Have a weird issue on our 2009 Honda fit: last night the headlights looked like they weren't working, but brights were so we drove home with our brights on. Got home and tested the switch and found that the headlights only turned on when the switch was in the "Off" position (the dash lights were off), and turned completely off when in the "On" position (but dash lights turn on). Parking/Fog/Bright settings all work normally and thankfully the lights turned off when the car was turned off.

Is this potentially just an issue with the light switch? Appreciate any insight anyone might have, thanks!

 

I’m very stumped. When you say they’re “on” is it possible those are DRL?

 

Its likely that they are DRL as you said. And that the low beam filament burnt out.

The DRL should stay off if the car is turned ON with the parking brake handle up and then come on when they're released.

 

Thanks for the replies! I should have taken a video. I'm embarrassed to say I've never heard of DRL before and never noticed, so it is very possible that is what we thought was "on". So do the headlights have 3 filaments: DRL, low, and high? And it's possible the low filament has burned out on either side?

This sounds like it is easily testable on our end with the parking brake. Thanks again!

 

No, its two filaments.

DRL is made by pulsing or otherwise reducing the voltage/current running through the HIGH beam filament. So its just the HIGH beam filament at lower output.

 

A few years ago I lost both low beams at same time. No idea why. Fortunately I had a backup set of Chinese H4 which are great. Since then no problem.

Well now you know what DRL are.