[DMCForum] Headlight switch

["cruznmd" <racuti1@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Ok, I've fixed my headlight switch. (I was going to call Bill and do 
a "hazard transplant" but it wasn't necessary. Yes, the switch is a 
poor design. Here's what happened:

As we all know (or should know) the fuses and fuse block contacts 
should be cleaned about once per year (another example of maintenance 
not normally done on other vehicles). The blades on my fuses and the 
fuse block contacts were -BLACK-. Some of the plastic fuse bodies 
were bloated from heat.

Also, an area that no one thinks of: The sliding brass contacts in 
the headlight switch were green/brown with tarnish or corrosion. All 
of this corrosion causes impedence in the circuit which leads to a 
build-up of heat that melted the plastic slide rails in the switch to 
the sliding brass contacts "freezing" it in the "on" position. Not to 
mention that some people feel a heavier gauge of wire should have 
been used in production anyway.

I used a dremel tool to carefully grind away the melted plastic and 
some fine, needle-nose pliers to carefully re-bend the brass sliding 
contact.

The switch is "Torrix" brand if anyone wants to try to cross-ref by 
that.

If you drive your car a lot, replace or clean your fuses annually. 
Use some emery paper and clean the fuse block contacts. This will 
help save your wiring and switches.

Rich A.
#5335

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