Headlight Switch Removal/ Turn Signal Switch Install on '89 Targa

[dagersh]

Hi Guys,

Replacing the TS Switch on my '89. Tried the fix, but it the original was burnt up pretty nasty.

So I am at the point where I have to make the connections on the headlight switch. I thought I left all the original wires intact on the switch, but I missed something.

Right now, I have no lights, but pulling on the light stalk will make the brights turn on. If I switch on the lights, the Gage lights turn off. If I switch the lights off, the Gage lights stay on.

I cannot make heads or tails of the wiring diagrams on here with out pulling the headlight switch so that I can see the terminal designations on the rear of the switch.

So onto the Headlight switch removal... I have the nut underneath the headlight Icon, bu there seems to be a clip or something as well, and I don;t want to force anything. I also see the two holes on the bezel for a cir-clip plier. I cannot get a good contact with out removing the knob.

HELP!!!!!!!!

Thanks!!!

Michael G

[sixbanger]

I put a new one in my 89 a few years ago. Maybe the plug is turned on the switch. It's a tight spot. Get some good light and have another look. Might use a mirror too.

[john walker's workshop]

there's a hole in the switch shaft so a small phillips or an awl can be inserted to keep the shaft from turning as you loosen the knob. the switch can be damaged by hard twisting without securing the shaft. i use some very small needlenose plier tips to remove the plastic retainer. good idea to disconnect the battery before wrestling the switch out of the tight targa area. coupes have more room there.

[bkreigsr]

The plastic bezel with the two small holes unscrews, the same way the knob did. Use pliers like JW sugggests, or bend a heavy duty paper clip so each end fits into a hole, then twist away.
Make a diagram of where everything is connected. - all the terminals are labeled - (look closely) and all the wires have different tracers.
I had to remove the flasher relay to get clearance when pulling the old harness out of the column.
Bill K

[dagersh]

Thanks Guys,

Battery is disconnected.

John, can you give me a better idea of where that hole in the shaft is? Looking at where I removed the nut on the knob, it looks like there is a washer underneath a "mushroom head". The mushroom head is the end of the shaft.

Bkriegsr, after I remove the knob, I can see where to use the circlip pliers to unscrew the "Rosette" - which I believe is what the parts diagram refers its name to...

All advice and help is welcome!

Thanks,

Michael G

[john walker's workshop]

pull the knob out and look at the shaft below it for the hole.

[dagersh]

Thanks John,

Got it! Much easier when the shaft does not spin.

Now.... the Rosette (Bezel) does not want to come off. I am using good quality circlip pliers but she does not want to turn. I am going to try some penetrant spray, but already one of the holes is deformed.

This thing loosens counter-clockwise, correct?

Michael G

[dagersh]

Got it. I don;t know if the penetrant helped, but maybe. Also, maybe I was tickling it. With constant counter-clockwise pressure, she suddenly popped, and turned freely.

I can see where the special tool would have come in handy.

Alright, now for the wiring!!!! And then hopefully on to Driving her!!!

[dagersh]

Jeez,

OK - Following an excellent photo of the rear of the Headlight switch, I was able to get my wiring in, and the lights working. However....

Now the guage lights are on all the time, until you pull the headlight knob into the on position!!!!!

Here is what I have, starting at terminal 75, which is at the 4 O'clock postition and moving clock-wise:

75 Red wire/white stripe 2 terminals, 2 wires This is power

58r Gray wire/red stripe 1 terminal, 2 wires piggy back Right Side headlamp and parking light

58l Gray wire/black stripe 1 terminal, 2 wires piggy back Left side headlamp and parking light

N Gray wire 1 terminal 1 wire No idea this is "K" terminal on other pictures

56 White wire/black stripe 1 terminal, 1 wire - this has a piggy back, but nothing on it. Comes from the Turn signal switch

58 Two Gray Wires 1 terminal, 2 wires Piggyback this is exclusive to the '87 - '89 models

30 1 red wire 2 terminals 1 wire 12v from ignition switch

58a Black/Blue, Blue/Black Black 1 terminal, 3 wires piggyback Instrument lights

57 White Wire/Green Stripe 1 terminal, 1 wire speedometer light


Can anyone tell me what I am missing here?

[dagersh]

BTW - Here are the pics I was woking off of:









Thanks Gerry and Kevin!

[dagersh]

Ok - I switched the 3 Blue/Black, Black/Blue, Black piggy-backed wires that were on terminal 58a to 58. Now the gauge lights work as they should, but I don't know what the gray wires that are now on the 58a terminal are for. 58a is hot when the Headlight knob is in position 0 and 1 (Pos. 2 being lights on).

Now my foglights do not come on in any light position and my parking lights won't come on at position 1, but do light at position 2.

I am not sure if this is correct or not.

I am really frustrated.....

Michael G

[dagersh]

Alright, those terminals cannot be switched. The gray wires on 58 Feed the license plate lights and I am assuming the ashtray light. So those were hot all the time that the switch in the off position, including when the key was out of the ignition.

So here is the question... Why is my 58a terminal hot at switch position 0 (off) and cold at pos. 1 and 2?

Is my Headlight Switch fried?

Thanks guys.

Michael G

[wrxnofx]

Michael, were you able to get this resolved?

[dagersh]

WRX,

Not yet. Sent a PM John Walker and an email to Bob at PP. I can't think of what else it could be. Somehow the 58a action got switched, and since it is also has a dimming function, and I wrenched on the dimmer pretty hard, I can only imagine I mucked it up.

It still dims the gauges as it should but does not turn the lights on and off.

If I don't hear anything else today, I will eat the cost of a new switch and see if that rectifies the problem this weekend.

I want this car up and running!!!

Michael G

[wrxnofx]

Originally Posted by dagersh

WRX,

Not yet. Sent a PM John Walker and an email to Bob at PP. I can't think of what else it could be. Somehow the 58a action got switched, and since it is also has a dimming function, and I wrenched on the dimmer pretty hard, I can only imagine I mucked it up.

It still dims the gauges as it should but does not turn the lights on and off.

If I don't hear anything else today, I will eat the cost of a new switch and see if that rectifies the problem this weekend.

I want this car up and running!!!

Michael G

Ugh, good luck man. I have an '87 currently with slightly incorrect behavior. Assuming you get this solved, can you let me know what the final configuration of wiring is? Gerry's diagram doesn't have any information as to whether anything is connected to 58 (for '87-'89), so it's hard to know if what he has is correct for our model years.

[dagersh]

Wrx,

58 is the terminal for the license plate and ashtray lights - Gray Wires. That is what I switched my 3 piggyback wires to, and put the gray wires on my 58a.

When I did that, the license plate light was hot until the Headlight switch was pulled to park or Lights on.

Michael G

[wrxnofx]

Michael,

Okay, I stuffed myself under the dashboard and here is what my setup is. I believe it's the same as yours:

75 - 2 Red wire/white stripe, on a double terminal

58r - 2 Gray wire/red stripe

58l - 2 Gray wire/black stripe

I cannot see what is on K, it's at my 12:00 and all the other wires are in the way

56 - 1 White wire/Black stripe

58 - 2 solid gray wires, piggyback

30 - 1 solid Red wire

58a - 3 Black/Blue wires all into 1 terminal

57 - 1 White/green stripe

On my car the behavior is all correct except the following:
1. Turning on the parking lights turns on the headlights dim instead of the amber lights.
2. The bottom illumination light in the speedometer does not dim at headlight switch position 1, and turns off at headlight position 2.

I was looking in my owner's manual, and with headlight switch at position 0, and no key in the ignition, if you turn on the right turn signal, you should get right parking lights turned on, both front and back. On my car, I get parking light on the right back, and dim headlight on the right front. With left signal, I get parking light on the left back, and dim headlight on the left front.

Matt

[bfunke]

Don't forget to disconnect the battery!

[dagersh]

So, after Rob from PelicanParts spent much time on the phone with me, we both agreed that the Headlight Switch was fried.

I ordered a new switch, and it came today. I spent 5 minutes switching over the wires, reconnected the battery and VOILA!!!!!!

Everything works!!!!!! AS IT SHOULD!!!!! Even my parking lights come on in switch position 1.

All is right with the world!!!!

Although.... my mirrors and foglamps are not working.....

Stay tuned!!!!

Michael G

[wrxnofx]

Originally Posted by wrxnofx

Michael,

Okay, I stuffed myself under the dashboard and here is what my setup is. I believe it's the same as yours:

75 - 2 Red wire/white stripe, on a double terminal

58r - 2 Gray wire/red stripe

58l - 2 Gray wire/black stripe

I cannot see what is on K, it's at my 12:00 and all the other wires are in the way

56 - 1 White wire/Black stripe

58 - 2 solid gray wires, piggyback

30 - 1 solid Red wire

58a - 3 Black/Blue wires all into 1 terminal

57 - 1 White/green stripe

On my car the behavior is all correct except the following:
1. Turning on the parking lights turns on the headlights dim instead of the amber lights.
2. The bottom illumination light in the speedometer does not dim at headlight switch position 1, and turns off at headlight position 2.

I was looking in my owner's manual, and with headlight switch at position 0, and no key in the ignition, if you turn on the right turn signal, you should get right parking lights turned on, both front and back. On my car, I get parking light on the right back, and dim headlight on the right front. With left signal, I get parking light on the left back, and dim headlight on the left front.

Matt

I wanted to complete the loop on this, as I got everything resolved.

Regarding #1 above: My headlights are H4's and have City Lights. That explains why the headlights were turned on dim, as the city lights turn on with position 1. The other issues were that they were not wired correctly. The PO took the wiring reserved for the amber lights and used it to connect the city lights. The PO did not know that the ground for the city lights is wrapped in the harness, and all you have to do is create a little T wire with some spade connectors. Once I fixed all that, the amber lights STILL did not work. So I removed the amber lens from each one, and the connections were all corroded. So I cleaned off the corrosion with a dremel and wire wheel, and voila, both city lights and amber lights working.

Regarding #2 above: Two of the three lights for the speedo were put into the wrong holes in the back of the speedo. The light that lights the green parking indicator light and a light that illuminates the speedo were backwards. Once I swapped these out, everything is now working correctly.