So I took the car out today as it was a nice day and everything worked great! Went to work, came back, started here up and when I hit the lights they did not pop up, I then saw smoke coming from the stalk! I turned the car off and went to check the fuses and all are good! I turned the car on again and all the lights work except the headlights, License plate lights, and the Engine bay light! I wanted to see if the motor was bad so I manually moved them up and the motor pulled them back down! My guage cluster says everything is on, even my high beams but my lights don't turn on at all and they are not poping up! What do you guys think went wrong? I am thinking that maybe the connector on the stalk burnt? Is it fixable without buying a new stalk as everything shows that it works in the cluster! Does the main headlight switch have a fuse somewhere? What could have caused this problem?

Thanks

 

probably shorted out somewhere

 

In the wire? Or in some socket? Anyone know where the wire routes inside the panels?

 

Is this an early car with the rocker type headlight switch in the dash, or a late car with a ****?

My 83 did exactly this when the headlight rocker switch in the dash went bad.

 

It's a late model.

 

Another simptom is that my lights fluxuate on the stereo when I have the light switch turned all the way on!

 

I'd definitely start with the light switch, even if it's the **** type. Keep in mind that the lights on the 944 don't have a relay, so all the current is put through the dash switch. When it goes bad, it "sizzles" like yours did.

 

Even when the smoke came from the turn signal stalk?

 

FWIW the headlight switch is right below the turn signal stalk, so the smoke from the burnt headlight switch probably came out of the hole in the steering column on the turn signal side.

 

If you need a headlight switch I have several good ones from late 944s. $25 shipped. PM me if interested.

 

Ok sayporsha I am interested but want to check one more thing before i buy the switch! This will be very noob as I am not an electrician and have very little knowlage on how to test the car with a voltage meter! But how do I check if there is voltage at the switch with a meter? And what setting do i need to switch my meter to?

Thanks!

 

Well, I'm not a noob but I'm no electrician, either. If your switch did short out it was likely due to mechanical failure of the switch, because a short circuit elsewhere would have blown the fuse instead. If you remove the switch and see burn/smoke marks on it, it probably needs to be replaced.

 

Looked at the switch and everything looks good! No plastic was melted and connections have some wear a tear on them but are in good condition except connectors look a little more darker then others!

Does the turn signal stalk play a part in the lights aswell beside the high beams?

 

Hello All...I am new!

The reason the headlights will not come up, could be a bad ignition switch, I have to wiggle mine into the right spot to get the light, etc to come up.

 

I tried the ey thing and nothing! I did install some led lights but they have 12v resistors built inside of them! Do you guys think that maybe the leds messed something up?

Also what controls the lights to be turned on, is it only the light switch or does the turn signal and wiper control stock play a part in it aswell! All fuses are good and smoke came from left side right by the stalk turn signal stalk! Inside in teh trun signal stalk the metal looks wet as if it caught fire! And my headloght switch looks good except 2 connecting pins are darker then other!

Any suggestions as to why my lights won't pop up and turn on?