Thread: Howto Test Relays

Found these instructions sometime ago.
Hopefully, this will help to verify the relay condition.
This test will work on relays from any car.

Tools:
- 9 volt radio battery

- Two (2) test wires with clips
- Digital Volt meter



1. Pull the relay out and you’ll see that there are two terminals on the relay that are close together and two that are further apart
from each other. Except the brown relays, which have 6 terminals with 4 close together and 2 further apart.
2. Using the two that are further apart, connect one of them to ground and one of them to 9 volts of the radio battery and listen to hear if the relay clicks. If not then the relay is bad. If it does click, then use a voltmeter set to ohm’s/continuity, and touch one probe each to
the two terminals that are close together.
3. Now operate the relay again and see if you get continuity (zero ohms resistance) when the relay is on, and no continuity (infinite ohms) when the relay is off. If that checks out then the relay is good.
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Relays with 4 plug terminals



Note: Plug location & numbers are printed/stamped on the Relay

1. Connect the DVM between terminals 3 & 5
2. Using 9v direct current (from a simple 9-volt battery):
Apply current between terminals 1 & 2 (coil)
3. You should hear a click and DVM should show continuity.

Relays with 6 or 5 plug terminals



Note: Plug location & numbers are printed/stamped on the Relay.

1. Connect the DVM between terminals 3 & 5
2. Using 12v direct current (or a simple 9volt battery):
Apply current between terminals 1 & 2 (coil)
3. You should hear a click and DVM should show continuity.
4. Then connect the DVM to terminals 6 & 7 (on 6pin relays) and perform steps 2 & 3 above