I presume the issue is a ground, but, can't make heads or tails of the wiring diagram as to where the headlight grounds would be on this car. 

I would wiggle the "bottom wire" of the connector (so, if the configuration for the tabs is [ _ ] , then the character in the middle) and have the bulbs dim, on either side.

Played with the connector ends to tighten everything up, and no more getting (either) bulb to dim, but the passenger side bulb smokes when turned on.

Pretty sure that's ground, but, open to all suggestions.

Help.

None of you guys have had headlight issues?

I've sussed out a couple threads on miata.net where guys had the housing melt and they just replaced the socket (and it supposedly cured the issue...), that doesn't feel right to me,  though....

Turbine
Turbine HalfDork
11/11/24 2:50 p.m.

Definitely sounds like a grounding issue, but I have no firsthand NB experience. Sorry!

GameboyRMH
GameboyRMH MegaDork
11/11/24 2:58 p.m.

If wiggling the bottom connector on the bulb socket causes it to change, that suggests that there is a problem on or near that connector. The passenger-side bulb smoking also suggests a dirty or corroded connector there somewhere, smoke comes from weak connections with a lot of resistance heating up.

In reply to GameboyRMH :

Hmmm, so even after tightening up the connector I'd get that (i.e. after tightening up, wiggling the wire didn't change the output)?  That would explain why the one of those threads the guy replaced the connector and solved the problem.

GameboyRMH
GameboyRMH MegaDork
11/11/24 3:21 p.m.

In reply to ГУЛАГ мальчик УР следующий :

I was actually thinking that shotgunning some new bulb connectors at the car would solve the problem, if you do that you should be sure to clean and grease the bulb connections as well.

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