Bright Lights Switch

jfcroni · 03:44 AM

My (new/old) 1983 944 has no headlight illumination. They pop up, but no light. While trying to trace the problem, I noted the dip switch was installed wrong. The turn signal lever was not in a position to operate the switch. I fixed that and the brights now work but not the low beam. I think the PO messed around with the electrical a lot trying to figure this out.

If I jumper the cable I can get high and low to work.

The switch is on the wiper switch assembly - but actuated by the turn signal lever.

The small pin is hot + and when pulling the turn signal lever, you move a slider that toggles the bright/low beam.

Guess I'll be looking for a new switch.

944 Ecology · 04-12-2021, 05:19 AM

Note that there is a fuse for the driver low beam, a fuse for the driver high beam, a fuse for the passenger low beam and a fuse for the passenger high beam. Make sure that all of your fuses are working (on the early cars the fuses can lose contact).

v2rocket_aka944 · 04-12-2021, 05:34 PM

power for headlights goes from headlight switch, through stalk, and then the hi beam switch position determines low or high beam. the switch might be stuck. if you connect IIRC white/black to yellow you should have low beam.

jfcroni · 04-13-2021, 12:08 PM

Fuses are all good. I did jumper the stalk connector. I can get hi and low beam that way. But if I turn the light switch rocker off, the lights stay on with the jumper attached. Also, the bright light indicator on the dash stays on if the stalk is left in the brights position... when the light doors are closed, and the key is off.

944 Ecology · 04-13-2021, 12:40 PM

It may be time to pull out the wiring diagram for your car to restore it to the way that it came from the factory. The headlight circuit on the early cars is known for burning up wiring harnesses, especially in the dash.

jfcroni · 04-20-2021, 11:25 AM

If I jumper the orange wire (hot) to the yellow (center wire) the low beam comes on. If I short the orange to the white and blue wire(s) the high beam goes on. I'm not sure what the wire next to the orange wire does.

I don't have an electrical schematic yet. Thanks.

944 Ecology · 04-20-2021, 12:02 PM

Wiring diagram for an 84 944 is here:

https://www.pelicanparts.com/944/electrical/944_electrical_diagrams.htm

should be the same for headlights as your 83

black944 turbo · 03-03-2024, 03:33 AM

Did you ever find out a solution? I assume it was the high beam switch. I am battling a similar situation with my ‘84 project car.

Dano944 · 03-03-2024, 09:38 AM

Did I read this post correctly? Your headlight switch is on your stalk? My headlight switch is on the left-side dash and my stalks seem to be only for turn signals (left) and wipers (right).

originalowner · 03-03-2024, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dano944

Did I read this post correctly? Your headlight switch is on your stalk? My headlight switch is on the left-side dash and my stalks seem to be only for turn signals (left) and wipers (right).

His issue is/was the high/low beam switch. The high/low beam switch is actuated by pulling the turn signal stalk. In the early cars, the wiper stalk mechanism and the turn signal stalk mechanism are separate assemblies, screwed together on the steering column. The actual high/low switch is located on the wiper assembly.

black944 turbo · 03-03-2024, 01:27 PM

Thank you for confirming this.

Monkey Wrench · Monkey Wrench's Garage

I'd leave the stock switch alone if it's broken, just add one of these.
https://www.grote.com/electrical-connections/switches-electrical-assemblies/floor-dimmer-switch/

the problem with using your hands to handle the HI low beam switch is they are busy with other things like steering the car and shifting. I'd personally rather use my foot for that.

you might be able to remove the load from the switch, by adding a relay, I think there was a flaw in the engineering from conception, causing full amp load of the lights themselves, to go through the headlights switch rather than it incorporating a relay. It was too high of a load for such a switch. and I think it's its causing the expensive switches to fail. The factory saved a relay there, but I think it was just a flaw in the planning, someone decided to save a relay and reduce build cost by a few dollars.
the high low switch may not be handling that many amps, as it probably just switches the headlamp relay to high or to low. that would be a special relay that flips from one to the other , like how a ball point pen retracts and opens.. It's probably a similar mechanical arrangement in the HI /Lo switch

you can just put your wiring back to OEM, If you understand how to use a relay to remove the electrical load from the OEM headlight switch I don't see anything wrong with doing that mod. If that confuses things you can just stick with the OEM setup..