SQF Posted May 18, 2002 Report Share Posted May 18, 2002 Â Â This is a VERY common problem. Â The headlights will go off but the popups refuse to drop. Â If you run into this problem run out to the car depress the OFF switch and "wiggle" the ON switch. Â Normally this will get the popups to drop. Â The cause is that the switch contacts get corroded and lose contact. Â Â Â If the popups drop when you "wiggle" the On switch then the following proceedure will more than likely cure the problem. Remove the left bank of switches (remove screws and disconnect from wiring harness via clip), I honestly can not recall if the entire cluster hood needs to be removed or not. Â It has been a while since doing mine. Â Once you have the bank of switches out you can take it to a suitable working area. Â You can disassemble the bank to get at the brass contacts. Â Clean the contacts up with a little sandpaper or emery cloth. Apply some bulb grease and re-assemble the switch. Â While taking the switches apart be CAREFULL as there is a spring on each switch wich pushes them out after being depressed. Â If you aren't carefull you could put an eye out when one of them fly across the room. Â I am sure whoevers eye gets put out would then be unwilling to crawl around on their knees looking for the spring for you. hehe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Banky Posted May 18, 2002 Report Share Posted May 18, 2002 Are you sure it has nothing to do with the popup relays, popup motor, or vaccum line? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SQF Posted May 18, 2002 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2002 That FAQ is just a starting point. Other problems may be present. It is just the first thing people should check. Sort of like the rear wiper, 3rd brakelight FAQ. Just things that can happen and what the most common causes are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpmilkovich Posted July 2, 2002 Report Share Posted July 2, 2002 another place to look is in the dash. pull down the glove box and look to the left in the dash. there is a plug there that must be connected in order for the headlights to go down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mstieg Posted August 3, 2003 Report Share Posted August 3, 2003 Thanks to Indy_85stariones for the following info: "Back before the internet, I have replaced 2-3 left-hand cluster switches and 1-2 right-hand cluster switches -- at about $95 per switch. If you think the cost of higher education is expensive, try ignorance. After the internet, I learned that the contacts of these switches can be cleaned. Now, I wish that I kept my old switches. Actually, what I do to prevent the problem. When I want to turn on my headlights, I... 1) use the R.H. switch to open headlight doors 2) use the L.H. switch to turn on headlights I reverse the sequence to turn them off. I was buying a new cluster switch every 18 months, so I had to try something. I haven't purchased a new cluster switch since 1991 or 92, so the sequence process must be working. Other possible causes, besides dirty contacts on cluster switches 1) Clean/check fusible link (next to battery) 2) Check Fuse #4 (different for widebody) 3) Clean contact of headlight switch (flash headlights before passing) 4) Bad passing control relay 5) Bad pop-up motor relay 6) Bad pop-up motor 7) Open circuit in harness Another very common problem with RH cluster switch... 1) No brake lights. The third-eye brake light on hatch works, but the brakes on taillights do not. The third-eye light is connected directly to the brake pedal switch. The taillight brake lights must go thru turn-signal and emergency/hazzard switch circuits. Guess what, the emergency/hazzard switch is on the R.H. cluster. Open circuit equals no brake lights. While removing your cluster switches, keep various screws/trip odometer button/etc in a seperate pill bottle for each step along the way. I am not sure what you can use to clean the switches -- pencil eraser??, TV Tuner spray?? -- I've always bought a new switch. " "indy" Much appreciated Indy -Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mstieg Posted November 18, 2003 Report Share Posted November 18, 2003 The USUAL EASY FIX: Replace to busted POS switch assembly!! - can get for only a few bucks from many members. !!!NOTE!!! If you have an 87 like me, the plug for the 3 switch assembly is DIFFERENT from the 88-89 plug! (I'm not sure of the even older cars and flatsiders) To avoid having to splice all 10 wires of "new" switch onto original plug, I'd advise sticking to your own year when getting a replace. -Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jabattle Posted November 18, 2003 Report Share Posted November 18, 2003 Matt, Â Â What switch are you talking about? Â POS? Â I think this is my problem. Â Where is the switch located? Who has a new one. I needs, baaaaaaddd!!! Is this the left hand dash switches, that so many have been complaining about? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mstieg Posted November 18, 2003 Report Share Posted November 18, 2003 Haa, sorry, POS stand for any part or a whole car, meaning Piece Of Shiet. Basically take out the two screws going in above the plastic gauge window, and the two facing up on both outside corners of the console and it will lift up and away from the dash, then just pull the 2 screws holding the switch assembly on from behind. Yes, the three switches on the left all are pieced together as one unit with one plug. It comes out from behind along with the plastic surrounding part with the labels on it. Just remove the 2 screws holding it one the console. The plastic label shell piece can be removed from the switches also by 2 more screws. Toss out a request for the switch on the items needed forum and check the for sale for any cars being parted out. I looked at it, and it's pretty easy and cheap to replace, not worth trying to clean, reinstall and then see if it is still messed up. If the button is floppy, it won't last. -Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jabattle Posted November 22, 2003 Report Share Posted November 22, 2003 Matt, Thanks for the POS info. GOT IT!! Check this out. Since I was too cheap to buy a new switch, I did clean it up and actually switched the buttons. I carefully shaved the notches inside the buttons in order for them to be interchangeable. Anyway, I was bored, now the switch is tighter than.... Anyway, it wasn't the switches, it was the passing control relay inside and to the left of the glove box. The transistor portion inside the black box (relay) burns out. this connect the blue/black wire and blue wire to the pop-up motor relays. Anyway, did a little swapping at the local junkyard and wa-la my lights shot to the down position quicker than I plugged the relay in... lo and behold, if that light switch doesn't work, check out the passing control relay inside and to the left of the glove box. peace and good lighting jb 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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