Headlight switch repair - a pictorial guide

[Funkster 0]

'lo all,

 

My headlight switch broke and I didn't fancy paying 53 quid for a new one from the dealer. I mended mine, and took some photos along the way... thought I'd put 'em on here in case someone else wants to attempt a repair.

 

Remove switch from dash, disconnect connector, and take the switch into a nice clear area - there's small parts, which you'll lose if you do it on a messy desk (like I nearly did!). Unclip the clips with a small screwdriver, and slide the two bits apart.

 

Watch out for the dash light rheostat when you've got everything to bits - it's only attached by its resistance wire which looks a bit delicate.

 

Take the rocker off by pushing it in towards the connector face (this pops the pivots out of their holes), then sliding it sideways a bit until it can come past the pivot holes. This took me a few goes.

 

Here's what the switch contacts look like.

 

The tabs on the rocker break off, so they can't slide that white bit back and forth:

 

Luckily, there's enough space for us to add reinforcement.

 

This space is on the outside of the tabs - created by this blinge that spaces the pivot away from its corresponding shear web:

 

Make some pieces, and check that they fit:

 

Glue those mofos on, along with the old broken plastic bits - make sure you line everything up where it used to be!

Note the use of twigs from the garden to keep the pieces in place while the glue sets - I used areldite rapid. Also, one of the black bobbles on my tabs had been melted - this is why it's shorter than the metal bit, which is the shape of a healthy tab. Don't make the bobbles on your repair pieces any bigger than the original ones or they won't fit into the while sliding bit.

 

Put the rocker back into the front half of the switch body - note how the pegs stick through the gaps:

 

If it doesn't move back and forth all the way, you might need to file a bit off these edges:

 

Put the dash light knob into its middle position so that when you reassemble, the wiper rides up this ramp:

Line up the bobbles on the tabs with the holes in the white sliding bit when you're putting it together.

 

And there you have it! Click!

 

 

Hope this helps someone out, feel free to give feedback and ask for clarification.

 

If enough people are interested, I'll get a price for having a load of repair pieces laser cut as I made a cad drawing while I was making mine - although I filed mine out of sheet.

 

Cheers,

--

Olly

[dr_mat 0]

I was gonna say: make some more up, this is what happened to my switch too, and I suspect most people's goes the same way. This could save folks a lot of money! Plus, given that the replacement part is real metal, it's likely to actually last a bit longer! :)

Top job! :)

[Funkster 0]

Arr. Trouble is the laser cutting people will want to do a big batch to justify setting up the rig and buying a sheet of the right thickness (~0.75mm). Would people pay a fiver for two repair pieces?

 

Even if your switch isn't broken, you could upgrade it with these so it doesn't break in the future...

 

--

Olly

[dr_mat 0]

I think most people will pay a fiver instead of a £50-er...

[daves16v 1]

Funkster, send me the drawing and I'll get them Laser cut for free.

[dinkus 10]

Superb how-to and once again applause for the mighty Dave :D

[daves16v 1]

It's a pleasure :D

[dinkus 10]

As always ;) :)

[Funkster 0]

Tidy! I'll drop the file on you on Monday as I left it on my work machine. PM me your email addy if you'd be so kind.

 

Cheers,

--

Olly

[Andy Brookes 0]

Top job....would you believe I have just sat at my pc after taking my switch apart to pop some led's in. But have lost the spring under the round contact.....bugger!

 

Would be interested in a pair for the future.

 

Cheers Andy

[mk1-corrado 0]

Nice one mate, a very helpful guide. I am now in the process of repairing my broken one as a spare as i did manage to get another for £10 but i'd like it to last this time.

[kangaroo 0]

This is awesome! That switch (along with the door handles) are one of the things I wince at everytime I use. I live in mortal fear of them breaking. At least I know there's good solutions to both of them now :)

[Fat Tony 0]

This may be a silly question but is the headlight switch problem just on the face lift model or does it effect the pre face lift cars. If so are the parts the same?

[craigowl 0]

Excellent work Olly.

I fitted up a splint on my switch when it broke nearly 2 years ago.

I briefly described my repair on the forum, saying that the mended switch will last longer than the car and slagging Teutonic quality technology.

Your howto is much more sophisticated than mine and I am retired with plenty of time, so you deserve great credit!!

[DGL 0]

Really excellent piece. Thanks. I'll have a pair if you get them made - I have just spent £53 on a switch and would like to avoid doing that again!

Any chance of a pair with the pivots?

Cheers

David

[Funkster 0]

DGL, not sure what you mean about the pivots? My repair piece goes around the outside of the original pivots, as I think it would be very difficult to remove them and replace them with metal. I don't think they're a weak point as such, just that the bit they're on is likely to break.

 

Cheers,

--

Olly

[DGL 0]

Olly

I was not suggesting a design change but acting out of self interest! The rocker on my old switch broke pretty seriously - the inner walls have broken off below the level of the outside of the rockers so the pivots are not there!

Cheers

David

[Funkster 0]

Ah! Do you not have the pieces that could be glued back into place? It should be just as strong as new once the metal bits are glued on.

 

ttfn,

--

Olly

[Bora Bora 0]

Looks like I have got to do this mod aswell after last nights little problem!

 

See thread in Exterior

[daves16v 1]

Funkster, you still want me to get them Laser cut?

[Funkster 0]

Sorry chaps, I've been quite under the weather this week and haven't had a chance to work on this. I'll keep you posted.

 

Cheers,

--

Olly

[The Boye 0]

Does the switch just pull straight out from it's surround or does anything alse need to be done first?

[craigowl 0]

Just pulls out. Gently lever it out with small, flat screwdriver applied at side of plastic switch housing.

[Funkster 0]

If you remove the blanking plate to the right (also just a gentle screwdriver job) then you can get your fingerb behind the switch and push it out. There's two metal spring clips that hold it into the dash, but they're not hard to overcome.

 

hth,

--

Olly

[fernsie 0]

I have just been havoing about the forum for info on the headlight switch and came accross this, so i am sorry if I have missed the answer to my question, but does anyone know what happened with this. Were these repair kits ever made?