I need a detective!

[KB88]

So yesterday i went into town to book the old girl in for a set of tyres.
On the way there i smelt an electrical burning smell from the front of the car. Thought not much of it as it is over 20 years old but i checked under the bonnet when i got the garage anyway.
No sign of anything out of the ordinary, so i forgot about it.
Spent sometime at a friends place afterwards until it went dark, then set off home.

I got out of town and suddenly realised my lack of headlights. Quickly went to turn them on, but they were on....ok....
So here's the run down of working/not working

Working
Front foglamps
Indicators
Dash lights
Rear lights and brake lights

Not working
Head lights

But here's the thing. When i pull the highbeam stalk in, all of the lights come on, side lights and main beam
But the stalk doesn't click and leave high beam on, you'd have to hold it in.

I've checked all connections up front under the bonnet and cleaned them up, nothing.
I've checked all fuses, which seem fine.

Whats the next step??

[DannyH]

Have you got a spare indicator h/l stalk?

[Nate]

yup, stalk is a good 1st stop to check. if a new one fixes it (and i suspect it will) fitting an uprated loom with both dip and main relay controlled will stop it happening again.

[KB88]

I don't have a spare one of these. Exactly why would this be the cause of the problem?
The headlights don't come on when the dash switch is pressed, so i assumed its something to do with the wiring.

Thanks for the input

[GT Matt]

Exactly why would this be the cause of the problem?

Once the light switch is 'switched on' the current flows through the low/high beam switch as this distinguishes which circuit to use. This also means that ALL the current required for the headlights also runs through this switch and the small brass contacts within it. These can wear out/burn out (hence the smell of burning) and leave you with no lights whatsoever.

[bensspares]

it sounds like the head lamp switch...i have one £10 posted

[KB88]

Exactly why would this be the cause of the problem?

Once the light switch is 'switched on' the current flows through the low/high beam switch as this distinguishes which circuit to use. This also means that ALL the current required for the headlights also runs through this switch and the small brass contacts within it. These can wear out/burn out (hence the smell of burning) and leave you with no lights whatsoever.

So i require a replacement stalk as mentioned above?

it sounds like the head lamp switch...i have one £10 posted

As you can see from replies above, a replacement stalk is mentioned. What part is the head lamp switch?
If you mean the one on the dash next to the dimmer, that works.

[bensspares]

OH forgive me......my 24 years of experience is wrong........everytime this happened to me it was the switch, i have the stalk as well £13 posted.

[KB88]

OH forgive me......my 24 years of experience is wrong........everytime this happened to me it was the switch, i have the stalk as well £13 posted.

Errrm, sorry did i come across as sarcastic?
I was just trying to follow on from comments above. As my switch works i'm sure i'd only need the stalk. So does the stalk have an electrical switch attached?

[bensspares]

If all lights are working apart from the head lights its the headlight switch.......you said something abouta burning smell which would indecate the switch is burning out.....if the collum switch isnt opperating the headlight circuit it would suggest the h/light circuit is at fault.......unless both the head light fuses are blown (unlikley).i never had any problems with the collum switches over many years....
the h/light flash is on a sepperate circuit that bypasses the h/light switch hence if you pull the collum switch you have lights.........

This happened to me with 3 different cars and was the h/light switch every time.....I maybe wrong but my money is on the h/light switch..

[KB88]

If all lights are working apart from the head lights its the headlight switch.......you said something abouta burning smell which would indecate the switch is burning out.....if the collum switch isnt opperating the headlight circuit it would suggest the h/light circuit is at fault.......unless both the head light fuses are blown (unlikley).i never had any problems with the collum switches over many years....
the h/light flash is on a sepperate circuit that bypasses the h/light switch hence if you pull the collum switch you have lights.........

This happened to me with 3 different cars and was the h/light switch every time.....I maybe wrong but my money is on the h/light switch..

This makes sense now, thanks.
If the High beam stalk overrides the usual circuit for the headlights the headlight switch is probably the cause.

The smell come through from the front of the car, when i got out of the car at my destination i could smell it outside briefly. Could just the switch in the dash cause that?
Also, the dash/clock lights up when i switch on the head light switch. Surely if the switch has burnt out, this wouldn't work?

[bensspares]

if all other lights are working except h/lights inc dash......there is a main power feed to the switch which distributes the current to all destinations.if its burning out then maybe there is a bridged circuit inside the switch...if the car was infront of me i could tell you exactly wots wot.

I cannot explain the smell except that you were used to it inside the car and when fresh air hit your nose it highlighted the burning smell.

Best thing to do is remove h/light switch and sniff it. if you can smell burnt out ness that will be the cause.....from experience thats all it can be.....i guess youve checked all h/light wireing under the bonnet and found nothing.

[Jay4424]

OH forgive me......my 24 years of experience is wrong........everytime this happened to me it was the switch, i have the stalk as well £13 posted.

same happened to me a few times, last time the contacts inside the s/w had pulled away as the plastic had failed.


...the lights working from the stalk, is on a different supply... prob mentioned above but havent read above fully... sorry ben if youve mentioned it.



when I was fixing this fault last it was 2.30 AM sun morning on the A6 just north of Bakewell... the cops stopped as I had the dash in bits, asked if i was ok, then sped of, even though i said i wasn't! ..they didn't even check if i was stealign the car, nothing



jay.


..as a fix, you can b/p the switch jsut for hte head lights, chop in to the yellow/black strip core, and the (??? all back???) core and either short to gether (lights will be on when ignition is on, but off when not. or ad a switch so you can still turn them off when you driving.

[scirocogtx]

Replace the ignition and the headlight switches. If these are at fault it allows you to flash lights etc but they don't stay on, as its as if the igniton is not switched on.

Had the same prob. Bout £20 or so of fleabay for both.

[KB88]

same happened to me a few times, last time the contacts inside the s/w had pulled away as the plastic had failed.

..as a fix, you can b/p the switch just for the head lights, chop in to the yellow/black strip core, and the (??? all back???) core and either short together (lights will be on when ignition is on, but off when not. or ad a switch so you can still turn them off when you driving.

I think I’ll just replace anything that’s burnt out.

How do I remove the head light switch, is this a case of a lot of the dash being removed?

Replace the ignition and the headlight switches. If these are at fault it allows you to flash lights etc but they don't stay on, as its as if the igniton is not switched on.

Had the same prob. Bout £20 or so of fleabay for both.

Im really inexperienced when it comes to electrics. Im a bit lost here, when you say the ignition do you mean my ignition in the sterring column...the barrel etc? This is appears to be working...