Headlight Switch Bad? Or Worse...

[dghii]

Nice!
I like problems that, when found, let you know you found the right thing!

I've cleaned a headlight switch after taking it apart and it bought be a year. I'm now three+ years on a used switch. So far, so good.

[rexcramer]

Grenade'd comes to mind.

[Pdwight]

This is one of those parts that really should be a new item. Think about it....any used switch is going to be 12 to 17 years old and already breaking down. This switch has a bearing on so many things...nothing against Woody at all....just start right with something like this.

Dwight

[itsnotanova]

Nothing wrong with buying used if the person selling it knows what they're dealing with. You can usually feel the difference in a good or bad one. New $162, used from me $50. It's also a pretty simple process to replace one. I agree that there are parts that are best bought new but the headlight switch isn't one of them. It's a mute point from me right now as I've taken a break from selling parts and I don't believe I have any good ones anyway.

[BoxsterHtownTX]

Right high beam went out and the switch cannot turn the knob to Parking lights (stuck). Also when I pull the knob to turn the high beam it goes back inside. When I shake the switch it rattles like there's a broken piece inside. Used multimeter to measure voltage on headlight assembly connectors 2 (ground) and 4 (high beam) there's no voltage reading. Is this a broken switch that cleaning will not fix?

[Deserion]

Originally Posted by BoxsterHtownTX

Right high beam went out and the switch cannot turn the knob to Parking lights (stuck). Also when I pull the knob to turn the high beam it goes back inside. When I shake the switch it rattles like there's a broken piece inside. Used multimeter to measure voltage on headlight assembly connectors 2 (ground) and 4 (high beam) there's no voltage reading. Is this a broken switch that cleaning will not fix?

As it's near-identical to the switch in my Mercedes W124, the plastic breaks down inside and crumbles. I've had to replace a genuine MB switch on mine 6 years after last installing... a genuine MB switch.

[rexcramer]

Somewhere on the forum, is a picture of an old switch that was X/O and opened up. It is just pieces flopping around on the inside. There is a lot of German engineering going on inside that switch.

[MN 986]

I had a similar headlight issue recently that was solved with a new headlight switch.

I read an old post on a different forum that a good test for a bad switch is to turn the switch to low beams on. If the lights did not come on, pull the knob out to the foglight position, then pop the knob back in with some force. If the low beams come on, the switch is bad. This confirmed my bad switch, and also helped me turn on my headlights for a couple weeks before I installed the new switch.

[Bruich10]

Originally Posted by JayG

Try cleaning the switch with contact or tuner cleaner
Remove the switch from the car
Squirt it in any and all holes you can find and down the shaft, don't worry if it drips out
move the switch quickly through all positions several times

shake out any liquid, it will evaporate fairly quickly anyway

If that does not fix the problem, replace the switch

Don't know what the scratchy sound is

I did this little operation today - and it worked perfectly - thanks!
Loads and loads of contact spray everywhere - and plenty of switching forwards and backwards.
Mornings and evenings are getting dark - nice to have all lamps working again!

[KevinH1990]

I am also trying the “clean before replacing” method. I more or less bathed the switch in CRC QD Electronic Contact Cleaner. ($4.77 at Walmart.). The switch has been working all day, so for now I am cautiously optimistic. I had originally planned to check with Woody for a used switch, but an earlier post seemed to indicate that was a bit of a long shot. By the way, the least expensive switch I could fin on line was $154.