Chrysler Repair: PT cruiser: low beam headlamps unreliable, electrical power distribution, high beams

Question
I have a 2001 PT cruiser the headlights keep going out. only way lights work is on high beams. Before that regular lights would work for a couple of months then stop. I tried replacing headlight switch same problem. This has been going on for 3 or 4 years.

Answer
Hi Donald,
While I don't claim any expertise on post 2000 vehicles (the manuals are a little pricey for me to buy them yet) I would suggest that you look for an electrical power distribution center in the engine compartment near the battery to see if there is a relay that controls the power supply to the low beam headlamps. Many other Chrysler vehicles have that circuit so the PT probably does too. That relay is controlled by the headlamp and dimmer switches so that might be the cause. Try switching it with the high beam relay and see if then the problem changes to the high beams which would implicate the relay as the problem. The other possibility is the dimmer switch, unless that is the one you already replaced. It could have oxidized contacts for the low beam actuation circuit that controls the low beam relay. So you could clean the switch contacts in the dimmer switch. One of those two possibilities will probably be the reason for you problem.
Roland