Technical Low Beam problem

[JBrouwers]

Hi
I'm restoring a nice fiat 126 from 99, polish origin. All the electrics works apart from the low beam.
I've checked that the main bulbs on both sides work (directly at a 12V battery). The fuses are OK. So I turn on the ignition, turn on the light switch at the left on the dash, and the parking lights come on. Front (small lights) and back are OK. Yet the lever from the steering wheel to activate the low beam doesn't work.

I've checked the schematics which I found here. Extracted the text for the legend and translated it into English. Checked the wires at the fuse box to see if they match the description and they do.

If I power the gray / gray-black wire directly at the fuse (position 3 and 4), both lights come on. The high beam with the green / green-black wires works as well, both direct and when pulling the lever towards the driver. So there's nothing wrong with the wiring or the bulbs or the fuses. It must be the steering column switch.

I read that their internal contact can go bad and the switch itself is not serviceable, so I ordered a new one which arrived today only to find that it's still not working!

If you look at the various wires on this switch, it's hard to see which ones are from the what. Yet, there's a yellow wire that has power. When you push the light lever towards the driver, the high beam comes on and the thick blue wire is powered (connecting it back to the fuse box, position 3).
The grey-red wire from this switch that connects back to the fuse position 5, which should power the low beams, does nothing, however the lever is changed. If I power the terminal of the grey-red wire directly, the low beam comes on. Same with the new switch! So it's not the internal contact but something different.....

What am I missing here?

I hope someone can shed some light and help me fix the last electrical problem.

Thanks in advance
Jeroen Brouwers

 

[Zardo]

Maybe check the function of the new switch with an Ohmmeter.

I had this problem on a 1995 Bravo, but the switch (the entire "stalk unit") was way to expensive for me as it was about 650 € new at the time, if I remember correctly, so I rewired the low beams to a manual push button switch which I installed on the dashboard and which could take the amps. This will not restore your car to pristine conditions, off course. But your new switch will fail again after so many hours with the low beams on. Not providing a relay for the low beams is a design error, IMHO.

 

[the green vanper]

turn on the light switch at the left on the dash, and the parking lights come on. Front (small lights) and back are OK. Yet the lever from the steering wheel to activate the low beam doesn't work.

There are two switches that are used to operate the lights. As far as I remember, the one on the dashboard housing is a 3 position switch: off / parking = side lights / low beam.

I can't remember if high beam can be switched only when side lights are activated, on low beam is a must. However I think it's more likely that low beam must be on.

Then the other switch (the one on the steering column):

the rear lever on the left side has 2 positions: off (so only low beam) / on (down = high beam). If you pull the lever towards you, it shall temporarily enable the high beam (like to warn the others, I think it is called passing in English).

We had two 126p back in the 80's and 90's. And then the 126bis, which was my first car. And then my father had an early Cinquecento, which had a very similar cockpit as the latest 126.

 

[JBrouwers]

jezus, thanks! I've spend a day reading the schematics but missed this part: "As far as I remember, the one on the dashboard housing is a 3 position switch: off / parking = side lights / low beam.".
I missed position 3.

Thanks a bunch for the quick replies. Problem solved

 

[124BC1]

It's always the little things that can catch you out

(BTDT)