cnyle Posted May 14, 2014 Report Share Posted May 14, 2014 I'm not sure if I have a problem or not, but... tonight was the first time driving when I needed to use my high beam lamps, but I don't have any. My Edge has factory installed HID lamps, so my question is, do I have a high beam option? I have been searching here and the rest of the internet about this problem, and I have found a few others with this, and I've read where the HID lamps are single filament, so no high beam? If this is so, I dont care much for it because my old eyes need a bit more help lol. If this is not the case, any clues as to what I should look at first? I hope to avoid dealer service $ if I can, Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted May 14, 2014 Report Share Posted May 14, 2014 Of course you have high beams. What makes you think you don't? How are you trying to activate them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omar302 Posted May 14, 2014 Report Share Posted May 14, 2014 I'm not sure if I have a problem or not, but... tonight was the first time driving when I needed to use my high beam lamps, but I don't have any. My Edge has factory installed HID lamps, so my question is, do I have a high beam option? I have been searching here and the rest of the internet about this problem, and I have found a few others with this, and I've read where the HID lamps are single filament, so no high beam? If this is so, I dont care much for it because my old eyes need a bit more help lol. If this is not the case, any clues as to what I should look at first? I hope to avoid dealer service $ if I can, Thanks. You have High Beams (supposed to anyway). It uses the same HID light bulb, there is a shield in front of the HID bulb that creates the cut-off in the light beam pattern, when you turn on the high beams, a solenoid will move that shield thus letting more light out. To activate the High Beams, you pull on the turn signal lever. You should also hear a click or thud sound coming from the engine area when turning on/off the high beams, which is the sound of the solenoid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cnyle Posted May 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2014 When I pull back on the lever, I get nothing, no click, no high beam indicator light on the gauge panel, nothing. I thought the Edge was like every other vehicle I have driven and you just pull back to turn them on, but it appears mine are not working. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omar302 Posted May 14, 2014 Report Share Posted May 14, 2014 I would suggest checking your fuses first. Fuse number 39 (15A rating) in drivers side left kick panel fuse box is for the High Beams. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waldo Posted May 14, 2014 Report Share Posted May 14, 2014 (edited) When I pull back on the lever, I get nothing, no click, no high beam indicator light on the gauge panel, nothing. I thought the Edge was like every other vehicle I have driven and you just pull back to turn them on, but it appears mine are not working. That is what you're supposed to do, pull them back and there should be a detent, then they will stay on. Try it when you are at a stop, you should be able to hear a slight thud from the front of the vehicle when those shutters move open and closed. Not to sound too stupid, but you do also have to have the low beam headlights on. Edited May 14, 2014 by Waldo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cnyle Posted May 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2014 (edited) I really regret to say that it was not the fuse. I pulled and tested #39 but that was not it. I even tried to put a new one in with hopes my meter was reading wrong but nope. And yup Waldo, the low beams are on, thats when I realized I had the problem, last night when I need a bit more light and I hit the high beams and nothing happened I tried as you said, to listen for any sound from the front end area when switching from low to high, but I don't hear anything. It was suggested to me today that I should check the bulbs to see if the high filament is burnt out, but my only question is would both bulbs burn out at the same time? And in reading the manual it says the HID bulb has to be changed by the dealer? Man I can handle most mechanical problems, but when it comes to the electrical side of things, thats a whole new ballgame lol. And to add I also don't have any flash to pass lights either. Edited May 14, 2014 by cnyle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted May 15, 2014 Report Share Posted May 15, 2014 There is only one "filament" in the HIDs with a door that redirects the beam for high and low. Have you tried pushing the stalk away just for grins? That's how they used to work. If they really aren't working then it sounds like a solenoid/relay/electrical problem. Or the switch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cnyle Posted May 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2014 I just got in from driving the car and I did try to push the lever away from me but it won't go forward so... It's sure looking like one of your culprits Akirby. Help me in my thought here but shouldn't I at least get an indicator light on the gauge panel when I pull my lever back? That's almost telling me that it could be in the switch, but what do I know lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omar302 Posted May 15, 2014 Report Share Posted May 15, 2014 When pulling the lever, do you get the High Beam indicator in the instrument cluster? If not, I would suspect its the switch, the lever itself. If your out of warranty, change the lever, it is relatively cheap (~ 30 USD). Here is one on eBay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/251469441032 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waldo Posted May 15, 2014 Report Share Posted May 15, 2014 You do have to understand that in the Edge and most modern cars, the lights are all run off the computer network. The light you see on the cluster comes from a message sent from the BCM. So when diagnosing the problem, you really have to know if the BCM is getting the signal from the switch, and if so, is it sending it out properly. But the fact that you don't have any detent or click when you pull the switch makes me think that it is likely the switch that's the problem as you suggested. For $30 it might be worth a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheWizard Posted May 15, 2014 Report Share Posted May 15, 2014 (edited) There are two ways to activate high beams - pull the lever toward you for the momentary "flash to pass" which should work regardless of whether the headlights are on and push the lever away (toward the dash) to turn on the high beams for extended use (the headlights must be on for this to work - it won't lock in the forward position unless the lights are on). As has been mentioned, there is only one "filament" (actually the electric arc) in HIDs so suggestions that the high beam filament might be burned out are false. There is no point in getting the HID capsules changed out because your low beams work so there is nothing wrong with them. I have noticed that the headlights are so poorly aimed from the factory that the difference between low beam and high beam is almost imperceptible on the road. But you can see the difference clearly if you park facing a wall or your garage door and switch them on and off. Edited May 15, 2014 by TheWizard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cnyle Posted May 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2014 I'm leaning the way of the switch, but before I dive in I want to add when I pull the lever back I do feel a notch, its not like its all one smooth motion. And I have tried pushing forward on my lever and it doesn't want to go that direction, so I'm pretty sure I have the pull back lever. I've done some searching on the replacing of the switch but I've not found anything on the Edge, only how to do one on the Explorer. Would it be safe to assume the process would be close to the same? I hate to start snapping plastic parts off and have things fall out and not know where they came from lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheWizard Posted May 15, 2014 Report Share Posted May 15, 2014 Sorry, I didn't realize that the switch had change between 2011 and 2013. You're right, on a 2011 the high beams are activated by pulling the lever towards yourself. If you pull past the detent, the high beams should stay on until you pull the lever all the way again. If you only pull up to but not past the detent, you are using the momentary flash-to-pass feature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omar302 Posted May 16, 2014 Report Share Posted May 16, 2014 I am not 100% sure, but the steering wheel looks similar between the Explorer & Edge, so I would think they are the same. Check the below thread. In post #9, TheWizard explains how to remove the switch. Seems easy enough. http://www.fordedgeforum.com/topic/12632-right-blinker-wont-stay-on-possible-causes/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demonface Posted July 20, 2014 Report Share Posted July 20, 2014 i might have to try this on my edge . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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