Headlights

[dcrisafulli]

I am sure this has been addressed a million times.

1971 Opel GT

I sent my Opel in for state inspection. This started when it returned. They did some other work, this is either chance or they did something.

1. My Parking lights work correctly when swiched manually on (button on dash).
2. My headlights flip over correctly and appear to lock into place correctly.
3. The white light on the dash turns on.
4. No lights turn on at all (parking or headlights)

It is like the car thinks the headlights are not totally turned on.

This car has sat for about 12 years, but this was working a week ago.
Where should I start?

Thanks for the help

Doug

[GTJIM]

The lever inside the GT just turns the headlights into place and the lights are actually switched on by micro-switches mounted on the back of the rotator mechanisms behind the buckets themselves. The micro-switches are activated by the final tiny bit of rotary movement of the buckets as they lock into place. So first ensure that the headlight buckets are rotating fully into the locked position and are actually "tripping" the micro-switches.
If that is all working OK then you may have to delve in to the micro-switches themselves - after making sure that there IS an electrical supply to the lights and checking the continuity of the circuits with the headlights open and locked up. Check the wiring to the lights as well - this deteriorates over time with the constant swivelling and can short out with disastrous consequences and is one of the main reasons GT owners need to be able to quickly disconnect the battery - and carry a Fire Extinguisher.

[jerseyopel]

Try to move the lights by hand and see if they lock. The white light on the dash will be on if they are not locked into place.

[jlthunder]

As stated earlier, check your wires from the actual headlights back to the engine compartment. If you still have the original wires, have them rewired. The insulation on the wires getts very brittle and can short out and start a fire. This circut is not fused!! Search this site for rewiring instructions. I know opelgtguy brings a board to shows showing just how bad the original wires can get and his GT has under 50,000 original miles on it. It is scary.

I don't mean to scare you, but this is a "must" before you turn your headlights on. Someone on this site also sells a headlight wire replacement kit. I think it is "DESTEC" or "OTTO", but I'm not positive.

Just my 0.02

[opelgtguy]

One time, several years ago, my headlights stopped functioning properly.
After checking for current, etc, I disassembled the headlight assembly to
find that the "levers" on the microswitches had been bent which in turn
prevented them from switching on and off properly. A couple of tweaks
got them straight and working.
Rick

[baronbors]

If the headlights have not been rewired in your memory then do so and as others said- put a inline fuse in the circuit. But after that, check the microcircut and most important- your ground straps and wires. I think 80% of the wiring problems are due to bad grounds.