Head light problem

[Speed Monster]

My car is a 1994 240SX LE Convertible, 2.4L engine, production date is 8/93. It was a Nevada car it's whole life and for the past month and from now on will reside in Phoenix, Arizona. I have a passanger side headlight that is inop only when on the high beam. Before I replaced the lamp it didn't work and after replacing the lamp still doesn't work. Checked the fuse in engine compartment and it's good.Where do I go from here? Uhhhh..I hate electrical problemsSD


Modified by Speed Monster at 10:45 AM 6/11/2007

[vancouverbc]

if you dont like electrical, try replacing the light switch.

[Speed Monster]

Just wondering vancouverbc why you would suggest that?

[vancouverbc]

because it is the most common problem. you might have another type of problem but you need to be electrical expert to find it. someone mentioned they got the switch on ebay for 35 dollars.

[honeybus]

Hello.

If you notice, your HIGH BEAM indicator light will not be on when the high beam switch is on.

It is a classical mechanical failure. MECHANICAL!!

I have taken to 'saving' the mechanical part from 240SX in the junk yards as I stroll through. Since I have pulled at least 6 light switches there and my light switch some 4-6 times, I can assure you that it is something which you can do quite easily.

But . . . my first stumbling block was trying to find out what people mean by 'light switch'. It turns out they mean that black light switch stalk that is under the left side of your steering wheel!!!!!

Damn, how could that be the problem?!?!?!?! That whole thing??

Well, when you unscrew the plastic housing around the steering column so you can get to the light switch stalk, and unscrew the light switch stalk, and pull the two electrical plugs off the light switch stalk (and a small, tiny screw), you will see the back side of the light switch stalk has a plastic (white??) box, smaller than a match stick box at the base. This is the mechanical part that goes bad.

I generally take this plastic box off the light switch stalk by undoing the tabs that hold the plastic box in place. It takes a bit of careful poking with a few appropriate tools (knife blade tip; small flat blade screwdriver; butter knife) but it does come off nicely and in one piece.

This is the piece that you would be replacing if you don't get the whole stalk from eBay (or me!)

If you ask, I can post pictures of the stalk and the box.

Barry sends

[adrianfromthecastle]

try replacing the light switch.

+1

[betty21]

check the circuit of your light. they are right you might be having a mechanical issue.

[honeybus]

+1

Yes, adrians_S13. You and vancouverbc are there ahead of me.

I am adding to the thread that you can be 95% assured it is the light switch when you don't see the high beam indicator light come on when the passenger headlight is dark and the driver headlight is high beam. Click teh high beam switch on and off and ... and if the blue light doesn't flash on and off with the high beam switch, it is the classic light switch problem.

Also, I am adding that you don't need to replace the entire light switch, just the small mechanical box at the base of the light switch.

Funny. My other car is a VW camper bus, and one of my low beams would not come on. I pulled both headlights and measured the voltage to the base of both of the seal beamed lights. One was getting 12.x volts, the other less than 4 volts.

The fuse was obviously not broken, or I would not be getting even 4 volts to the dark low beam light .

OK, I pulled the fuse and visually inspected it, and it was the fuse!! The VW uses a ceramic fuse, and somehow one end of the fuse MELTED enough that the fuse was not seated in the fuse box solid enough. replace the fuse with a clean one, and all is now good. A mechanical problem manifasted itself in electrical malfunction.

[Speed Monster]

Honeybus.....Thanks for the reply, Okay so I take the plastic box off the stalk and out of the steering column...no problem I can do that. Here's the question Where do I get just that box? Does Nissan even sell just that box?, and if not, then I'm stuck finding it at the junk yard + it may not be good. Can I repair the one I have? Is it just a matter of a little contact cleaner? I'm willing to give it a try but is it worth it?

SM

[honeybus]

Sorry to be so late...

I am sending you a PM. I checked my profile and it is using an older email address.

I am better found at [email protected]




Modified by honeybus at 10:33 AM 6/14/2007

[vancouverbc]

This is important. Can you explain to everyone how to clean/fix the switch?

[honeybus]

Really, I don't know that you can clean/fix the switch.

I tried to fix the base unit (that's what I am going to call the white plastic box from now on). I took i toff and sprayed it with carb cleaner to get rid of the grease that I thought was interfering with the mechanical movements inside. It took a few tries, but I got it back together but it still did not work [to my satisfaction.]

This was a year back, so I don't know the final results back then. I believe that it did work and then went back to not working, but I cannot be sure. So I got a whole light switch stalk from the junk yard, about $8 back then [I just checked their on-line price list and it is now $12!!!]

I put that on my 240SX. The one you see pictured is the one I replaced. It probably has the original base unit that I took apart.

If you like, I can pull the base unit off and try take pictures all around so you'se guys can get a better understanding.

I have a 1978 VW camper that is currently my daily driver, had it for the past 12 years. This was my impetus to go to the junk yards.

With the 240SX, I had to go to the yards to practice taking things apart before I tried it on my 240SX.

The 240SX's and the VW vans are on different sides of the junk yard(s) - there are four I try to hit on one run. Once I sell my 240SX, I won't be going over to that side anymore..

I just gave up on doing a five speed swap into my 240SX and I will soon be selling it.

VancouverBC, would you like me to take and post a few more pictures??

Say, I heard that Canada REQUIRES that the 240SX's have daylight running lights. Is that so??

[honeybus]

VancouverBC and friends, I just posted some pictures.

zerothread?id=257994

Barry sends