On my 68 Custom while out for cruise last night , my headlights went off for no apparent reason . Pulled over, as I jiggled the dimmer switch they were going on -off . After a minute of intense jiggling- I was in a very dark area , I got them t stay on for 15 minutes. 5 minutes from home they blinked off a few times then stayed on . All other lights functioned normally inside & out . When on headlights were bright and was showing 14.2 V on the gauge . In garage now moving dimmer around , made sure plug was secure headlights are working fine . Is there a way to test the dimmer ( looks like original ) . Or should I be looking possibly elsewhere ? Intermittent electrical issues are the worst
When you get the new dimmer switch Rich take the time to remove each wire from it's connector & then take a pair of pliers to squeeze the ends tighter then install on switch then put back in connector & do the remaining two. The reason I mention this is that the male blades from the new dimmer switch are usually thinner & will cause you problems down the road. Good idea to ALSO add some electrical conductivity paste to them for a corrosion free almost forever connection. Tom T.
Thanks guys for reenforcing what common sense as well as my gut was telling me.... ocean pkwy can be really dark with directional’s only lighting your path
If you're talking about the good old "high-beam" foot switch that you step on to activate, I heard those things can get dirty and corroded from being down where shoes and water accumulate, and bad connections can result. Another part that goes out after years of use, is the headlight switch in the dash. It carries a decent amount of amperage, especially when your hi-beams are on, and can overheat, which can cause it to cut out for a while, and then come back on when it cools down sufficiently. I had a car that was scary to drive at night because if you used the high beams for more than a minute, you never knew when you were gonna lose all headlights, or how long they would stay off and you'd be driving blind. It'll get your heart pumping, that's for sure.
And to add one more cause, it could also be a bad connection/wire at the starter. The smaller of the two feed wires that have fusible links power the headlights ONLY. If the wiring is frayed or loose, it can cause the headlights to go in and out. From your description, I think the dimmer switch is your problem though. Go with that, they aren't expensive.
had a similar issue. Have you replaced bulbs recently? If they draw too much power many of the older switches have a circuit breaker in them. Replacing the switch won't solve the problem. You need to bypass it with a relay.
Replaced dimmer switch and tested brights and switch seems to have solved the problem ( tested a dozen of so times ) . Less than a week later as I entered a very dark unlit pkwy I clicked on my brights . The brights flicked on and off 3 X along with the red dash indicator then lost all headlights .Continued bright switch use yielded no results . All other vehicle lights functioned normally. Luckily no one else was on pkwy and I was able to faintly make out the right lane . After a mile or so pressing my foot in the area of Switch the lights flickered on/ off and as I approached a well lit pkwy my foot found the sweet spot to press against because the regular lights worked normally and have continued to do so for last few days. Got home that night, double checked switch was attached securely, checked the dielectric grease was present and headlight fuse was good. The thinner fused wire going down to starter besides being coated in oil, seems intact with no heat damage . Is there a way to check this wire or the wires going to dimmer switch ? Headlights have not been changed but the dash headlight switch was recently changed and appears to function normally. I’d prefer this not happen again , are there any other issues with headlight system that can cause this glitch ?
Pull the left kick panel, the plastic panel against the firewall, left door sill plate, (and anything else that holds the carpet, then roll the carpet back and get an eyeball on the switch and connections. You could have a problem with the connections or the switch. The center terminal on the switch should be the blue wire from the headlight switch (provides power) then one terminal (green wire) goes to the low beams and the high beams, and the other terminal (tan wire) goes to the low beams. The switch is on/off and triggers power through the high beam (by the connection path of the tan wire). You should be able to get the switch and an Ohm meter and see if you get continuity to all three with the switch. Press the switch until you do have continuity with the center and each side terminal, then press one more time, you should not have continuity on one of the terminals, but continuity with the center and other terminal. Also check each terminal in both positions and make sure you do not have any continuity from any terminals and the case in both switch positions. The switch is isolated, so it does not need ground/bonding to the floorpan. Check the terminals for good connection and that the wires are not corroded going into the wiring insulation/jacket. And that the wires are not cut or pinched. Hope that helps.
If you end up replacing the floor dimmer switch, consider a clean used one. I had to replace one in a ‘78 Cadillac a decade ago and all the new ones (Delco, Borg Warner, Standard) were the same ‘BUB’ brand chinesium crap that felt flimsy and didn’t click smoothly. I put a junkyard unit on it and never had trouble again. Patrick
Might have solved the problem . Occasionally I like to check wires, bolts, connectors for snugness and “ positive engagement “ ; underneath the car found my negative ground cable bar hand tight . Since tightening it up no light issues.
I'm unclear if your low beams are giving you issues or just when you are on high beams? If you are running halogens, they can draw a little more than the old standard T3 incandescents. Buying a new switch won't help in most cases because they are all Camaro/Chevelle/Monte Carlo switches that only support two high beam headlights. You can confirm it by disconnecting the passenger side high beam to see if removing 50+ watts of draw from the switch makes it work longer. Don't be fooled by doing it at idle in your driveway, that doesn't create enough draw to make it overhead. Mine was doing it and you have a few choices. Install a relay that puts full power to the headlights and uses the headlight switch only as a trigger. Use an old working switch designed for 4 headlights. Do what I did and install LED headlights that draw a lot less current than filament bulbs.
It was doing it at hwy cruising speed 14.3 Volts charging... the relay is an interesting idea I like .
I think your switch is old and is popping the internal circuit breaker. Known, common problem. You can try my simple suggestion to remove 50+ watts from the circuit to see if the problem goes away. If it doesn't blink out on you with three bulbs on high beam, that's confirmation. The relay harness is pretty common and easily found on several sites as well as eBay and Amazon. The general consensus is to toss the relays and buy better ones, usually Bosch. https://www.amazon.com/LIGHTING-Ceramic-Headlight-Harness-Headlamp/dp/B00GNU37QU https://www.ebay.com/itm/H4-H6054ST...AMP-LIGHT-BULB-WIRING-KIT-H6054-/331754751905 https://www.octanelighting.com/kitc...headla4850-5-4-headlight-relay-harness-1.html
