Headlight Switch Bad? Or Worse...
 

My headlights do not work, the daytime running lights work, the fog lights come on when I pull my switch out, high beams come on when I pull the turn lever towards me but not when I push it forward.

I checked the bulbs and they appear to be fine, (no broken filaments or burnt bulbs), so... Since the high beams come on when I push the turn lever, but no high beams at all when I push it, is the operation of the lever dependent on the position of the light switch itself? Meaning if the power to the low beams is not seen, will the high beams never come on?

Sounds like it could be a bad ignition switch. Do the wipers come on when the car is running/on? Ignition switch is a common failure point (thanks, VW part) and is fairly inexpensive to start. I think the headlight switch is a Mercedes part, though.

I had the exact problems last month w/ my 2002 Boxster S.

I ordered a new headlamp switch from Suncoast Porsche, PN 996 613 535 00

About a 20 minute swap. Easy.

Pelican Technical Article: Boxster Headlamp Switch Replacement - 986 / 987

Rick

I had a similar problem about a month ago. Took the switch out and sprayed it with tuner cleaner. It was a little hard to get it inside the switch, but it must have worked as I have had no problems since.

Its pretty easy to remove the switch

I'll second that. Easy swap.

try cleaning with contact cleaner before buying a new switch . worked on my current and past boxster

Yeah, will do! Gotta be a heck of a lot cheaper than $157+...

Thanks for all the replies!

tuner cleaner and contact cleaner are basically the same.
Tuner cleaner has a lubricant and contact cleaner does not

CRC Contact cleaner didn't fix the problem, looks like I'm going shopping... :(

did you actually take the switch apart to spray it?

No, the switch has about 8 tangs folded into the case which made it all but impossible to access.

Unless you have a secret way of opening it... ;)

okay....so, you just sprayed the electrical prongs on the switch without taking it apart?

And down the knob pin as best I could.

I sprayed down the shaft and IIRC, there were some holes as well . I know I got cleaner inside as I had to shake it out

Not to blow too much dust off an old thread but my new car had this issue last night: high beams flash when the lever is pulled, but don't stay on when the lever is pushed forward.

I also immediately got the scratchy steering column sound (found another thread on that - damn I love this place already).

Rotation of the headlight switch feels a little stiff. Hoping to sort out both issues tonight.

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

scratchy sound is the clock spring.

If your lights work correctly when you rotate the switch, then the switch is functioning fine, cleaning it might help with the stiffness, but since there are no mechanical parts in the switch it's unlikely that anything broke to cause that.

FYI, I found a NOS switch for $40 off this forum.

I notice my light switch was loosing its "click". It would just mush through the positions. Then one evening, the instrument lights did not come on. Suspecting the light switch, I followed the advice on this forum and cleaned the switch thoroughly with contact cleaner. I worked the switch through its positions but will no feeling of the detents. Once reconnected only the headlights would come on with the ignition and would not shut off. I took the switch out again and shuck it. I sounded like sand inside the switch so I took it apart to see what was going on. The internal plastic was completely shredded. See the picture. http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1522013951.jpg

Wow! Very impressive!

Time to give Woody (ItsNotaNova) a call!

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.

Grenade'd comes to mind.

I would opt for a new one
 

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

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.

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. :rolleyes:

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.

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.

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!

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.