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75 series headlight switch
Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 12:02 pm
by Dane
I have a problem with my headlights flicking on and off when I go over bumps. I replaced the rather expensive headlight relay but it made no difference. I am confident that the problem is a bad connection in the headlight switch and have fixed that problem in numerous other vehicles previously by disassembling the switch and cleaning the contacts. However, the 75 series switch is in the stalk and does not seem to come apart easily. Has anyone done this successfully before? If so , how does it come apart? I don't wanna wreck it.
I have searched with no luck.
Thanks in advance.
Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 1:39 pm
by bigcam
id put $10 on that its not the switch but the connection under the steering column (big black sucker) what happens is despite unsing a relay the high current side is routed back through this connector for them to be turned off when the high beams are activated and the pins get hot and melt the plug causing a shitty contact.
put in a new loom with 4 relays for your high and low beams off the headlight feed so everything around the switch and the black connector are low current and feed power through thicker wire straight off the battery to your 4 relays, added bonus is your lights will probably be brighter too.
then pull the black connector apart and clean up the pins etc and put back and shouldnt have the problem again. i noticed a burning plastic smell at night with mine wich led me to that connector after playing with relays for months.
Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 2:59 pm
by Dane
Good feedback bigcam, thanks mate. I will check that one out. A headlight and assoc. wiring upgrade has been on my to do list since I bought the vehicle a few years ago. Will let you know what I find.
I should also note that this problem is identical whether I have high or low beam selected and that it is running the standard sealed beams.
Also, although I like swearing (a lot according to my missus), I did not use profanity in my first post. I used a word beginning with "F" that means "to shine unsteadily by alternately flashing bright and then dying away again." The censoring program on this web site is a bit fucking sensitive!
Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2007 7:12 am
by Dane
Checked out the connection under the steering column and all is sweet there. No indication of heat and the pins are neat and clean. My vehicle is subject to lots of dust and I suspect that could be the cause of the bad contact.
Any tips on how to dissassemble and clean the switch in the stalk people?
Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2007 11:59 am
by midi73
Dane wrote:Checked out the connection under the steering column and all is sweet there. No indication of heat and the pins are neat and clean. My vehicle is subject to lots of dust and I suspect that could be the cause of the bad contact.
Any tips on how to dissassemble and clean the switch in the stalk people?
As stated above. I reckon if you relay your high and low beams the problem will go away as there is no where near as much load going through the switch, and the power for your lights is being sourced straight from the battery. Through a fuse and the relay of course.
Also try cleaning the terminals that go onto the lights themselves I have found this to cause the problem you are describing at times as well.
Cheers.
Dave.
Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2007 2:30 pm
by bj on roids
fading or flashing
f a d i n g o r f l a s h i n g
Posted: Fri Oct 12, 2007 8:45 am
by Dane
F l i c k e r i n g
I can hear the relay clicking on and off when the fault is present so it is definitely on the switching side of the headlight power supply relay. If I hot wire straight from the battery to the positive wire that comes out of the relay and supplies both headlights they just stay on and switch between high and low as they did before this problem presented.