SalzundPfeffer

I searched the forum, but could not find anything relating to this issue. Yesterday I drove home in a substantial rainfall. I went to take a drive after dark and found that my low beam headlights were not lit. Motors pop up the lights, parking (yellow) lights work, but no low beams. The high beams do work when I pull back on the lever in the cabin. But they don’t stay on unless I continue to hold the lever back.

I am assuming the rain may be an issue. I checked fuses and everything looks good. Any chances a relay may have been fried by a short? I am assuming a relay is what toggles the high beams on and off, so that fact that I can’t keep the high beams on unless I hold back on the lever may indicate a problem up stream from that relay perhaps (as indicated by my Haynes wiring diagram). Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance
-bp

’84 944 N/A

SalzundPfeffer

bump

nh7cy

This may be a shot int he dark but have you checked your actual headlights? We had an older car that did that same thing, it wasn't a Porsche though, not that it matters, but the low-beam filament burned out on both lamps at almost the same time so only the high beams worked. Don't know about your high beam switch only working intermittently though, but it would be good to check your headlight relays too.

PaulStewart

It's either the relay or the head light switch.

SalzundPfeffer

I used a multimeter and traced it back to the switch. Pulled the switch out and found that one of the contacts was bad. It appeared that the some of the plastic next to the contact heated up and melted over the contact area. I cleaned the contact with some fine grit sand paper and put the switch back together. Everything now works! Hopefully the melted portion of the switch isn't indicating a bigger problem down stream.

The light switch is nothing short of a jigsaw puzzle. If anyone attempts to take theirs apart, pay close attention to how it goes back together. Removal/installation of the switch wasn't much of a problem, but taking the switch apart and putting it back together can be difficult.

Thanks
-bp

yellowline

There is no relay for the lights. Install a relay harness before more damage occurs- they're plug-and-play. See rennbay.com.

<--melted a headlight switch and the main power wire to the lights at the fusebox. I wouldn't wish that on an enemy.

SalzundPfeffer

So the fuse doesn't take care of this issue?

PaulStewart

This one made pull out the wiring diagrams thinking I would find a high/low switch over relay. Couldn't find one.