Headlights not working *Help!*

[bbeweel]

One headlight stopped working then the next one, i have replaced both bulbs and checked the fuses.........any ideas guys ??

Saab 9-5 1999
Estate Aero HOT

[Brad Lauzze]

Sounds like the orange lamp control relay in the fuse panel there in the engine bay. With the car running, tap on the top of the relay and see if the lights come back on. If one or both do, then you'll need to replace or repair that relay.

[bbeweel]

Thanks for the reply, yea i pulled the relay out earlier and took the PCB out of the relay orange case and none of the solders look broken to me. But i will try giving the relay a tap when the lights are on and car running just to see.

[trwilson70]

I had the same situation, I took the relay apart and soldered the PCB contacts. It worked for a while - but then one light went dark so I bought a replacement off eBay and kept the old one for a back up. Of course then realized I had a spare in my 900SE. Why does this fail in the 95 and not the 900/93 - I drove my 900 for ten years and never had a problem?

[Brad Lauzze]

Its a mixed bag, I've never had the one go bad in my 900 SE, but I went through at least 2 in my 9000, and 1 in my 9-3. Fortunately I got away from said relay with my '04 Aero only to be beat up by those Xenon bulbs at $100 a shot...