Headlight Switch...quattro digest, Vol 1 #3431

Thu May 16 08:32:30 EDT 2002

On Wed, 15 May 2002 quattro-request at audifans.com wrote:

Hi Jacob,
	I had a similar experience with my 88 5KTQ a few years ago. Maybe
you have the same switch in yours. The problem was deterioration of the
plastic housing just behind the stationary switch contact for the low beam
circuit. When the moving member of the switch was over this contact there
was no connection. Simply placing a piece of insulation strip between the
switch housing and the  back side of the stationary contact to hold it
outward by 0.5 mm or so permanently fixed the problem.

Lou
88 5KCSTQ

 > Message: 14
> From: "Jacob Behm" <poster at bitstream.net>
> To: <quattro at audifans.com>
> Subject: Headlight Switch ..
> Date: Wed, 15 May 2002 21:24:23 -0500
>
> This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
> --
> [ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
> The patient is an '88 q90v20
>
> On the way home the other night my headlight stopped working.  I can get th=
> em to come on by holding the combination cruise control/brights lever back.=
>   The blinkers and side markers all work fine.
>
> It bahaves as the car were not running.   As i'm sure everyone on this list=
>  knows, when the car is off, the main headlights will not come on even if y=
> ou leave the headlights on (a feature that's saved me from a dead battery m=
> ore than once).  You can make the main lights come on by pulling pack on th=
> e cruise/brights lever.  The sidemarkers, or running lights, will turn on w=
> hen the switch thrown, even when the car is off.
>
> It makes me wonder if the problem isn't related to ignition switch.  Someth=
> ing must tell the headlights when the car is running that it's ok to be on.
> Is there something in the switch assembly itself that could fail in this wa=
> y?  I've had apart and i can't see anything obvious.
>
> Has anyone has a similar experience?  Any help would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thanks
>
> Jacob Behm