Headlight hi/low beam issue - newbie

[JQ911]

Hi,

I drove 120 miles over the weekend and on my way home around 1:30am, I noticed my low beam went hi-beam suddenly without me clicking the combination switch or stalk. For the remaining 50 miles, my lights were stuck on hi-beam, good thing it was past midnight so a few cars were on the freeway so I just had to be courteous enough not have somebody in front of me and drove at the rightmost lane so as not to antagonize the car approaching me once I exited the freeway.

Even if I click the switch/stalk nothing happens and the hi-beam indicator light is always on. Does this mean I have a busted relay or fuse on my low beam? If so, how come when I click the stalk nothing happens as it remains on hi-beam? It should have turned-off the lights if the fuse or relay is the question once I click the stalk from hi-beam to low beam?

I suspect my combination switch or the stalk may have shorted or something. I was checking on the fuse box but unfortunately, I don't have the relay diagram on the fuse box cover so I wouldn't know what fuse or relay to check.

Thanks

[86 911 Targa]

Originally Posted by JQ911

Hi,

I drove 120 miles over the weekend and on my way home around 1:30am, I noticed my low beam went hi-beam suddenly without me clicking the combination switch or stalk. For the remaining 50 miles, my lights were stuck on hi-beam, good thing it was past midnight so a few cars were on the freeway so I just had to be courteous enough not have somebody in front of me and drove at the rightmost lane so as not to antagonize the car approaching me once I exited the freeway.

Even if I click the switch/stalk nothing happens and the hi-beam indicator light is always on. Does this mean I have a busted relay or fuse on my low beam? If so, how come when I click the stalk nothing happens as it remains on hi-beam? It should have turned-off the lights if the fuse or relay is the question once I click the stalk from hi-beam to low beam?

I suspect my combination switch or the stalk may have shorted or something. I was checking on the fuse box but unfortunately, I don't have the relay diagram on the fuse box cover so I wouldn't know what fuse or relay to check.

Thanks

Hope this helps:

turn signal switch quick fix pictures

Also, add relays.

Gerry

[OsoMoore]

Common issue - lots of threads. I had it happen to me and I ended up taking off the steering wheel and putting a nice little shim into the switch to fix it. Don't shock yourself!

[JQ911]

Originally Posted by 86 911 Targa

Hope this helps:

turn signal switch quick fix pictures

Gerry

Wow thanks Gerry! I now have something to do over the weekend. I got scared as I thought something went wrong with my electrical.

[JQ911]

Originally Posted by OsoMoore

Common issue - lots of threads. I had it happen to me and I ended up taking off the steering wheel and putting a nice little shim into the switch to fix it. Don't shock yourself!

You can just imagine how I was feeling when this thing happened at 1:30am. I was praying my lights won't give up on me on the freeway as I still had about 50 miles to go.

[Dublinoh]

Search for threads covering relay installation...full voltage for lights goes through the switch in factory configuration...this contributes to degradation of the switch over time. This is a common upgrade and not expensive.

[darrin]

Originally Posted by JQ911

You can just imagine how I was feeling when this thing happened at 1:30am. I was praying my lights won't give up on me on the freeway as I still had about 50 miles to go.

While your situation sounds like it was quite stressful, mine manifest itself in a very compromising way -- my high beams would flash and/or stay on whenever I used my turn signal. This caused quite a few folks to assume I was perpetuating the Porsche owners' negative stereotype

[JQ911]

Originally Posted by darrin

While your situation sounds like it was quite stressful, mine manifest itself in a very compromising way -- my high beams would flash and/or stay on whenever I used my turn signal. This caused quite a few folks to assume I was perpetuating the Porsche owners' negative stereotype

I know the feeling specially when somebody is approaching. I can just imagine what the other guy thought of when I passed by with my hi-beams glaring him. I was just fortunate that it was 1:30am and a few cars were on the road and the lights did not give up on me which I was waiting for as I thought electrical gremlins are acting up. I always experience that in my Merc and I just thought not again.

[86 911 Targa]

Here's more help.

After you clean/adjust the stalk switches.









Gerry

[CCM911]

On a happy note, if you were running your stock headlamps, they were not blinding anyone, as even on High-Beam, they don't come close to the more modern lamps in terms of brightness.

[emac]

I did the same repair this weekend, took one half hour. Be sure to mark your steering wheel before you remove it. That way it will line up just as you had it before you pulled it.

[ejp]

Originally Posted by JQ911

You can just imagine how I was feeling when this thing happened at 1:30am. I was praying my lights won't give up on me on the freeway as I still had about 50 miles to go.

Ha! I just went through this. Was on the road in rural Maryland at 11 PM, an hour from my destination and 45 minutes from anywhere, really. First thought was fear of fire. Second thought was fear of losing my headlights that far from anywhere at 11 PM. Third thought was how it was a good thing that the headlights on my old 911 suck compared to modern ones, so the brights wouldn't bother anyone

In any case, I just installed a new stalk/switch this weekend. The job was fairly easy, but if I were to do it again, I would do it differently. I posted some suggestions/additions to the other instructions out there (e.g. how to use and not use the steering/ignition lock, scribing the wheel with chalk, and removing the headlight switch - the last part is important, and would have saved me a lot of time).

I haven't had a chance to install the relay kit yet...but it will the the next thing I do when I have some daylight time (parts are sitting on top of my toolbox). I just hope that I don't fry the stalk/switch again before I get around to the relay kit.

[flatsixjunky]

Originally Posted by 86 911 Targa

Here's more help.

After you clean/adjust the stalk switches.









Gerry

Nice pics for installing the headlight relay's.

Now JQ911, go and install 100W headlight bulbs to melt those Lexus bumbers, GO, GO

Just kidding.

[porwolf]

I also fixed the turn signal switch on my 79SC recently. And it was a complete success. This is what did it for me:

[dshepp806]

Sometimes a good cleaning/burnishing/bending will do the trick!!!!!!!!!!!

BEST!

Doyle

[JQ911]

Originally Posted by CCM911

On a happy note, if you were running your stock headlamps, they were not blinding anyone, as even on High-Beam, they don't come close to the more modern lamps in terms of brightness.

The problem was I just upgraded from sugar scoops to H4s a month ago so my headlights were relatively new and it was somewhat bright. however, it does not compare to the new HIDs

[JQ911]

Thanks for all the tips! Will keep you posted over the weekend.

[JQ911]

Originally Posted by porwolf

I also fixed the turn signal switch on my 79SC recently. And it was a complete success. This is what did it for me:

Did the same procedure this morning and I hope this holds up. Apparently, the contacts are somewhat loose so I have to tweak and put a gap in between the two metal thin bars illustrated on top of the bar you straightened out. I got my low beam back and tried switching to hi beam with success. Will check tomorrow if the tweaking I did works.