Headlight issues, no low beam and buzzing sound

So did some troubleshooting today on my 91 cabby.
The issue I have is the low beam doesn't work but high beam does.
Also when switching on the headlights (low or high) a loud buzzing is constantly on. Can't really tell where the sound comes from.

Here's a short video https://imgur.com/a/Wuzob1K

My guess it's some ground issue.

Any help is appreciated!

Well yes/no on the Grounds as the mains work.

Buzzing would indicate that you have some grounding issues inside of the Cabin,

The lows and the highs on the 91 cabby are on separate fuses, and that they both use the same ground to power them.

You have a 4 fuses for the headlights one for each outer, and one for each inner so check your fuses.

A better way to use the lights is to relay them.  This way you take the high current loads off the headlight switch and stalk switch and directly use a relay to power the lights and get better illumination and more voltage and amperage to the lights… I have seen them go from 11.25V to 13.75 with the addition of the relays.  You can get kits from the interweb cheaper than you can make your own….

How I relayed my lights.
Relaying your Head Lights | Volkswagen Owners Club Forum

I have the 2 and 3 relay schematics in the thread.  

The 3rd relay allows the Lows to energize with the highs and give you better headlights on high.

Thanks will investigate some more. Good info!

Ok an update. Found two fuses blown. 18 and 19 replaced them. Got rid of the buzzing and found that someone wired in a buzzer so you don't forget the lights.


Went ahead and relayed the headlights and low and high beam works now. Blinkers doesn't work but maybe that's because I have removed the dashboard?

Mounted the instrument panel back and still no turn signal. Looked at fuse 19 and it's burned. So it seems to break when turning the ignition on. Any suggestions?

Yes, on the Hazard switch there are 2 wires not in the connector, one is BARE.  That is the 12V feed, and if it is touching the other it will blow f19.
If the thing isn't in the bulb socket it will blow f19

If the blue black isn't connected it blows the fuse.  The Bround one is ground.  Easy thing to do is to use heat shrink on the connector of the blue/black wire, then you usually don't have that issue as you blow the Fuse when it hits ground….





Very close and I have had the brown short to the blue/black wire….

Best thing to prevent this from happening is to disconnect the battery ground prior to any dash stuff.

Nice! That solved it. Thanks.
Btw Any ideas why the button (mfa) to change info on the lcd isn't working?

Hmm more issues. now the speedo doesn't work and no dash lights. Been a long day.
Wonder if this buzzer is the root to many of my problems.

Removed it. Didn't solve anything. Maybe call it a day.

Speedo cable not clipped on to the back of the cluster.

No Dash lights well the first time I tear in to a Cluster I replace all the bulbs because they are probably blown anyway.

You can get the sockets out of a Isuzu, Saturn, Honda for the instruments then look up that year of car and replace the bulbs with the WARNING lamp ones as they are a higher wattage, ie: oem 1.5-2 watt,  Warning lamps are 3 watt.  

Thanks will check again if the cable isn't correct attached. The lights look ok but will replace them later.

The parking brake light warning doesn't come on even after I've replaced the bulb. Mfa switch still not working only time is displayed.

Can't help you with the mfa as we don't have those on this side of the pond, but I understand that if you are missing the ground between the Valve cover nut and the Coil bracket it acts goofy….

The e-brake connector is the only connector that you can put on backwards, and you may just need to flip it.

If your other lamps work as in your heater controls and guages, then check the gray/blue wire on the back side of the cluster for 12V, that varies when you move the bright adjust back and forth, if you have 12 there that varies, then you arelooking at bad bulbs…