HeadWizard
New member
- 729
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- Location
- Chantilly, VA
I seem to be having an intermittent issue with my lights. Found this while driving home from a Lions Club meeting a few weeks ago. Was right next to the Courthouse/Jail in Fairfax (yes, city police in view) when my lights just go out and yes, it's dark out.
After uttering the appropriate phrases loudly while trying to see where to park on the dark side street, I am helped by the helpful officers spotlight.
I wiggled the switch, the wires under the dash - nothing. A couple minutes later, the lights just come back on by themselves
The officer escorts me to the city limits.
10 minutes later on a narrow, lightless, wooded back road at 35 mph, the lights goe completely dark again. I can't see much past the hood and certainly the lusterless 3 color camo makes it easy for other drivers to see me. I find a driveway to pull into and futz with the wiring and switches for some reason. Nothing.
I figure the worst thing that'll happen is that I'll mash something in the 3 miles left to home so I take off lightless. A mile or so later the lights magically come back on and stay on until home.
Next day I decide to get adventurous and disassemble the light switch (heck, it has screws on it so it must be meant to be taken apart). I was lucky and only lost 1 of the little springs that flew everywhere when it came apart! For those of you who haven't tried this repair, you should! The contacts were good and burnt looking. I went about burnishing up all the electrical contacts and applied dilectric grease. Had to take apart about 15 of my wifes pens to find one that had a close enough spring in it that I could rob to replace the one that went missing. Put the whole mess back together, installed the switch back in the truck and amazingly, the lights came on!
My feeling of accomplishment was dashed when about 5 minutes later the lights went dark again. I haven't driven it in the pm since....
SO does anyone have any suggestions as to what might be the cause of the intermittantly operating lights? Any and all help is greatly appreciated.
After uttering the appropriate phrases loudly while trying to see where to park on the dark side street, I am helped by the helpful officers spotlight.
I wiggled the switch, the wires under the dash - nothing. A couple minutes later, the lights just come back on by themselves
The officer escorts me to the city limits.10 minutes later on a narrow, lightless, wooded back road at 35 mph, the lights goe completely dark again. I can't see much past the hood and certainly the lusterless 3 color camo makes it easy for other drivers to see me. I find a driveway to pull into and futz with the wiring and switches for some reason. Nothing.
I figure the worst thing that'll happen is that I'll mash something in the 3 miles left to home so I take off lightless. A mile or so later the lights magically come back on and stay on until home.
Next day I decide to get adventurous and disassemble the light switch (heck, it has screws on it so it must be meant to be taken apart). I was lucky and only lost 1 of the little springs that flew everywhere when it came apart! For those of you who haven't tried this repair, you should! The contacts were good and burnt looking. I went about burnishing up all the electrical contacts and applied dilectric grease. Had to take apart about 15 of my wifes pens to find one that had a close enough spring in it that I could rob to replace the one that went missing. Put the whole mess back together, installed the switch back in the truck and amazingly, the lights came on!
My feeling of accomplishment was dashed when about 5 minutes later the lights went dark again. I haven't driven it in the pm since....
SO does anyone have any suggestions as to what might be the cause of the intermittantly operating lights? Any and all help is greatly appreciated.
