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Here's An Interesting Problem To Solve

m0t4v4ll1

By m0t4v4ll1,
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m0t4v4ll1 Enthusiast

m0t4v4ll1

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Today i noticed my front LH light was out, so i changed the bulb, still didnt work, so i realised the fuse was blown, easy enough 20 cents later problem fixed

Driving home at night i noticed that the cluster backlight wasnt... well, backlit PROBLEM 1

Then i took the car in to the self wash and started vacuuming, i turned on the lights and noticed that on the first setting and nothing, no lights, then when i look at the back of the car, the rear lights arent on either? - PROBLEM 2

Then i put it on the last light option (the top one, u kno) and the front lights work, but the back lights aren't lit up.... ----BUT when i put my foot on the brakes, they work, but only when i have my foot down... so they do work, but there must be something up

HELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLP

lol

m0t4v4ll1 Enthusiast

m0t4v4ll1

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maybe dimmer switch fault. or earth?

occasionally my GTR LH light goes out u tap it and it will work again. same with the LHF indicator. ??? bad earth..

the LH light is fine, its just those other two problems... the cluster backlight, and the rear brake lights... do these things have fuses? and where r they?

cowie165 Veteran

cowie165

Posted
Posted

Headlight switch here: http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/forums/in...howtopic=115618

Your switch is stuffed as T04GTR said. There are three contacts within the switch. As you rotate the headlight dial on your dash, you change which terminals are touching the contacts, therefore changing the lights.

The contacts do not move in an incremental/accumulative way - that is, if the contact for the parkers/dimmer is stuffed, you can still switch to the next one and your headlights will come on. Think of it as though each time you click the dial, the switch is telling your lighting system to switch on/off. When you click to the next one, it send the next set of orders to your lights, but doesn't repeat the first set.

I know it's a weird explanation but that's where your problem lies.

Azza ring Just Jap in Sydney and they'll sell you a switch for ~$50. You can try fixing yourself too if you're keen on DIY.

And finally, there actually isn't a relay in the switch and therein lies the problem. The switches burn out due to excessive current melting the plastic pots within the switch. The only way around it is to rewire the switch to trigger a relay and use the relay to activate your lights.

Cheers dude! :D

  • 3 weeks later...
m0t4v4ll1 Enthusiast

m0t4v4ll1

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Headlight switch here: http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/forums/in...howtopic=115618

Your switch is stuffed as T04GTR said. There are three contacts within the switch. As you rotate the headlight dial on your dash, you change which terminals are touching the contacts, therefore changing the lights.

The contacts do not move in an incremental/accumulative way - that is, if the contact for the parkers/dimmer is stuffed, you can still switch to the next one and your headlights will come on. Think of it as though each time you click the dial, the switch is telling your lighting system to switch on/off. When you click to the next one, it send the next set of orders to your lights, but doesn't repeat the first set.

I know it's a weird explanation but that's where your problem lies.

Azza ring Just Jap in Sydney and they'll sell you a switch for ~$50. You can try fixing yourself too if you're keen on DIY.

And finally, there actually isn't a relay in the switch and therein lies the problem. The switches burn out due to excessive current melting the plastic pots within the switch. The only way around it is to rewire the switch to trigger a relay and use the relay to activate your lights.

Cheers dude! :)

just finished exams so i'll check this out for sure!!!

i owe u a beer regardless... i've noticed uve saved my ass on numerous occasions

thanks mate :cool:

m0t4v4ll1 Enthusiast

m0t4v4ll1

Posted
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just finished exams so i'll check this out for sure!!!

i owe u a beer regardless... i've noticed uve saved my ass on numerous occasions

thanks mate :cool:

lol i noticed ur in the blue mountains though errrr that'll be hard... how much is courier beer? hehehe

btw my folks used to have a farm house up in lithgow when i was a tike... u from around there?

m0t4v4ll1 Enthusiast

m0t4v4ll1

Posted
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lol i noticed ur in the blue mountains though errrr that'll be hard... how much is courier beer? hehehe

btw my folks used to have a farm house up in lithgow when i was a tike... u from around there?

lol another point

i was wondering..... my bro has an r32 gtst, would i be able to dismantle and take out his plug and swap it over wit mine to see if it works? are they the same plugs? hehe.. .yes i'm a tightass terry atm

cheers again

Godzilla32 Veteran

Godzilla32

Posted
Posted

Sounds strange to me. Before you rush out and buy a new switch double check that the same fuse isnt blown again. All those things run on the same fuse. If there is a short somewhere it will continue to blow the fuse. The reason your brake lights work is because they aren't on the same circuit.

If your LH light was out, im assuming parker light, why would only one of them be out if the fuse was blown? The whole circuit would have failed, therefore all of lights on the same circuit wouldnt be working.

Then again it could be the switch.. You could test it for continuity.

m0t4v4ll1 Enthusiast

m0t4v4ll1

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Sounds strange to me. Before you rush out and buy a new switch double check that the same fuse isnt blown again. All those things run on the same fuse. If there is a short somewhere it will continue to blow the fuse. The reason your brake lights work is because they aren't on the same circuit.

If your LH light was out, im assuming parker light, why would only one of them be out if the fuse was blown? The whole circuit would have failed, therefore all of lights on the same circuit wouldnt be working.

Then again it could be the switch.. You could test it for continuity.

ah the front LH was out.... sorry should have just written LHF was out

i'm gonna go to the garage now and dismantle the baby... tinker with her a bit, n see wats up..

will bring the laptop with me if anyone else has ideas i'll still be online :(

CHEEEEERS big ears

cowie165 Veteran

cowie165

Posted
Posted
lol another point

i was wondering..... my bro has an r32 gtst, would i be able to dismantle and take out his plug and swap it over wit mine to see if it works? are they the same plugs? hehe.. .yes i'm a tightass terry atm

cheers again

G'day Azza. Sorry mate, been out of town for a few weeks. Don't worry about the beers, cause I sure owe enough around the country :D I hope you sort the lights painlessly.

The switch is the same in all R32s, so swapping your bro's switch would be a cheap way to test it out. The switches are a well known cause for LH headlight failure. You can tell it is starting to go when you switch your lights on and only the RH comes on until you click on/off again or give it a hit Fonzie style.

As Deren said, good idea to check your fuses but I'd be surprised if any had blown.

Could you please report back when you've sussed it out?

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