mkIII headlight switch help

[88mkIIIproject]

my headlight switch has no clicks to it, just flips on/off real easily.

the switch on my parts car works great, but after getting in there and taking the steering wheel off, it looks like the whole assembly with turn and wiper controls is wired together and runs down the column without any connectors in between.

is there a connector under the kick panel to disconnect the assembly as one??

thanks

 

[88mkIIIproject]

I found a diagram on MK3 TSRM online, and there is a connector...has anyone pulled this harness out? is it difficult?

Thinking about just snipping and soldering the few wires going to the headlight switch and being done.

 

[suprabad]

Just get another combination switch or you'll end up shorting out all kind of stuff.

I gotta ask...why would you consider doing such a mickey-mouse "repair" on your car?

It makes me think it must be a real beater.

 

[suprahooked]

I have done it and it is easy and takes less than an 1 hour to take off and put all back together. The connector is about 1 foot below the steering wheel and you change the whole assy.

 

[Poodles]

Take the little end cap off the headlight switch and try tightening the screw in there.

If it works, you're golden...

 

[RazoE]

^---i should try that..

my switch is funky, if i have the parking lights on, then i turn it one more click to turn on the headlights, it all turns off, then i gotta move the switch all the way off, and then turn it on again..

also, if i touch the stalk while the headlights are up with a little bit of force, they turn off, and i gotta turn them back off again and restart...

fucking annoying, but i have noticed the stalk has about a 1/4" gap separating from it's normal position (the turn-able part, if that makes sense) and the little cap is loose...

im not making sense here, so let me shut up and tighten the screw, haha..

 

[Poodles]

it fixed my old toyota truck...

 

[88mkIIIproject]

Just get another combination switch or you'll end up shorting out all kind of stuff.

I gotta ask...why would you consider doing such a mickey-mouse "repair" on your car?

It makes me think it must be a real beater.

Its not a beater at all, just thought I could do a good repair job if it was hard to replace as a whole.

I'll try tightening the screw on the end of the switch first, and if not then swap the whole assembly.

Thanks for the tips from everyone

 

[suprabad]

Sounds like the little ball bearing may have fallen out of it's seat inside the switch.

Sorry about the beater comment, but you have to admit that soldering the wires together is not the greatest repair idea.

 

[Poodles]

the best advice I can tell you about working on a car is NEVER to rig things and do the repairs right the first time so they don't come back to bite you in the ass...

it's expensive that way, but it's the only way to make it reliable...

 

[Jeff Lange]

My guess is that he wanted to just replace the headlight switch without removing the combination switch, which is totally fine and can be done a couple ways, one of them would be to simply cut and solder in a new switch, which I don't think is "rigging" it, it's an acceptable repair.

The best way to do it is to either replace the whole combination switch or replace just the headlight switch, but pull the pins from the connector, and not cut/splice them (which is how Toyota supplies the headlight switch if you order it by itself).

 

[88mkIIIproject]

Sounds like the little ball bearing may have fallen out of it's seat inside the switch.

Sorry about the beater comment, but you have to admit that soldering the wires together is not the greatest repair idea.

your right, the front ball bearing had popped out of its seat...after taking it apart and putting it back together (2-3 times), the front bearing keepings popping out after a few test clicks...can't see why. wd-40 doesnt help either.

the front bearing spring is now giving the switch slight "clicks", locking it loosely into each position, and it actually feels pretty good...a lot better than no click whatsoever.

I doubt this will last, so I will eventually swap the entire combination switch housing and harness.

thanks for the tips