High beams only work if I hold back the stalk. Just Replace stalk ?

[Bill Douglas]

My high beam/low beam went wrong a few months ago. This time I couldn't for the life of me figure out which one to bend. I'd done it a couple of times in the last 20 years successfully. So this time I just blasted it with spray on contact cleaner and worked the switch about 20 times. Yay, it goes again. Worth a try.

[kidrock]

You need to pull the steering wheel to access that stalk. Do you have a workshop manual?

[rothaus]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

I'd like to examine the cross section of the high and low beam contacts, like in the photos.

Do I just remove each screw on both sides? Then what? Pull the casing apart?
Strange fastener. I wonder how the screw holds the top and bottom casing together.

You have to remove the steering wheel, see below, there are 2 screws, where one of the logs broke.



Cheers
Engelbert

[TheSt|G]

I just replaced mine when it went with a new OE Porsche one. Clearly not the cheapest option, but I'm happier for it at the end of the day. Much smoother/crisper action and genuinely feels good to use.

Next up, throwing the cruise control lever down a well.

[sugarwood]

Engelbert,

I can't imagine how the side screw that is directly on a seam of 2 detachable pieces does anything.
It certainly can't bind the 2 halves together.
Are you saying the side screws don't really secure the casing together?
Maybe they just prevent horizontal movement?

How are those 4 raised eyelets (with one broken) in your photo used?
Are they held in by long screws that are part of the steering wheel?
They are staggered so it's hard to understand what goes through them. 4 different screws?

The bottom line is that I need to remove the steering wheel in order to remove the casing?
I wonder how so many people are removing the steering wheel and adjusting contacts in only 10 minutes!

Ok, so how do you remove the steering wheel?
I see no where to grab or pry on the front of the horn rectangle.
Do I just grab the back and yank towards the back of the car?
Here is a photo of the rear. Where do I grab?
In the photo, I removed the left side backing plate. Is that necessary?

[rothaus]

I just grab it left and right and pull where you have that yellow or orange dot. At least that what I did on the 87 911 and the 86 944 and the pad came off.

For the 87 911 you need a 27mm socket. If you need to buy one, try to get one with the thin wall 12 point. The 87 steering wheel has not much space for a big socket. The SC 3 spoke wheel has a little more space.

Hope this helps.

PS: once you have the steering wheel off, it would be a good time to replace the gauge light with LED's, because the tach is so much easier to remove.

Cheers
Engelbert

[sugarwood]

Ok, I will grab the outer edges of the horn pad and pull it off.

I have an '86.

I like the old yellow lights in the dash. Gives it a nice vintage analog look.

[sugarwood]

Ok, I was able to examine my high beam stalk today.

For the outer set of contacts, I see how the low beams are always in contact.
When you pull the brights in "flash to pass" mode , the outer low beam contacts are disengaged, and the INNER contact engages.
However, when I push the stalk to click the brights to stay on, that inner contact doesn't engage.
Has anyone fixed this before?

[sugarwood]

I replaced my high beam stalk tonight.
My brights now can stay on!
It took a while, but was doable for the beginner.

1. Take off steering wheel.
2. Take apart clamshell housing.
3. Remove old turn signal stalk.
4. Remove headlight switch for easier wire transfer
5. Unclip all turn signal connections.
6. Snake out old turn signal.
7. Feed wires from new turn signal
8. Make all connections
9. Reinstall everything

There are 3 wire harnesses that feed into the headlight switch.


I wrote them all down, in case someone ever mixes something up.
This is from a '86 coupe

Turn signal stalk harness
White/black -> 56
Grey/black -> 58L (inside)
Grey/red -> 58R (inside)
Red/white -> 75

Plug Prong harness
Grey/black -> 58L (outside)
Grey/red -> 58R (outside)
Grey solid -> 58 (between 56 & 30)
Grey/white -> N
White/green -> 57
Black/blue -> 58a

Electrical tape wrapped harness
Red/white -> 75
Red solid -> 30
Blue/black & Black/blue -> 58a

[DRACO A5OG]

Congrats and Nice Contribution to the Fellowship

[hughesra]

hello, I was hoping someone could help. I have a 996 2003. Recently the low beams stopped working and then I noticed that the high beams also don't turn on.

Low beams - I rotate the headlight switch - the parking lights come on, but when I rotate to next position (low beam position) the low beams do not come on.

High beams - I use the stalk lever to turn on high beams. Pushing it forward, it clicks into position, but the high beams do not come on. I pull it backwards (temporary position) and the high beams DO come on.

I checked the fuses and they are all okay. I checked the voltage at the fuse - for low beams, I do not see any voltage at the fuse when I turn the light switch on. For the high beams, I do not see any voltage at the fuse when I turn the stalk/lever to high beam position (but I do see voltage there when I pull the stalk/lever to the temporary high beam position).

I think it is the switch, but that would mean BOTH the headlight switch and the stalk/lever are bad?

I saw the message about cleaning/bending the stalk/lever switch to maybe fix the stalk/lever problem. Do I have to remove the steering wheel if I am just trying to clean the switch or can I get access without removing the steering wheel.

Thanks for any help you can give me

[darrin]

What's being described above applies to earlier 911s (up through 1989) -- Suspect your 2003 996 uses very different parts and has different issues/solutions.

You should probably post this on the 996 forum

[scooterp7]

I was having a similar problem with my hi beams. The contacts had been adjusted and cleaned earlier. It turned out the pin holding the turn signal lever in place had drifted partially out of place. This allowed the lever to rotate enough to push the contacts together. A little epoxy and the switch/lever operate as they should. I second the replacement of the dash lights with LEDs. Huge improvement