kratz74

Is there a way to wire the lights to keep the low and high beams on at the same time? I drive in rural IA and need the extra light. Seems that if I flip on the brights half way, both low and high beams go on. I usually hold this lever to keep lows and highs on on the rural roads so I don;t hit another damn deer. So can one wire the lows to stay on when the high beams are negaged? OR shouls I just buy aftermarket bulbs if it a hassle to rewire? Thanks for your help.

Daniel B. Martin

I've never made this kind of wiring modification, so the ideas in this post are "top of the head" engineering. Be warned.

I think you could put a high-current diode in the headlight wiring right at the bulb socket which would allow current to flow from the high beam wire to the low beam wire, but not the reverse. This would achieve the desired function. However, I'm concerned that the wiring for the headlights is sized for the expected load: lows or highs, but not both. The described diode modification would work but lead (in the long run) to blown fuses or roasted insulation. Not good.

Another scheme would be to build an auxiliary circuit with relays, similar to the way you would install a set of high-powered horns.

1) Purchase:
- two auxiliary horn relays.
- a 30 amp fusible link like those already in that box.
- twenty feet of stranded copper wire. I'm not sure about the gauge of wire, I'd guess 14 gauge. Perhaps the audio enthusiasts can tell us more on this subject.
2) Raise the hood.
3) Mount each horn relay close to the headlight it will serve.
4) Remove the plastic cover from the narrow link-and-fuse box adjacent to the battery.
5) Choose an unused link site among the fusible links. It should have a "hot always" male spade terminal and a vacant terminal slot next to it. My Maxima has several of these.
6) Fashion a power wire with a male spade lug crimped or soldered to one end.
7) Insert that male spade terminal (from below) into the vacant slot you chose in the link-and-fuse box.
8) Run the power wire to the power terminal of both relays.
9) Carefully strip some insulation away from both low- and high-beam headlight power wires an inch or two away from the socket. Splice new wires to form "T" junctions and secure with solder or crimp fittings. Note that the high- and low-beam wires still power their respective headlight filaments.
10) Connect each newly-added high beam branch wire to the signal terminal on its relay.
11) Connect each newly-added low beam branch wire to the load terminal on its relay.
12) Plug the 30 amp fusible link into the link-and-fuse box, at the formerly-unused site. Mark the map on the plastic box cover AUX HEADLIGHTS. Snap the box cover in place.
13) Close the hood.
14) Smoke test: try the headlights, both low and high beams.

One advantage of this modification is that it is easily disabled. All you need do is remove the fusible link and the headlights will work just as they do now.

It is possible to accomplish this objective with only one auxiliary relay, but I have chosen two in order to maintain the independence of the two headlight circuits.

Nick Robinson

I do what you are talking about to, and what you are seeing is not both beams, but the fog lights on with the highbeams. so rewire your fog lights to always be on...

bigtexan7

It IS both beams because my GLE has no fog lights. I'v always wondered why our rewirers/electrical geniuses on this board haven't thought to tackle this one yet. Daniel B., I'm having a little trouble following you, but i'm not much of an electrician. Have/will you do this to your own car and let us know how well it works? Also, just curious, is your Max modded at all? If so, what did you choose to do? thanks!

Daniel B. Martin

I have no need for this modification and no intention of doing it. Kratz74 wanted to know if such a thing was possible, so I provided two untested ideas for his consideration.

My '99 GXE 5-speed is a Plain Jane model. It's just an ordinary daily driver. The only modification I made is to the Cruise Control. I found that dashboard switch annoying, so I removed the ASCD relay from engine compartment relay box #1 and substituted a 1-inch jumper wire. That makes my Cruise Control always "ready".

theblue

That is a cool mod... with this mod, is that light on the cruise button always on? (I would want that) also... by jumper wire do you mean that you just got a small wire and forced it to connect between the two points? thanks in advance...

Daniel B. Martin

Instructions for making the Nissan Cruise Control always "ready".

1) Open the hood. Locate Relay Box #1, the black relay box on the passenger's side of the engine compartment. Note the labels on the exterior top of the plastic relay box cover. Identify the position of the ASCD relay. ASCD = Automatic Speed Control Device. That's the Nissan name for Cruise Control.

2) Remove the relay box cover. This can be done with fingers but a screwdriver may help to release the latches at the leading and trailing end.

3) Identify the ASCD relay. It is a type 1M relay and is blue in color. Remove it. A small screwdriver will help to release the latch which holds it in place.

4) Fashion a jumper wire about 1 inch long. Crimp or solder a male spade lug at each end of the jumper.

5) Look at the terminals on the ASCD relay. There are four of them. Identify the load terminals, designated 3 and 5. These numbers are embossed in the plastic housing next to the terminals, but they are difficult to read. A magnifying lens may be helpful. You may also identify them by position. Note that three of the four terminals are parallel to each other. The terminal which is not parallel is number 5. Number 3 is the terminal most distant from number 5.

6) Plug the jumper into the female relay sockets corresponding to terminals 3 and 5.

7) Snap the relay box cover in place.

8) Close the hood.


This modification eliminates the need to use the dashboard Cruise Control switch. The dashboard switch light will be on whenever the ignition is on, indicating that the Cruise Control is "ready". All the other Cruise Control controls work in the usual way.