Headlight Switch Cranks Engine??

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Manny Valencia

Manny Valencia

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Hello

This is one of many sudden crazy electrical issues im having..

Has anyone ever experienced their head light switch cranking the car?

Only connection the headlight switch has to the ignition system is the factory splice with the black alternator, black ammeter, and red ignition switch wire.

This just started happening recently.

Video
 
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Sounds like one of the black wires has a back feed, somewhere going back to the ignition switch.
 
Wow. Never heard of this. I'd be interested in the solution when you find it.

Manny Valencia said:
Hello

This is one of many sudden crazy electrical issues im having..

Has anyone ever experienced their head light switch cranking the car?

Only connection the headlight switch has to the ignition system is the factory place with the black alternator, black ammeter, and red ignition switch wire.

Video
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Click to expand...
 
My Dakota tries to engage the starter when you shift it from park. I've had the NSS disconnected and been using the pushbutton starter method for now. I'm going to say it's backfeeding through the reverse light circuit, but I don't know.

Pull all the lighting fuses, and see if it still does it. Add them in, one at a time (while pulling the one you just tested) to see if you can narrow it down to a taillight, brake light, etc. circuit.
 
Sounds like a short between wires in the harness to me.
(like a hot headlight wire melting into the starter solenoid wiring)
 
Maybe it's nothing more than an anti-theft device!!! I mean what car thief in their right mind would pull the light switch to start the car??/:rofl:
 
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Manny Valencia said:
Hello

This is one of many sudden crazy electrical issues im having..

Has anyone ever experienced their head light switch cranking the car?

Only connection the headlight switch has to the ignition system is the factory place with the black alternator, black ammeter, and red ignition switch wire.

Video
Log In or Sign Up to View
Click to expand...

Just like any other time on here, WHAT IN THE HELL ARE WE WORKING ON?

Thank you. Thank you very much

I vote for short inside the harness. Often when you have "some problem" and heat up some wires, the insulation melts, which can cause cross connections in the harness. The original problem may or may not be related with the CURRENT one.

If you are working on a hemi Farmall I'm not familiar with those

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Neither am I familiar with the remote gunsights on a WWII B-29

gallery-1448888814-b29-turret-fig1.png
 
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WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?

Well if you just want a bullshit answer, "it's not."

If you actually want help with some direction, then it might be

Carry on
 
By the way, using PhacePhlant to host videos is a complete non-starter. I can't open your video without a "login" whatever that is.
 
Coincidentally my rear lights stopped working and some of my turn signal lights have constant power when they shouldn't correct?

Let bulbs have real real low dim. I feel like this issue and the headlight issue are connected.

I took apart the under dash wiring undid everything and found no faults there.

Issue has to be wiring in engine compartment? Or faulty headlight switch?

I will replace my turn signal switch and my ignition switch was new when installed.

Will try testing as suggested by you guys! Thank you!!


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Update here is the headlight switch cranking engine when pulled

Also when I pull the key back it sends a quick shot of voltage and cranks engine

 
Did you have the bulkhead connector apart? Maybe you simply "repinned" it wrongly? What happens if you twist the key to start. I see "round about" you did post that it's a 72 Dart

THIS IS IMPORTANT!!!

I would not start wildly replacing parts. I see no need at this point to say, replace the ignition switch. It is much more likely to be something wrong in the harness

Try operating the dimmer switch and see if the problem changes or goes away. Do any of the lights work properly?
 
67Dart273 said:
Did you have the bulkhead connector apart? Maybe you simply "repinned" it wrongly? What happens if you twist the key to start. I see "round about" you did post that it's a 72 Dart

THIS IS IMPORTANT!!!

I would not start wildly replacing parts. I see no need at this point to say, replace the ignition switch. It is much more likely to be something wrong in the harness

Try operating the dimmer switch and see if the problem changes or goes away. Do any of the lights work properly?
Click to expand...
Only headlights work properly.

Dimmier switch I don't think ever worked
 
Unless mis-wired the headlights go through the dimmer switch. The dimmer switch is a 3 terminal switch that selects either high or low beam and routes that power out through the bulkhead connector to the lamps on the low or high beam wire

Sounds to me like you have more than one wiring problem
 
Manny Valencia said:
Only connection the headlight switch has to the ignition system is the factory splice with the black alternator, black ammeter, and red ignition switch wire.
Click to expand...
Honestly thought you were pulling everyone's leg.
Anyway.
1) if that's the only connections at the main splice, it's missing one. Should be also be a hot to the fusebox. That's the way most are but check the factory service manual..
2) none of that is related to the ignition or the starter relay. That's the main junction. It's always hot. Power goes there onto whatever is calling for it.

As others have said, there's a short between the headlight or marker lights or instrument lights wire and the start wires, usually lablled S in the factory diagrams.
shown schematically here
 
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Mattax said:
Honestly thought you were pulling everyone's leg.
Anyway.
1) if that's the only connections at the main splice, it's missing one. Should be also be a hot to the fusebox. That's the way most are but check the factory service manual..
2) none of that is related to the ignition or the starter relay. That's the main junction. It's always hot. Power goes there onto whatever is calling for it.

As others have said, there's a short between the headlight or marker lights or instrument lights wire and the start wires, usually lablled S in the factory diagrams.
shown schematically here
Click to expand...

Thank you

It does have the splice to the fuse box.

I will investigate headlight power wires and search for a short
 
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