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headlight help!

Discussion in '308/328' started by Ferraripilot, Nov 23, 2009.

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  1. Ferraripilot

    Ferraripilot F1 World Champ
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    John!
    #1 Ferraripilot, Nov 23, 2009
    Hi all, I just took delivery of my 308 Sunday from my move. The car was shipped enclosed with a bunch of other classics, but now the headlights low-beams do not work. I really hope the headlight stalk was not whacked, but I will not rule that out.......

    Here is how it goes: Turn headlight switch, lights pop-up, but no headlights. I can pull the switch down and get high-beams though. Where should I start looking?



    thanks much all.
     
  2. afterburner

    afterburner F1 Rookie
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    #2 afterburner, Nov 23, 2009
    bulbs, low beam fuses/relays - do the parking/position/ip lights work?
     
  3. Ferraripilot

    Ferraripilot F1 World Champ
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    #3 Ferraripilot, Nov 23, 2009
    Everything else works 100%. Fuses are good as are relays. Contact in the stalk switch problem? How do I check that?
     
  4. afterburner

    afterburner F1 Rookie
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    #4 afterburner, Nov 23, 2009
    Find the plug connecting the stalk to the wiring loom, open it and bridge the wires to the low beam - a diagram helps to identify the correct wires... if they light up, the stalk is the issue. good luck!
     
  5. Ferraripilot

    Ferraripilot F1 World Champ
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    #5 Ferraripilot, Nov 23, 2009
    big thanks. will do right away and of course report back.

    gosh how do I prove my case against this car shipper? the lights were working the day I took it to be picked up from shipper, I know because I had to drive it over in the evening! this is all subjective evidence to an insurance company though :/
     
  6. GrigioGuy

    GrigioGuy Splenda Daddy
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    #6 GrigioGuy, Nov 23, 2009
    The connections in the stalk are pretty low-grade solder. They could have vibrated loose during the trip. We had it happen at an exotic car night one time; you should have seen us out there, buzzed, using electrical tape to repair it.

    There's not much too it; I bet if you take the end off you'll find a loose wire. Beware the spring (I think) and ball (I know) when you pop it open
     
  7. Ferraripilot

    Ferraripilot F1 World Champ
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    #7 Ferraripilot, Nov 23, 2009
    So I can check the internals of the column switch without removing the ring nut and getting to the inners of the column assembly? Any color wire to search for specifically. I will check the diagram once I get home
     
  8. Ferraripilot

    Ferraripilot F1 World Champ
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    #8 Ferraripilot, Nov 23, 2009
    ok I figured something out. I think the contacts must be dirty. I placed the column switch in the appropriate position for the low-beams to be operating, and then I noticed the low-beams illuminate for a moment and then go out as I moved the switch. I re-adjusted the position in which it was in and the beams illuminated as they should. So it seems the position of the stalk contact was not getting a 'clean' signal due to a possible dirty contact. Any way to clean these while in place?
     
  9. FasterIsBetter

    FasterIsBetter F1 Veteran

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    #9 FasterIsBetter, Nov 23, 2009
    Get a nice, bright flashlight and examine the stalk carefully. See if there is a hairline crack in the piece that holds the stalk. It can play havoc with the contacts. Ask me how I know.

    Assuming the stalk is fine, you might be able to get it working by just flipping the switch a bunch of times to clean the contacts. I won't recommend spraying contact cleaner in there. But if you can't get it to work right or if the plastic piece on the stalk is cracked, contact Verell. When I had problems with my 308, I removed the stalk, sent it to him, and he repaired it, cleaned it up, and sent it back good as new (maybe better!).
     

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