just bought 240sx s13 popup light dont go down, no dash lights

[lonedrifter240sx]

pop up lights dont go down. tried pushing button to left of steering column and no movement. turing the switch on the stalk of steering column, it just turns the lights on and off....no up or down

if anyone can help....PLEASE any suggestion..

one more thing, one of the motor harnesses on the pass. side was unplugged so the lights worked (on or off, still pop up postion)but when i plugged the pass side motor harness in, the pass light turned off.

thanks

[sileightysomeday]

i have the same problem. the headlights stay up , and sometimes when im driving during the day, they just go down by themselves.. it's weird. well, i hope you find an answer, cuz im in the same boat.

[amolao]

I had that problem one time, it was a defective gauge cluster....there was a short on the illumination path that threw the pop ups and car light system out of sync.....maybe you want to check this...the quicker test will be to find another cluster and switch it......or the short might be somewhere else in the illumination path....radio, taillight/headlight...etc

[JDMEnthused]

just check your wiring.. it may take awhile but.. single the wire out and eliminate the problem while you can.

good luck.

[AZhitman]

Try a known good headlight switch (the stalk).

Easy to swap out.

[240TweakerNewbee]

Exactly, the post that sticks out on the left side of your steering wheel that turns on and off your lights and controlls your turn signal is the problem. Its easy to take out, just a few screws and a wiring connector. My car had the same problem up until two weeks ago when I found a replacement for that piece at a pick-a-part. Nissan sells them for about $70 (well at least they did a few years ago) but I wasnt 100% sure it was the problem so $5 at the wrecking yard was a better deal for this experiment, now my lights go down just fine.

[sileightysomeday]

you know, i recently replaced the turn signal stalk... because my pass. side headlight wouldn't work at all. now they don't go up and down, could it be possible that i have two defective stalks? is there a point on the stalk thati can just clean or something for a better connection? i also, replaced the gauge cluster not too long ago also. i've also replaced the TCU, and battery. hm... i'll check with my old stalk and see if it helps. i think it might just be a bad connection at some part, cuz the headlights used to come down after a while on their own, so im thinking that maybe there is a bad point, and occasionaly it will make contact and thus make the headlights go down... hm.. tinkering this weekend... thanks.

[lonedrifter240sx]

i took apart the stalk and cleam all the metal pieces. when i turn the stalk with the pass side headlight motor plug unplugged then both lights work fine (((taking in consideration the lights dont go up and down)))

recently i took the neg illumination wire and grounded it now the cluster lights work. however, the radio has another ground so basically i have two grounds around the radio area. if i replace the TCU, will ihave to undo the grounding of the illumination?

furthermore, the pop up botton on left of steering wheel doesnt bring lights up and down either.....HELP PLEASE!!!

thanks guys i'm a newbie....only had this car 5 days now.

[mixflip]

I JUST BOUGHT AN S13 AND THE DASH LIGHT SWENT OUT TOO. I TOOK IN INTO THE SHOP AND THEY PULLED OUT THE CLUSTER AND ON THE BACK THERE WAS A MULTIPLE SHORT OUT OF "MOTHER BOARD TYPE" WIRES. I THINK IT IS A DESIGN FLAW THAT ALLOWS THE WIRES JUST BENEATH THE COMPUTER STYLE WIRES TO TOUCH AND EVENTUALLY SHORT OUT. THE SHOP ORDERED A BRAND NEW "COMPUTER WIRE" MOTHER BOARD LOOKING THING AND ARE CURRENTLY PLANNING ON REPLACING THE WHOLE THING. THEY ARE GOING TO AD TAPE IN BETWEEN THE TWO POINTS SO THEY DONT HAPPEN AGAIN.

I BET YOUR ODOMETER DOESNT WORK IF THE DASH LIGHTS ARE OUT RIGHT? ITS ALL RUN THROUGH A WIRE HARNESS, NOT A CABLE SO IF THE DASH GOES THE WHOLE THING GOES!!! IT REALLY SUCKS!

I WILL INCLUDE PICS ASAP...FRICKEN THING IS COSTING ME ABOUT $700 TO REPLACE. I SHOULD HAVE TRIED FINDING A JUNKYARD DIGITAL DASH AND PLUGGED IN IN TO SEE IF IT WORKS? I COULD HAVE SAVED MYSELF ALOT OF MONEY? BUT AT LEAST IT WILL BE FIXED PROFFESSIONALLY NOW! HOPE THIS HELP? TOM

[Chezedik]

Mine does the same, I assumed the switch failed. Luckily, I have a spare from my old one. Thought that was the prob, but good to know.

[candymans240sx]

Wow I have replaced several instrument clusters on my last s13 tring different things. Never noticed anything that might cause shorting. just a cluster and a wire harness. Good luck trying to find a digital cluster or a HUD in the salvage yard. I'm selling a analog style with indigol overlays on ebay right now.

[silpena]

one of my head light does that sometimes all i have to do is tap the head light lightly and it goes down... hmm don't wat it could be.