Headlight switch shorting out ?
Thread Starter
Banned Scam/Spammer
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Headlight switch shorting out ?
Turned lights on my 73 vette last night....Saw a slight spark on headlight ****.....Dash lights out...Took it for a spin anyway...Was driving and someone pulls up along side of me to tell me I have no tail lights..
Fuse was blown..Changed fuse looked at all wiring underneath....Saw a wire that had power behind radio that had a little copper showing..Taped it up...Everything else looked good, aftermarket radio..
Took it for a drive and after about 15 miles dash lights went out again and had no tail lights once again....Of course fuse blew again...
I changed this headlight switch last summer....
Confused ....????
Fuse was blown..Changed fuse looked at all wiring underneath....Saw a wire that had power behind radio that had a little copper showing..Taped it up...Everything else looked good, aftermarket radio..
Took it for a drive and after about 15 miles dash lights went out again and had no tail lights once again....Of course fuse blew again...
I changed this headlight switch last summer....
Confused ....????
Is my vette stock?? HAHA
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 20,169
Likes: 9,298
From: Im not allowed to tell you
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
Headlight switches and wiper switches are notorious for not lasting. I have a headlight switch from Lectric Limited in there know for about 2 years. The other guys switches lasted maybe one summer, bought same and again one summer. If you want one from a supporter and member, get it from Wilcox. Especially wiper switches. Ernie knows how those switches are.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
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From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
Standar brand isnt bad...the repops are horrible. Afriad to use mine, its near new and so sloppy afraid it will start a fire.
A good original is tough to beat
These chinese switches are mostly junk.
A good original is tough to beat
These chinese switches are mostly junk.
Thread Starter
Banned Scam/Spammer
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Well, had to order some other parts from mid america ( Eklers wants an arm and a leg for shipping , its a wonder there still in business ) so I just added a headlight switch ...Will see what happens....
Is my vette stock?? HAHA
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 20,169
Likes: 9,298
From: Im not allowed to tell you
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 2,365
Likes: 428
From: Cape Girardeau Missouri
Look for shorts to ground elsewhere--specifically in the wiring to the tail and parking lights. The flash you see in the switch is because that's where the circuit makes contact just before the fuse pops. The switch body has only +12V wiring and is very well isolated from the grounded mounting bracket so there's very little chance of the switch "shorting out" in a way that blows a fuse.
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Racer
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 320
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From: Bala Cynwyd PA
I had a similar issue with blowing instrument panel fuses. The fuse would blow seemingly randomly when the headlights were on. It turned out that I was missing the bulb under the ashtray, & the socket was not attached to wherever it's supposed to go. The positive contact was bouncing around and would contact a ground somewhere and would short out the fuse. I have a bulb, but it won't stay in the socket unless the socket is clipped in place. And I can't figure out where it goes. I secured it so it can't short out, and the instrument light fuse has not blown since.
