intermittent head lamps

traintech86 · 09-27-2009, 07:52 PM

so i can't drive at night anymore cause my lights get weird. i turn them on and they work fine, but the second i hit a bump, they go out. if i fiddle with the switch they can come on but with all the bumps around here i end up just holding the light switch (pushing it in to the dash). its kinda hard to drive a stick and hold this thing haha. i was wondering if i can take the switch apart and clean it? or should i buy a new one? thanks all!

espguitarist33 · 09-27-2009, 08:09 PM

tighent all the connections in the switch that could be a loose solder or wire or osmething

como · 09-28-2009, 03:59 AM

could be a loose wire, but more likely a worn switch. I've not taken the switch apart but I have had it out, looks like it could become a pandoras box type thing if you open it, but it could be very simple as well.

I'd probably give it a shot, and if you fubar the switch order another

jsnod25 · 09-28-2009, 09:00 AM

put some more headlight fluid in, and burp your cooling system...

YellowJacket · 09-28-2009, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsnod25

put some more headlight fluid in, and burp your cooling system...

Funny

espguitarist33 · 09-28-2009, 12:25 PM

"well i mean jeez Red he thought an exhaust belt goes around your waist"

"um...bob...theres no such thing as an exhaust belt"

but seriously becareful wiht the wires because if you cut the convolutd tubing of hte harness it lets the smoke out and it wont work

como · 09-28-2009, 01:09 PM

Do these cars run on conventional white smoke, or the more expensive blue smoke?

espguitarist33 · 09-28-2009, 01:13 PM

mine was purple....it was 15 dollars a litre

MRQ · 09-28-2009, 02:32 PM

When I first purchased my MK1 this severly restricted me driving it. Very frustrating.

I repaired mine. The switch comes apart relatively easily using a small flathead screw driver or pen knife. My problem turned out to be a broken solder joint on the connector circuit board (pin #4). Desolder & resolder done deal.

Unfortunately my first attempt was only cleaning the switch and reinstalling it. I have become quite good at taking apart and reassembling the dashboard.

traintech86 · 09-28-2009, 03:39 PM

ok so when i get paid, ill pick up a soldering gun, and a voltmeter and go to work on this lil guy

YellowJacket · 09-28-2009, 04:58 PM

Its probably the same reason, and same kind of switch where the intermittent wipers fail or come on and off due to the broken solder joints. I fixed my wipers with a 5 dollar solder gun and some solder the same way. The write up is on the MKI MR2 Write-ups site. Not sure why you need a voltmeter, but maybe headlights are different... the solder joints are visibly cracked and just needs freshening up.

09-27-2009, 07:52 PM	#1 (permalink)
traintech86 Cage Fighter Join Date: May 2009 Location: Yokosuka, Kanagawa Japan Posts: 1,802 Thanks: 27 Thanked 47 Times in 43 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (3/100% )	intermittent head lamps so i can't drive at night anymore cause my lights get weird. i turn them on and they work fine, but the second i hit a bump, they go out. if i fiddle with the switch they can come on but with all the bumps around here i end up just holding the light switch (pushing it in to the dash). its kinda hard to drive a stick and hold this thing haha. i was wondering if i can take the switch apart and clean it? or should i buy a new one? thanks all!

09-28-2009, 02:32 PM	#9 (permalink)
MRQ 80s Toy Addict Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Northern VA Posts: 5 Thanks: 1 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post iTrader Rating: (1/100% )	When I first purchased my MK1 this severly restricted me driving it. Very frustrating. I repaired mine. The switch comes apart relatively easily using a small flathead screw driver or pen knife. My problem turned out to be a broken solder joint on the connector circuit board (pin #4). Desolder & resolder done deal. Unfortunately my first attempt was only cleaning the switch and reinstalling it. I have become quite good at taking apart and reassembling the dashboard. Attached Thumbnails

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09-27-2009, 08:09 PM	#2 (permalink)
espguitarist33 Cage Fighter Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: west chester PA Posts: 528 Thanks: 4 Thanked 7 Times in 7 Posts iTrader Rating: (2/100% )	tighent all the connections in the switch that could be a loose solder or wire or osmething

09-28-2009, 03:59 AM	#3 (permalink)
como Road Warrior Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Southern Maine Posts: 652 Thanks: 13 Thanked 10 Times in 9 Posts iTrader Rating: (2/100% )	could be a loose wire, but more likely a worn switch. I've not taken the switch apart but I have had it out, looks like it could become a pandoras box type thing if you open it, but it could be very simple as well. I'd probably give it a shot, and if you fubar the switch order another

09-28-2009, 09:00 AM	#4 (permalink)
jsnod25 How did this get changed? Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Va beach, va Posts: 133 Thanks: 6 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	put some more headlight fluid in, and burp your cooling system...

09-28-2009, 12:25 PM	#6 (permalink)
espguitarist33 Cage Fighter Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: west chester PA Posts: 528 Thanks: 4 Thanked 7 Times in 7 Posts iTrader Rating: (2/100% )	"well i mean jeez Red he thought an exhaust belt goes around your waist" "um...bob...theres no such thing as an exhaust belt" but seriously becareful wiht the wires because if you cut the convolutd tubing of hte harness it lets the smoke out and it wont work

09-28-2009, 01:09 PM	#7 (permalink)
como Road Warrior Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Southern Maine Posts: 652 Thanks: 13 Thanked 10 Times in 9 Posts iTrader Rating: (2/100% )	Do these cars run on conventional white smoke, or the more expensive blue smoke?

09-28-2009, 01:13 PM	#8 (permalink)
espguitarist33 Cage Fighter Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: west chester PA Posts: 528 Thanks: 4 Thanked 7 Times in 7 Posts iTrader Rating: (2/100% )	mine was purple....it was 15 dollars a litre

09-28-2009, 03:39 PM	#10 (permalink)
traintech86 Cage Fighter Join Date: May 2009 Location: Yokosuka, Kanagawa Japan Posts: 1,802 Thanks: 27 Thanked 47 Times in 43 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (3/100% )	ok so when i get paid, ill pick up a soldering gun, and a voltmeter and go to work on this lil guy

09-28-2009, 04:58 PM	#11 (permalink)
YellowJacket 1985 16v NA 6-speed Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 415 Thanks: 8 Thanked 31 Times in 24 Posts iTrader Rating: (1/100% )	Its probably the same reason, and same kind of switch where the intermittent wipers fail or come on and off due to the broken solder joints. I fixed my wipers with a 5 dollar solder gun and some solder the same way. The write up is on the MKI MR2 Write-ups site. Not sure why you need a voltmeter, but maybe headlights are different... the solder joints are visibly cracked and just needs freshening up.