Microswitches

[grslightng02]

Question...

I rewired my headlights because the wiring had disintegrated. I decided to wire the passenger headlamp directly to, and splice it into the driver headlamp wires in order to simplify things.

My headlights worked great for about a month. New headlight wires, harness, bulbs. And due to other unfixed problems my headlight housings stay in their upright and locked position all the time.

Now the headlights and running lights don't come on when the car is on. I can manually turn the running/parking lights on with the switch... but no headlights.

What role do all the microswitches play? I'm still unsure.

[First opel 1981]

In my 69 (the only one I delved into the microswitch/headlight mechanics) the microswitches triggered a relay.

You could have a bad relay.

[namba209]

It depends on the year of car and how many microswitches you may have. But to keep it simple, only one microswitch, in the driver's side headlight bucket, turns on the headlight relay. the other one or two microswitches are only to turn on the white light in the light panel between the speedo and tach, when the buckets are in the transit position. That is neither open and locked, or closed and locked., HTH.

[hrcollinsjr]

If the microswitch is the problem you should be able to either wire in another switch or rewire your parking light switch to operate the headlight relay. Don't wire the headlights directly to a switch bypassing the relay unless you have a switch rated for the appropriate amperage.

Harold

[markandson]

Since your drivers side microswitch is not being toggled at all, since your lights are always up, I doubt that it failed, not that it couldn't. It is more likely the relay that bit the dust.

[grslightng02]

I have a 1971 GT. I replaced the microswitch last night and it seemed to make no difference. I manually engaged the switch and both the headlights and running lights did not go on.

Where do I access this relay that controls both the headlights and parking lights?

[tomking]

The relay is behind the mouse's nest, also known as the fuse box area!

[OPELFIEND]

Originally Posted by namba209 It depends on the year of car and how many microswitches you may have. But to keep it simple, only one microswitch, in the driver's side headlight bucket, turns on the headlight relay. the other one or two microswitches are only to turn on the white light in the light panel between the speedo and tach, when the buckets are in the transit position. That is neither open and locked, or closed and locked., HTH.

The microswitches to turn the white light on -- are they in the passenger side bucket?

[rsefczek]

i had (have) a similar problem after fiddling with the master cylinder. since it's too cold to tear apart the headlamps to access the switches, i bypassed them by pulling the wire from the parking lamp switch to the fuse box and routing it into the headlight relay (there's just enough slack). so when i turn over the headlights, nothing happens until i turn on the parking lamp switch. only downside is the lights do not go off when the car is off so you can drain the battery. when it warms up, i'll go after the microswitches. there was also a post a while ago on how to diagnose simply if it's the relay or the microswitches. might want to try a search for that post

bob

[namba209]

Originally Posted by OPELFIEND The microswitches to turn the white light on -- are they in the passenger side bucket?

Again it depends on the year of the car. Early GTs had a pair of microswitches in the driver's side headlight bucket. One to power the headlight relay, the other to turn on the white indicator light. Later years had a second microswitch in the passenger side bucket that, too, turned on the white indicator light. HTH.

[hrcollinsjr]

Originally Posted by OPELFIEND The microswitches to turn the white light on -- are they in the passenger side bucket?

The 1 or 2 microswitches, depending on the year, are only to indicate whether the buckets are in their locked positions, it physically has nothing to do with switching your headlights on or off.

Harold

[hrcollinsjr]

If you wire a switch to provide 12v to the 85 terminal, Black/Yellow 12ga. wire is attached to you should be able to turn your lights on if nothing else is wrong.

HTH,
Harold