Technical Steering Column Stalks / Headlights

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Technical Steering Column Stalks / Headlights

desert rat

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Jul 25, 2007
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Bahrain
Has anyone had any experience with the headlight stalk lever? Had a few instances where when using indicators headlights go off or going from high to low beam the low beam lights fail to come on :eek: normally followed by panic shaking of the stalk lever to recover...

I'm pretty sure it's a problem with the lever. has anyone else experienced this?

before I start tearing things apart Anyone know if they repairable or a sealed unit? or the same as any other fiat? ( I know disconnect battery before touching airbag...)

Failing this I guess it's another call to Barchettaparts.com

Many thanks

Wayne
 
Hi

A couple of years ago I had some rather similar problems which I traced to the lighting stalk switch on the steering column. Once the column switch unit has been removed, which also involves removing the airbag and steering wheel, there are a couple of simple diagnostic tests detailed in the Fiat service manual which helped me track down the problem.

The trouble is that the design of the switch, and in particular it's contacts, is rather inadeqate so that any increase of resistance through them (due to damp / corrosion) causes some small spring loaded plastic parts to partially melt and jam; in my case that was the cause of side / dipped lamps flashing on and off or failing when the stalk was moved to use the indicators.

The initial cure for the problem was a second hand switch unit from DTR (about £80) when this also failed, from the same cause, I cannibalised the two units and had no more real lighting problems till I got rid of the car about three weeks ago.

I think the long term solution, which I intended to carry out had I kept the car, would have been to change the wiring and install a second relay for the dipped beams (the standard design is such that a relay only operates when main beam is selected) This would have meant that the stalk switch would not have to carry a high (plastic melting) current when the headlamps were on dip.

Hope this may be of some help, if you do decide to take off the switch unit don't forget to disconnect the battery before removing the airbag.

Best wishes


Hugh
 
One of the advantages of HID's: 35w vs 110w for bulbs or more if you've been fiddling with uprated lamps.
 
Thanks for the advice everyone.. I'm sure the problem is wit the stalk thanks hugh for letting me know that they can be disassembled... I think I will try this option first. (disconnect batt first)!! :eek:

I did briefly try the upgraded bulbs but soon switched to the HID's but after 1 power supply quit went back to standards...

Looking on eper they cost a fortune new.. so if all else fails It will be bparts.com

She has to come off the road for a while this year as I need to look into the brakes... going to go with ferodo pads all round, SS hoses and get the disks grouved and dotted.. hopefully after this she will stop when requested....
 
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