled them.
I need to dig out the handbook to see if they are indicated for their specific use (I doubt it as they wont want incompetents fiddling around).

I have a basic, cheap multi-meter ..... will try to check.

That's another relay. If you've located them, switch lights on and off while feeling the different relays. You'll feel the one that's (hopefully) trying to click. Don't know what Renault uses, but I've always been able to pry open Bosch relays pretty easily. You'll see the contacts, which are probably burned; you can clean them up with fine sandpaper and get it working but it will only be a temporary fix. Or, it could be the actuator coil that's bad in it and then there will be no click or action at all- not much you can do there.

If you locate both low and high beam relays, they are quite possibly the same model- you can now swap them out to truly isolate the relay as the cause- and have low beams working so you can at least roll.

I don't believe Renault Kangoos have relays for the dipped and full lamps - only for the fog lamps if fitted.

As the dashboard warning lamp is wired in parallel to the actual lamps, having this on (which you do) isn't much help except it tells you that your stalk switch is probably okay.

The lamps aren't likely to have a common earth so it must be the live side.

1. Are you sure you checked the right fuses? There's probably one for each lamp.
2. Change one bulb (just in case they both blew). You probably carry a spare anyway.
3. If non of the above them check for a loose connector in the wiring loom.

The switch would burn out if there were not any relays, I am sure there are, if not it's the switch!

Should I ignore the Renault wiring diagram I have in from of me?

(okay, it's not a Kangoo but is similar).

Tom may be right - having searched the Renault forum, someone had a similar problem, but with hi-beam, and was asking for location of relay. A Laguna owner said his didn't have relays for hi/lo beams and may be same for Kangoo.

Certainly no audible relay clicks (on mine) when switch to working hi-beam.

Need to check bulb - unfortunately spare is with my 'bike, still at my old address; will have to pop out to buy one.



Not sure of the 3 terminals of H4 halogen bulb, but a continuity test gave a circuit between the 2 side terminals only. Either one connected to the upper middle terminal gave no result.

On the connector plug, 12V was shown when each side terminal was connected to the upper middle one, when lights were on (lo-beam).

Score 1 for Tom- just checked and the Kangoo doesn't have relays. How odd!

If it's any help, I did once own another French car with headlamps directly connected to the stalk switch and in this case, the switch contacts had burnt out and I had to replace the stalk.

Can you remember whether the stalk was warmer than normal recently?

I believe this is the case - direct circuit.

Not aware of a warm stalk .... but can't say it wasn't, either.

The next step is to buy and try a bulb, and go from there.

So, having convinced myself that both sides failing at the same time was too much of a coincidence (if not a concern), 2 new bulbs and 16 chufs later the problem is solved.

Sometimes the simple and obvious is always the best place to start, even if it seems unlikely.

Thanks for your thoughts and advice.

That was no.2 on my check list.

The rule with electrics is check the easiest, quick stuff first, however unbelievable it may seem.