1970 Dart Headlight Switch

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Joe Blow

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So I am having issues with my dash lights not working. I have power at the fuse when the headlight switch is pulled out one click. All the wires seem ok, so my next step is to replace the headlight switch.

I found a couple that claim they fit my car, but the price discrepancy between the two is huge. I don't have a problem spending money on a quality part, but I wonder if there is really any difference between the two.

I am leaning towards the Year One switch, as I have heard good things about them while I have heard bad things about Autozone. I also keep hearing the "If its too good to be true" statement in my head.

YearOne - Part: NG1020

http://www.autozone.com/electrical-and-lighting/headlight-switch/duralast-headlight-switch/2543_0_0

Do both of these switches suck? Is there a better one I should be buying??

Thanks!
 
If your dash lights are not working, the first thing I would check before buying anything is making sure the the light switch knob is actually on. Rotate the knob back and forth and see if you have lights. Sometimes the reostat on the light switch gets some corrosion on it. If that does nothing then check the fuse. It should be a 5A fuse, usually at the end of the fuse panel. IIRC a Brown wire from the light switch is on one fuse terminal and provides power to the fuse; the other is an orange wire or possibly more piggybacked on the other fuse terminal going to the instrument lighting or any other light when the light switch is pulled to the first or 2nd position (radio light, ashtray light for example). If nothing then change the light switch. The 2nd one you linked looks exactly light the one I'm using in my modified Mirada dash harness. I have 3 or 4 original switches - I can send you one for the cost of postage if you want.
 
You need power out of the other end of that fuse. I've seen glass bar fuses broken underneath the metal end cap and crusty contact clips in the fuse box too. There are other lamps on this orange wire circuit. Checking power through the dimmer to orange wires is easier checked at those locations. Do radio, ash tray, shift indicator lamps work?
I don't argue that the dimmer is a common culprit turning off all these lamps. May as well fully diagnose.
 
RedFish said:
You need power out of the other end of that fuse. I've seen glass bar fuses broken underneath the metal end cap and crusty contact clips in the fuse box too. There are other lamps on this orange wire circuit. Checking power through the dimmer to orange wires is easier checked at those locations. Do radio, ash tray, shift indicator lamps work?
I don't argue that the dimmer is a common culprit turning off all these lamps. May as well fully diagnose.
Click to expand...

I pulled the fuse and checked it with a multimeter and it is good. I cleaned off the contacts before I put it back in, and I am getting power on both ends of the fuse.

I have turned the switch back and forth many many times hoping that would clean the contacts and make it work.

There is an aftermarket radio installed by the previous owner, and my ashtray has no light socket anywhere to be found.

I don't have shift indicator lamps. Are these lamps located on the steering column itself??

Thanks!
 
well, wherever PRNDL is should have a bulb on a orange wire. Not all ash trays were lighted and the 68 ash tray has a remote lamp. The light travels a fiber optic strand to the tray.
If you cant access any orange wires anywhere... I suppose pull the headlight switch is next.
There are only 4 illumination bulbs in the average inst' panel. Those bulbs and their sockets are questionable. All 4 out for one reason or the other? It's possible. I just like to know there is power going there before I move on to pulling the inst' panel, or laying upside down attempting to service them from underneath. Good luck with it.
 
YOUR PROBLEM IS NOT the headlight switch, at least as you describe it.

The inst fuse at the end of the fuse panel, works like this:

Headlight switch has TWO power SOURCES, one is UNfused and ONLY for headlights nothing else. The headlight switch has a built in breaker for ONLY the headlights

Everything else, tail, marker, dash lamps is sourced FROM the "tail" fuse

So in order for the INST fuse to have power:

The tail fuse must be good and the circuit intact
The light switch must be in either "Park" or "head"
The dash dimmer control must be turned "to the left"

If you then have power at the INST fuse, then nothing I mentioned above is the problem.

Do ANY dash dimmer controlled lamps work? Radio? Heater bezel? Shift quadrant? If so, the trouble is right at or in the cluster
 
67Dart273 said:
YOUR PROBLEM IS NOT the headlight switch, at least as you describe it.
Click to expand...
So the dimmer rheostat on the headlight switch cant be the problem? I think the orange wire might be routed through that dimmer and the headlight switch harness connector. Or maybe not. Maybe the rheostat reduces the current through the inst fuse and out the orange wire. I forget. Again, good luck
 
Put in a new headlight switch, and now my dash lights work!

Thanks for all the replies!
 
RedFish said:
So the dimmer rheostat on the headlight switch cant be the problem? I think the orange wire might be routed through that dimmer and the headlight switch harness connector. Or maybe not. Maybe the rheostat reduces the current through the inst fuse and out the orange wire. I forget. Again, good luck
Click to expand...

He said he "had power at the fuse" which is downstream from the dimmer control. I assumed he meant the INST fuse. Well it's fixed "I guess." LOL
 
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