Speedlite 430EXII Focus Assist Beam Not Firing

On my Rebel XS. Is there some setting somewhere that might have disabled it on my camera of the flash? Is my Speedlite busted?

Should I change a setting? Send it to Canon for repair under warranty? Open it up and fiddle with it?

Thanks for your time and energy! 8 D

Edit: I think it's working now, but only sometimes. Hmmm. C:

Alright. I figured it out. The focus assist doesn't work if I use any center focus points. Is that normal?

My AF beams fire on my 580ex II regardless of what AF point I have selected on my 60d. Not sure if it's different with a 430 and XS combo but I highly doubt it. The only thing I could think of is if you have the camera set to AI Servo. The beams won't fire in that mode.

Maybe try cleaning the hot shoe contacts with a small brusher or blower to make sure nothing is preventing a good contact between the body and the flash? Let us know!

Okay, I'll try that! I hope one of the bulbs isn't dead, or something. Only the left bulb on the little red thing lights up when I try focusing...

Hmmm...didn't work. :c

I hope I don't have to look through my purchase record and stuff to find a receipt so I can get this repaired or exchanged. :[

If you don't have any presets, I would try going into the camera menu and going to that one option that resets the camera to factory settings. If that doesn't work then something might be up. Do you have access to a friend or family members canon slr to test your flash with? Hell, maybe a drive to a nearby best buy with your flash to test it on a demo camera would work!

Thanks for the responses!! I think my Flash is just busted. : C

Bleeeeeeh. I don't want to look for my receipt and send it baaaack. ;-;

If your setting is on al focus or al servo it won't work. It needs to be on one shot which is on the top display on a 5d or a 40d. Hope that works for you.