TheSamba.com :: View topic

Sun Jul 27, 2008 9:21 am

Greetings,
I have a lil dilema I'm trying to fix... Last night I was rolling up to get a DVD and for some reason mu low beams went out.. Checked the fuse, and they are fine. High beams work, but only if I pull back on the turnsignal... Wont let me lock them in either (onto high beams). Looked through a few threads but could only find upgrade stuff on the lights. ANy help would be appreciated.

Sun Jul 27, 2008 9:44 am

Another victim of ignition switch syndrome. The symptom you describe is 80% of the time the ignition switch wearing out. The other culprit is the headlight switch itself. Now the ignition switch is $9.95 and the headlight switch is over $40. Which do you want to replace first?

The way it goes is the contacts, which are just pressed into the plastic wear on the inside and get loose in the plastic. This causes the other service, light lights to not make contact. It is fun to replace. You have to pop the center of the steering wheel, remove the I think 19 mm nut and pop off the wheel (note the position for replacement, a chalk line at directly down works). Then you need to get a loaner puller form an Autozone like place. Pull the silver part off the column. You may want to prop up the steering drive shaft at the U joint near your feet.

The switch is held in with one screw, remove it and pop out the switch. You need to tap the silver part back in place with a rubber mallet or rawhide mallet (2x4 works). Put it all back together.

Now is a good time to install headlight relays, you will be soooo impressed with the improvement.

http://www.van-cafe.com/vanagon_parts.jsp?pa=p&p=124409592

Sun Jul 27, 2008 9:48 am

thanks dude that was quick

Sun Jul 27, 2008 1:28 pm

Another place to check, while you have the wheel off, is the high beam/low beam switch assembly on the wiper switch assembly - had mine go out on me a while back.

Symptoms: No "click" when I pulled back on the turn signal arm to switch to high beams, so wouldn't transfer or lock into high beam position.. Low beams on intermittently. Do you get a click when you pull back on the turn signal arm?

There is a rocker arm with contacts inside the high beam switch. The grease inside mine finally dried up and kept the rocker arm from moving to its full stroke.

I removed the turn signal/wiper switch assemblies and gently split them apart, then disassembled (carefully) the high beam switch, noting how everything went together. I then cleaned out the old grease and shined the contacts (careful - they're removable!). A little white lithium grease on all the obvious spots and reassembly brought back "factory-new" operation. Never a problem since.

I should mention that in addition to my headlights being dodgy, the horn blew when I pulled back on the turn signal arm - the metal switch body plate grounded out the horn from all my tugging at the switch arm. Be careful reinstalling the switches - the pot metal threads on the steering column assembly disappear in a heartbeat! I ended up using sone long, skinny wood screws - not the optimal solution, but it worked well...