Head lights stopped working

Regan Burba

Regan Burba

True Classic
Hello, the headlights stopped working on my 87. Lights go up and down, high beams go on when column switch is pulled forward but both low and high beams will not turn on when column switch is in normal position. I took the dashboard switch apart, it appears ok, I tried switching the relay in the fuse panel with an extra I have, it did not help (of course the extra one could be bad). I have tried looking at older threads but could not find anything that helped although I figure this must have been discussed before. At the moment this is my daily driver while my older Suburban’s brake lines are replaced so I’m hoping to figure this out.
 
it's a fiat! (sorry if this not helps much..) on my daily fiat cinquecento 900 (1995) headlights turn on only when i hit with a fist the fuses box..
 
The most common fault with headlights is the dash switch. I have rebuilt/cleaned several times until I replaced it. New replacements can be hard to find.
There are three components involved and with a voltmeter, isolating the problem can be easy. Working backwards, there is the socket on the headlights (unlikely), the fuse (easy check), the column switch (not so easy, but the connector is under the dash near the steering column and the switch. If you had the switch out, you can check the voltage at the connector (black wire is hot when ignition is on). At the steering column connector, the green wire is hot when the ignition is on and headlight switch is on.
You can find helpful wiring diagrams in the Wiki section.
 
If your X is like all my older Fiats there are four fuses for headlights, one for each low beam and one for each high beam so odds are it's not a fuse issue. I think it the main switch on the dash is the first thing to check and easy enough to do with a volt meter. Is there power to the switch?
 
I’m looking at what I hope is the correct wiring diagram. There are 3 wires going to switch, black from coil, brown from coil and column switch, those both have power when key is on. The green wire has power only when the column switch is pulled forward. Am I correct in assuming the switch is getting power?
 
Yes, the green wire has power when the switch is in the "on" position. The green wire provides power to the column switch and then to the fusebox. When the ignition is on and the headlight switch is on there should be power at the grey/red wire going to the fusebox or at fuses 3 and 4.
 
When the key is on and the dash switch is all the way on I do not have power on green wire.
I don’t have a grey/red wire, I have light blue/red, light blue/white, brown, black, white, and green. When key is on and dash switch all the way on I have power to
Light blue/red, white, black, brown.
 
Was just pushing connection blades on the back of the switch and the lights went on and off, sooo, I guess it is the switch. Now I have to figure out next steps. I have not seen any switches like this available, it is the slide type. I have an extra toggle type from some extra parts from earlier cars, but the wiring appears to be different.
 
I moved/bent the copper slide attached to the blade for green wire. This allows it to make better contact with the little balls on the moving part of the switch (excuse my lack of technical terms). Works for now, not sure how long it will last, but I will look for a replacement eventually. Thanks for all the responses.
 
I am having the exact issue. What I am wondering is, how do you remove the switch? Can it just pop off or are there some sort of screws holding it in the back?
 
carl said:
If your X is like all my older Fiats there are four fuses for headlights, one for each low beam and one for each high beam so odds are it's not a fuse issue. I think it the main switch on the dash is the first thing to check and easy enough to do with a volt meter. Is there power to the switch?
Click to expand...
Fuses labeled ‘M’ & ‘N’ in a 1974 X are for headlights open and close, and are in the manual listed at 3amps. Previous owner crammed 10 amp fuses into M & N, assumingly because he couldn’t find 3amp ceramic fuses.
Would there be any harm in doing this, does it effect draw or current etc, or cause the opening and closing of headlights to be flaky?
 
tvmaster said:
Fuses labeled ‘M’ & ‘N’ in a 1974 X are for headlights open and close, and are in the manual listed at 3amps. Previous owner crammed 10 amp fuses into M & N, assumingly because he couldn’t find 3amp ceramic fuses.
Would there be any harm in doing this, does it effect draw or current etc, or cause the opening and closing of headlights to be flaky?
Click to expand...
The harm would be if there is excessive current draw relative to he component the fuse is supposed to protect. There are components in the motor which cannot take 10 amps (which may include the wiring) and will burn out requiring replacement. The parts are servicable but who wants to have to when the right fuses would stave off that failure
 
kmead said:
The harm would be if there is excessive current draw relative to he component the fuse is supposed to protect. There are components in the motor which cannot take 10 amps (which may include the wiring) and will burn out requiring replacement. The parts are servicable but who wants to have to when the right fuses would stave off that failure
Click to expand...
Exactly my thoughts. But I can’t find 3a ceramics either. Maybe 5a are the smallest I’ve seen, but they’re not easy to find.
 
There are also glass fuses with pointy end caps that are designed to replace the ceramic ones. I have found that they are not as prone to oxidation issues as the ceramic ones.
 
thanks, did not know you could substitute.
Edit: all I could find at Autozone, rounded enough?
www.autozone.com

Bussmann Assorted AGX Glass Fuse

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