Abstract: A lighting circuit for a vehicle illuminates a back-up lighting element when a primary lighting element fails. Both lighting elements may be installed in a single housing, such as a headlight assembly. A dashboard switch places the primary lighting element in circuit with the vehicle power supply. In preferred form, a low-resistance coil is series connected with the primary lighting element. The coil is magnetically coupled to switching elements in a low-current flow path between power supply terminals. Switching elements in the low-current flow path control a low-power mechanical switch that places the back-up lighting element in circuit with the power supply. If the primary element fails, the absence of current through the coil triggers the switching elements to close the mechanical switch and to illuminate the back-up element. The dashboard carries a graphic representation of the vehicle. A light emitting diode on the representation is illuminated when the primary element fails to .pi.