Alfa Romeo Forums banner

$5.00 fix for headlight combo switch

4K views 10 replies 9 participants last post by  86spider 
#1 ·
Some may scoff at this, but here is how I fixed my headlight combo switch.

My low beams didn't work when I bought the car, and I traced the problem to a faulty combo switch. I was shocked to see that new switches are $400.00, and that the switch isn't even available for my 1988 Graduate.

I read some of the posts on this board about disassembling the switch and fixing it, but to be honest I just didn't feel like going through all that work, especially knowing that that if I broke something I couldn't buy a replacement.

Anyway, here is my current solution. I bypassed the combo switch with a toggle switch.

I located an empty spade connector on the back side of the fuse block that fed both headlights



I used a crimp connector and a piece of 12 gage wire and connected it to the open spade lug:



Then I mounted a switch using a fabricated bracket and the screw that holds on the cowling:






The circuit goes from the spade lug through the switch then to a power source.

Some might think this is cheesy, but the pros are:

No wires were cut, no holes were drilled, so everything can be undone at a later time if I want to do something different.

It works great and I'm happy with it.

Finally, thanks to PapaJam for his GREAT wiring diagram !!!
 
See less See more
4
#2 ·
i would put a relay in to the high and low beam wireing/switch..i did , works great + you can get 14 volts to the headlights.. with out the relay,,sometimes you only get 10-12v to the headlight
 
#3 ·
The contacts in the combo switch can be cleaned up with wet and dry paper without removing it. There are threads with pictures that show you how to do it. Then install relays as Bianchi1 suggests. There are threads on that too.
 
#5 ·
I installed a floor dimmer switch, so the stalk works the low beams and all other lights, while the floor dimmer will turn on the brights, and also flash them.. Thanks to Papa Jam for the wiring diagram that helped me to do it. It works great, and so far has not given me any probleems.
 
#6 ·
Reviving an old thread...
I have a similar problem with my 82 GTV6. From what I understand the combo switches are nearly identical. My low beams work fine, but no high beams. I think some sort of a rocker or toggle in a center stack blank would be fine for now, at least until I can repair or replace my combo switch.
Don mentioned a wiring diagram from Papa Jim? I wonder if that would be of any relevance to a GTV6?
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top