high beam on headlights
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
From: Smyrna Georgia
high beam on headlights
Anyone have any input on my headlights, that keep going back to high beam themselves. This car is relatively new to me, and I seem to have to constantly keep switching down to the low beams everytime I use the turn signals or accelerate much. Is there A setting that I'm not aware of, or might it be A faulty relay, or some other quirk associated with this 98 C-5. Any help is appreciated.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,962
Likes: 29
From: Van Buren Arkansas
Wounded Warrior Escort '11
The headlamp switch is a mechanical device. You need to push it down or forward to get the headlamps to the high-beam position actuation. Is the headlamp switch just falling on its own? Are you deliberately pushing it without knowing it? To clarify, pushing the arm sort of forward will cause the lamps to go to highbeam and pulling it back towards the driver, it should stay in this position with the low-beams on.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
From: Smyrna Georgia
Everything seems normal with the lever for the lights. It stays in postition for high or low beams. It's just that the lights go to high beam by themselves whenever I use the turn signals. Then I have to manually move the lever forward to high beam location, and back to get back to the lows again.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
From: Smyrna Georgia
I just went out and checked the lights again. they come on and pop up normally, they also stay on high or low when the lever is moved forward or backwards. Then when they are on low beam, and I move the lever up or down for turn signals the turn signals work but the headlights go to high. I also noticed that if I push the lever A little farther, while the turn signal is still working, the headlights go to low beams. Do I possiblyhave A bad turn signal switch?
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,962
Likes: 29
From: Van Buren Arkansas
Wounded Warrior Escort '11
Sure sounds like a bad headlamp switch. Are you the original owner of the car and has the switch been replaced before? Has it been doing this the whole time? I'm asking because I'm wondering if its got the wrong switch. There's a place with the exact original AC Delco switch for less than the dealers by far. They aren't a forum sponsor so I can't post it here but can PM the site to you if you go to buy one. Let me know.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
From: Smyrna Georgia
I just purchased this car last week, and don't know much of it's history. Owner said engine was dealership replaced about 47000 mis. ago. Is there a way I can determine the questionable switch? Do you think cleaning the ground wires and cables might have any affect, relevant to the problem. Is the switch very hard to replace?
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
From: Smyrna Georgia
Thanks guys, yes I think it is the switch too now, cause when I slightly pull the lever, the lights go back to low beams. So there seems to be too much tension on the switch lever, or just enough tension to nudge the switch to contact the high beam contacts inside the switch. Is it possible to fiddle with the inside of the switch to ease this tension? I guess my best bet is to just replace the switch. Just looking at it, it seems that if I undo the halves of the cover on the column at the switch, and take off the panel under the column, that I should be able to unscrew the switch and unplug the connector to replace it. Is this the procedure , or are there any gremlins that I should know about? I'll do A search in here on headlight or turn signal switch repairs. Where in the forum is the thread that this procedure is covered? And again Thanks for your help.
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Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,962
Likes: 29
From: Van Buren Arkansas
Wounded Warrior Escort '11
Yes, you'll need to remove the lower access from the column and a very small torx tip to get it apart. I don't remember the size but its small for sure.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
From: Smyrna Georgia
Got it.
Well I just got done replacing the switch, what A pain, it took me an hour and A half, since I didn;t have A stubby T25 bit handy for the one next to the steering wheel. I need to extend much thanks to rebelheart and dgrant3830. You guys nailed it
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
From: Smyrna Georgia
Yes from looking at the aged condition of the stalk I do believe it was the original. With this and the oil pressure sender that I fixed A couple days ago, everything on this car seems to be working properly. Of course I ran across the ground cleaning thread in the Forum here, and then got to looking at the grounds under the hood. They seem to look kind of corroded in that they have a whitish powdery film on the outside of them. Ya guess it would be A good idea, to get some diaelectric (like Nolax) and undo and clean? Or might it be better not to fix what ain"t broke. I'm kind of A worry wart.
