trying 2 figure out if there's a problem with my headlights or the switch or in my head.

One turn to the right should light up the interior lights, while another turn to the right should turn on the driving lights for night time use.

Pulling the switch out should do something? Pulling it out twice should turn on the fog lights and pulling it out three times should break it in 2

also, if you pull out and turn it to the left, these two lights illuminate on the switch ( a green one and an orange one). what does this do?

does that sound right?

 

Here's how mine work (speaking as a fellow Canada-spec car owner):

Headlights are on all the time. So are the tail lights and side markers.

Turn the headlight switch one or two stops clockwise, doesn't matter: You get dash lights, and that's all that changes.

From the 'On' position (the second click), pull the switch out once, you get front fog lights. A little icon on the bezel lights up.

From the 'Foglights On' position, pull the switch out to its second stop, and you get a rear foglight. A second icon on the bezel lights up.

If your headlight switch isn't turned full on, you can't have foglights. If your front fogs aren't on, you can't have the rear fog.

As for turning the switch counterclockwise, I've never actually tried that...

 

I also dont know, what happends when you pull the swith out more then it turns on the foglights, even that I havent checked but thats what Ive been told, but what happends if you turn the switch pullet out into different position right/left?

 

headlights are always on when the car's on? are you sure it isn't just the DRL's that are lit up?

this is the only car i've ever heard of that turning the night lights on (two clicks right in our case) doesn't light something up.

I could swear that 2 to the right should be headlights on. Maybe the switch is broken? cause honestly, i can't see anything at night unless the foggies are on.

 

The headlights ARE the DRLs, AFAIK. This was half the reason I upgraded to Litronics when I bought the car. The original lights had a bad case of burn-in from being on all the time.

 

"As for turning the switch counterclockwise, I've never actually tried that... "

turning it counter clockwise past the 12 0'clock position, and removing the key, turns on the rear parking light, left or right light depending, It's a German safety visiblity thing for parking in dark laneways i supose ....

 

My headlights are not turned on when I start the car, have to turn the switch to the right, same thing when I leave the car but then left ofcourse =)

 

Interesting....I was just about to post a question on this. I also have a Canada-spec 996 (1999 Carrera 4) and it operates just as Bruce has described.

I wonder why? All of my other Canadian market cars have only the front headlights on in a lower illumination daytime running light mode. When I noticed on the Porsche that the rear taillights and side markers were also on (with the light switch in the "off" position), I have wondered if there was something wrong with my car. Apparently not.

I wonder if this is the same for Boxsters, Cayennes, and why Porsche does this differently than other manufacturers for Canadian models?

Any comments?

...Rickker
1999 Carrera 4
2006 Subaru Legacy GT
1995 Mazda Protege
1988 Pontiac Fiero/3800SC

 

hmmm.....so i'm not loosing my mind then. comforting to know.
maybe the bulbs are just out.

 

You are correct. Even the old 911's did this if you flicked the turn indicator.