Headlight switch--strange problem, yes i searched.

Oh Haha · 04-25-2009, 09:57 AM

I went through the archives already but did not find out what I need. I have studied the Bentley manual as well and the wires are connected properly.

I replaced my headlight switch with a good one yesterday.(Bought from a Pelican, good deal!) Thanks Tony.

I swapped the wires from old to new but now I have no parking lights unless I pull the switch all the way out. I get only dash lights at half pull. AS well, I can only get my brights to work at the half pull.

I checked the dimmer switch on the stalk before buying the HL switch. They worked fine, I just had no HLs at full pull. Parking lights worked just fine.

I have HLs so i can drive the car and they are actually brighter, which is nice. I just would like to have my "city" lights functioning as it is like having DRLs.

Any thoughts?

Oh Haha · 04-25-2009, 11:29 AM

A better way to describe the problem:

All lights work normally WITH KEY ON, at half pull except for the parking lights.

Key off gets me only parking/dash lights at full pull.

Canada Kev · 04-25-2009, 11:40 AM

I believe the bit about "Key off gets me only parking/dash lights at full pull." is correct operation. Its one of those when you forget to shut off your head lights, you won't kill your battery when you go into the restaurant for dinner things. I once forgot and the parks were still on in the morning. Start up was as normal and uneventful. Saved my bacon there.

Your other issue is a mystery to me. I don't really have anything to add to that.

Oh Haha · 04-25-2009, 11:47 AM

Yip, I agree that the key off/park lights is correct. Thanks anyway.

gsmith660 · 04-25-2009, 12:00 PM

Boy it sounds like the switch is working opposite the way it is supposed to are you sure for the switch you have the wires are hooked up right half pull is acting like full pull and vice versa.

wcc · 04-26-2009, 08:11 AM

It sounds like you have your wires backwards for sure. Look in the bentley manual it has nice wiring diagrams. That's how we fixed Mike's window switch wiring. Do you want me to look at my manual to see what wires go where?

Oh Haha · 04-26-2009, 08:15 AM

Hey Bill,

I was just heading to the garage to quadruple check that the wires are correct.

If could just tell me lead is for the half-pull function, that would help. Thanks,

gsmith660 · 04-26-2009, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oh Haha

Hey Bill,

I was just heading to the garage to quadruple check that the wires are correct.

If could just tell me lead is for the half-pull function, that would help. Thanks,

I am sorry I dont have my factory wiring dia. handy but I will look at the dia. on pelican and see if I can read them they are real small.

gsmith660 · 04-26-2009, 08:33 AM

Ok on the head light switch there should be an L and R terminals this is where the parking lights go grn/blk and grn/red wires head lights go to ter. 30 low beam red/wht. and ter. 56 high beam wht./blk. hope this helps

wcc · 04-26-2009, 09:18 AM

If you can read the back of the switch it should have numbers on it.

56 - wht/blk
30 - red & red/wht
75 - red/wht

Without seeing the switch it's hard to tell but it doesn't look like a lot of wires to figure out on this diagram. My book doesn't show any green wires...

gsmith660 · 04-26-2009, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wcc

If you can read the back of the switch it should have numbers on it.

56 - wht/blk
30 - red & red/wht
75 - red/wht

Without seeing the switch it's hard to tell but it doesn't look like a lot of wires to figure out on this diagram. My book doesn't show any green wires...

The factory dia. on pelican is what I am looking at for an 82 an 81 should be the same I have the 2 grn wires on my 77 harness oh and there are a ton of wires on that switch so it is easy to get messed up

Oh Haha · 04-26-2009, 09:29 AM

ugh

I checked all of the wires on the switch and they are connected properly, per the Bentley. I see that a PO has added a new wire that seems to do nothing. (I disconnected it and had no change.)

Here's an even weirder thing:

I put my old switch in and connected the wires per the Bentley and it works, except for the city lights. I'm leaving it alone for now. I hate electrical gremlins.

I want to get out and drive it today as it has stopped raining.

Thanks for the help guys. I'll keep messin' with it as time allows.

gsmith660 · 04-26-2009, 09:32 AM

Sounds like a bad switch. What are city lights?

Canada Kev · 04-26-2009, 09:52 AM

Small clear bulbs inside Euro lights. Gives better visibility of the vehicle from the front when you don't want to use full head lights and can be wired to act as day time running lights. Just wire them to come on with the parks. Or for on all the time, like DRLs, a key on feed.

gsmith660 · 04-26-2009, 10:02 AM

gotcha maybe thats the unknown wire, still sounds like a bad switch.

wcc · 01:36 PM

Did you get this figured out yet? I wonder if you wired the new switch up wrong but wired it up correctly to your old one. Maybe it's worth trying again? Let me know if I can help in anyway....

Oh Haha · 04-27-2009, 01:34 PM

I gave up for now. All but the "city" lights work and they work with the key off so I am leaving it for now before I get in too deep and get frustrated.

Jake and I went for a ride yesterday and it's running great. Even caught in a rainstorm. I forgot how cool the rain wash is when it flows over the front fenders.

I took the old switch apart(I think it may have been the one I bought) to see how it worked. I have a working spare now if it's ever needed.

Someday, I'll have a daydream and the solution will be apparent.

wcc · 04-27-2009, 01:39 PM

I used to hate being caught in the rain because it gets hot and humid. But not anymore!

Well just let me know if you want me to take a look at it with you some time.

Canada Kev · 04-29-2009, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oh Haha

I gave up for now. All but the "city" lights work and they work with the key off so I am leaving it for now before I get in too deep and get frustrated.

Jake and I went for a ride yesterday and it's running great. Even caught in a rainstorm. I forgot how cool the rain wash is when it flows over the front fenders.

I took the old switch apart(I think it may have been the one I bought) to see how it worked. I have a working spare now if it's ever needed.

Someday, I'll have a daydream and the solution will be apparent.

I think the city lights are supposed to work with the key off. And on, as well.