7x15 ET38 on type 89 and NO #%*&-ing headlights

[Tom Nas]

tihol_tiholov at sd27.bc.ca wrote:

> >Anyone got any experience mounting wheels of said dimensions on >either a
>FWD or a q type 89? It isn't lowered, tyres are 205/55.
>
>I have them with ET37 (the S4 style 5 spokes) on a 1988 90 Q.  Tires are
>205/50X15, not lowered - no rubbing by a long shot, look nice, what else?

Thanks, I guess the wider tyres and the wheels moved to the outside of the
car will look nice. These are basketweave wheels with a deep rim, gonna
paint the centres dark grey and the rims silver.

>My questions:
>1. How does the lower plastic piece under the combination switch on the
>steering column come off?  Patient - 1988 90 Q

I concur with Dave Hord's description, did the same thing myself last
Saturday to change one broken switch (no low beam) for the other (no high
beam) as a temporary measure.
What is it with the headlight switches, do they keep arcing and
self-destructing in the winter time, when you drive with your lights on all
the time?

>2. Is this the typical combinaiton switch failure?
>- flickering headlights for a couple of days, both high and low (dipped)
>beam
>- last night - turning low beam on was fine, then high beam was fine,
>switching back to low beam - darkness.
>- The park lights are fine, the high beam flasher (Lichthuppe) is fine, all
>fuses are fine, what else, except the switch, wiggling doesn'e help.

Mine worked great when driving to work, but the lights failed to come on
when I drove home at night. No signs of impending failure... no amount of
wiggling, switching on and off or messing about made them come on again.
The offending item is lying next to me waiting for dismemberment. I'd be
interested to see if I can fix this, as the switches aren't exactly cheap
from the dealership and used ones are prone to failure- not to mention
bl**dy hard to find. They seem to be among the first things to disappear
from a freshly-scrapped car.

>3. Is there any temporary fix until I get to it, apart of driving during
>daytime only.

I'd be interested in that, too. The switch can be separated from the
wiper/emergency lights switches (at least the rounded, post-'90 type 89
switch can) and it uses Torx screws. I've opened mine before and even
managed to get it back together again, working fine and with no 'spare'
parts left. The car it came from was badly neglected and really ratty,
though- this might account for the switch failing.

HTH, Tom