Date: Wed, 24 Feb 1999 20:58:27 -0800
Reply-To: "Richard M. Myers" <myersr@SPAWAR.NAVY.MIL>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: "Richard M. Myers" <myersr@SPAWAR.NAVY.MIL>
Organization: SPAWAR Systems Center, Code D714
Subject: Re: Headlight switch failure
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
>
>
> Driving back from California a week ago my
> headlight switch siezed. I turned the headlights
> off (parking lights still on) and when I went to
> turn them back on, the switch would not move! It
> was stuck! I took the dash apart and took out
> the switch, but there doesn't seem to be any way
> inside. I ended up driving by holding on the
> brights until dawn, and buying a used unit at
> the yard for $5 (bargain) when I got home.
>
> Has anyone had this happen to them or no the
> cause and/or repair??
>
>
This has happeded to me, twice!. The first time, my HLs intermittantly
went out while driving, then finally went out permanently (switch not
stuck, just had no effect). After consulting the Bentley and
troubleshooting the switch, I got back home (several hundred miles) by
using a bread tie wrapped in a figure-eight pattern to short across the
two large terminals on the back of the switch (with the switch in
place). Worked fine, except that the headlights were on whenever the
car was running. I replaced the switch with one from a wrecking yard.
The 2nd time was several months later. This time the switch stuck in
the 'on' position after an hour or two of diving mostly with the high
beams on. At the Death Valley campground now, I removed the switch and
noticed that one of the large contacts had melted (a sign of either too
high current, or too much resistance across the contacts or switch to
socket connection) and was pullled out somewhat. Not being near a parts
source and having a little time on my hands, I decided to take the
switch apart to see what I could do.
It came apart easily enough (seems to me the previous one was glued
shut) and contained 3 or 4 springs, several contacts, etc. I was able
to clean the melted plastic off of the contacts and get it to operate
again. I didn't use the high beam for the rest of the trip. I also
cleaned the post contacts and used various little implements to tighten
up the socket contacts.
VW wanted $50 for a new switch (though I've since seen one on the list
for $17?), so I rebuilt the switch using epoxy, etc. and have been using
it ever since. I also got another spare from a wrecking yard, which a
carry in the glove box.
I think that the problem was ultimately from poor contact between the
switch post (one of the big ones) and the socket. I should've tightened
up the socket connections after the 1st problem, but then thats
hindsight for yah. If your switch seems abnormally warm while using the
high beams (or not), beware.
Dick
'88 Westfalia
'78 Westfalia (for sale)
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