Headlight Gremlin

[Kingkitesurf]

Hi experts,

I have searched this forum but without luck. Earlier my headlights just did not react to the light switch (stayed down) but using the flasher stake on the steering column made them pop up and on and down again. I think this is how the flasher should work. Also when I manually turned the knob on either motor, it electrically reacted by opening and closing the pods. So motors do work. I took out the blue relay B in the panel to test it but that is a very exceptional relay for the blinkers and not sure if it is at all connected to the headlights. So I put it back and now not even the flasher does work anymore. Nothing opens the light pods anymore. Not even a manual turn on the motors. I do hear a click coming from somewhere when I flash the light.

Does anybody have an idea where to look for this Gremlin.... Cheers. 

[CarBuff]

That era's headlight motors are from a Triumph TR7. Perhaps a Google search would point out some information on both Lotus and Triumph pod mechanisms?

 

No experience regards what could have happened in the course of your work, but I DO know that the motors (and the electrical contacts inside) can be troublesome.

[peteyg]

It's possible that your switch has melted on the stalk. You don't say which car you have but on early cars all the power for the headlights went through the stalk and the contacts would melt so many folk added relays into the system to stop this happening, me included after mine melted.

[drdoom]

Job,

The headlamp control system is quite complex, and troubleshooting will require a fairly deep study of the circuits. I will try to recall as much as possible when I can give this more time, later.

[snowrx]

The service note devote several pages just to the various states of the headlight lift mechanism. Worth a look before going too deep into troubleshooting.

[Hornsey Boy]

3 hours ago, peteyg said:

It's possible that your switch has melted on the stalk. You don't say which car you have but on early cars all the power for the headlights went through the stalk and the contacts would melt so many folk added relays into the system to stop this happening, me included after mine melted.

I think Peter is right check/replace the light switch on the dash, they burn out. In the day my mate had a 85 turbo as a daily runner (he did 12,000 miles a year easy) and I remembered that he was always changing out a burnt out light switch. To the point he even kept a spare one in the glove box.

[Kingkitesurf]

13 hours ago, snowrx said:

The service note devote several pages just to the various states of the headlight lift mechanism. Worth a look before going too deep into troubleshooting.

I have those pages in front of me... And also the wiring harness picture... I tend to think the relays are not all that good anymore and indeed the switch. Funny thing is that when I openend the pods by hand and turned on the light switch the pods closed a cm each time. So after turning on and off the light switch 10 times or so the pods where completely closed.... very weird. I tested the 6 relays in the front with a multimeter... the resistance was only 25 ohm between 85 and 86. I think they should be above 50 at least right?

[skiing]

On my S3 NA, I have had two dash light switches burn out - I would check that first - the contacts can also become dirty in the switch / recessed into the plastic due to the heat going through the switch. I have subsequently changed to LED headlights and this has reduced the current draw a lot which I hope means the switch will last longer...

[Kingkitesurf]

SOLVED! It was indeed the switch. Took it out and apart and cleaned the copper blades and contact points. They were pretty much oxidized. After the cleaning it worked perfect again. Glad it wasn't the wiring somewhere.. Thanks all.

[skiing]

Brilliant - and hopefully a free fix... always good to save a bit of money!

[snowrx]

I would buy a little battery-powered felt pen that electro-plated gold/inert metal onto bare electrical contacts!