Mattia-SS

on my car?

Junkman

You need to lay on your back, and reach up to the top of the light switch, where you will find a small button. With your other hand, pull the light switch **** out fully, and then depress this button, and continue to pull on the ****. The **** will come out fully, and you can now remove the retaining nut/screw with a large bladed screwdriver. Once the retaining screw is removed, you can then lower the switch and pry the wire socket from the terminals. I suggest that you first remove the positive battery cable from the battery terminal.
The picture below isn't an Olds switch, but the button is the same on all GM headlamp switches and it will give you an idea of what you are looking for.

lshlsh2

If you have a/c ducts it might be easier to go though the gas gauge. It was with mine.
Larry

jaunty75

Are you sure he's referring to the headlight switch? When I first saw his question, I thought he was referring to the light switch in the door jambs that make the light go on when you open a door.

But you're probably right.

Mattia-SS

I mean this one: Are we talking about the same switch?

switch.jpg

jaunty75

That's the headlight switch. What Junkman told you is correct.

To remove that switch, you first need to pull the wire connector off of it from behind the dash. Then pull the **** all the way out while at the same time reaching up under the switch between the dash and pressing the little button on the bottom of it as shown in Junkman's photo. That releases the **** so you can pull it and the shaft it's mounted on all the way out of the switch.

After this, you can loosen the nut behind the dash that holds the switch to the dashboard and remove the switch from the car.

Lady72nRob71

Beautiful interior color, Mattia! Allocate 1-2 hours for the job and work carefully.
Do pull the fuel gauge and AC vent.
Some needle nosed pliers can help unscrew the switch front nut. Hope you have small hands for the behind the dash work. If there is a little light bulb on the switch, you can replace it then also - it is a 1445.
Have some good beer ready for when the job is complete - you will need it.

Mattia-SS

A friend of mine is determined that I got a problem with the cables behind the switch (the right blinkers front and back sometimes freezes when the switch is pulled out) so the reason why we want to get it out is to check the wires but can it be done without removing the switch??

jaunty75

You can pull the wiring off of the switch. It's one large plug with about 8 wires coming out of it. You may have to press in a little tab on one side to free it, but yes, you can remove the wiring without removing the switch.

Junkman

Check all the grounds at the light sockets, both front and rear. Also check to make certain that all the bulbs are the same part number. I have seen similar problems when a 1034 bulb is used on the front or rear and a 1157 bulb is used at the opposite end of the car. I seriously doubt that the headlight switch is the culprit. Headlight switches rarely go bad, however, the dimmer circuit that controls the dash light brightness often fail, without any effect on the rest of the switch.

joe_padavano

You got the correct info eventually, but for future reference, if you provide the year and model of the car in the actual question, as well as clarification like "headlight switch" - as opposed to map light, glove box light, etc. - it will help you get a better answer sooner. The fact that you have a car listed in your sig line doesn't tell us that's the one you're asking about. Many (most?) folks here have more than one.

Mattia-SS

Ok, I´ll be more specific next time.

Goldhawg

On topic, I'm trying to get my new headlight switch working w/my new chassis wiring harness, and when I push the **** back in it doesn't lock--it will pull right out. I've tried putting it in w/various turning of the ****, as well as pushing the little release pin while inserting, but still no joy. Is my brand new switch defective or is there a trick to reinstalling the ****?

THX!!

Allan R

The light switch shaft should push in and lock on it's own. You sure you got the right switch as a replacement? If you have the switch out of the car, try putting the shaft in and see whether the spring button is engaging or not.

scott_442

Having just done this, I found it easier to loosen the nut first which allows the switch itself to flop around some providing better access to depress the little spring loaded button to release the ****...if that makes sense. If not, there is only about 1/2" clearance to get at that button. It can be done either way but this might alleviate at least some of the frustration that you may encounter

Goldhawg

No I'm not sure; came with the kwik wire harness I bought. Looks the same. I'll try to pull it out, but its a big pain to get the wires plugged in (takes lots of pressure) so will be hard to get back in once out w/dash close to being in place. I did push it back in the old factory one and it immediately locked. But I was having problems w/original w/lights going out at times while driving and having to jiggle the **** to get it going, so I wanted a new one while I was at it.

Allan R

I just took one of these out of an A/C car the other week. The A/C ducting does get in the way a fair bit. Didn't think of loosening the front trim nut first because you need that darn light **** out of the way to turn the holding nut without scratching stuff all up.

BTW, the light that Rob mentioned ^^ is ONLY if you have the accessory light group in your car. There's a separate harness for it that plugs into the main harness (to the left of the cigar lighter).

MDchanic

Sounds like the switch isn't working right.

For the amount of trouble it would take to figure it out, I'd just go spend $12 at Advance Auto Parts, or similar, and buy a new one.

Your time is worth more than that.

- Eric

Allan R

X2. Also if it takes that much pressure to put the wiring in, sounds like the connector area isn't right. Check that connector and see if it has any corrosion on it.

That could
1. be the source of your lights problem, or
2. make it hard to press on.

Connectors should be snug but not that hard to into the switch. I found it was harder to wiggle the connector OFF because of the limited space and easier to press back in once you line everything up.

Lady72nRob71

I had an issue like that once before but forgot on what car. If I removed the switch it would lock in. When installed it wouldnt. After about 3-4 attempts it finally locked installed. Might have to try a few times.
Murphy's law states that if you fiddle with something long enough it will break. Looks like I had a rare opposite effect...

Gary's 2 442-S

Same thing happened to me recently when I replaced my head light switch. The **** would lock when it was not installed but once installed it would not. I think I tried putting that shaft in all kind of postions but it would not lock in. What I did finally after many attempts I tighented up the nut that holds the switch in and then I stuck in in,and it locked. I think it was just not going in far enough. Also if you working from underneath I found that very difficult to even get my hands in a good postion to even depress the button to unlock the ****/shaft. What worked for me was to remove the gas guage/idiot light and work from there. I also attached the wiring to the switch first then mounted it. I could not plug the wiring in with it switch being mounted. I also have a new under dash harness from M&H Electric. Another thing I did was to remove the ac duct,cause it was in my way.

Goldhawg

OK, went down to Advance Auto and they had one; $14 later I'm out the door. Get the old "new" switch out, and once out the **** will snap in place perfectly! So I go ahead and cycle the switch (I'm trying to check out all my new chassis wiring harness) and headlights come on; hi/low works fine, dash lights work. All good. So I go ahead and put the switch back in behind the dash. I use the center screw which holds the headlight bezel in place to screw it down tight, then push the **** in, and as before, it won't snap in place. The little release button on the switch is not pressed down. When out of the dash, it works, when in the dash, it won't. I tried backing the center screw out a good bit to get the **** in and it still wouldn't snap in place. The problem is you have to get the center screw started before putting the **** it cuz its awkward to get threaded.

I'm very puzzled, and giving up till tomorrow. Anybody else ever have this happen?

Lady72nRob71

Yep. I fixed mine with lots of fiddling. Once I got it locked, i never removed it again (to figure out what made it work) in fear it would not lock in again.
Did you tighten the center screw some more and try again?

Junkman

There is a small locater tab on some switches that must fit into a small recess to position the switch correctly in the dash. If you don't have this properly indexed, it will keep the switch from tightening up completely to the dash, and with the nut not fully tightened, the switch control **** will not go into the switch fully to engage the locking ring. Common problem for the DIY person that hasn't experienced this before. Once you know about it, it is an easy problem to solve. Let me know how you make out with this.
PS.. the locating tang is to keep the switch from turning when you tighten the switch nut.

Goldhawg

This is intriguing; I'll try after church. BTW, what do you guys use to tighten the screw that the **** goes thru; its a real pain. Right now I'm using a small curved end needlenose to get into the small indentations. Wonder what the correct tool for this is.

MDchanic

I use a broad cold chisel. Works fine.

- Eric

Goldhawg

Now I'm really frustrated. Finally swapped out to the AA switch, and put the **** thru the center screw and headlight bezel and (w/o tightening the screw into the switch at all), snapped the **** in. Then I tightened the screw in and started checking out the lights. The **** itself is VERY tight and hard to pull out and in, but it does work. However, when fully in I have parking lights still on. Pull it out a bit more and I can feel a spot where parking lights should come on, and then I pull it out all the way and headlights come on.

Any guesses what's happening? I have the screw in all the way I can turn it.

Goldhawg

Well pulled the switch out today and plugged **** back in. Still had parking lights on. So I go back to the original switch and plug in the ****, no parking lights! Then....put it behind the dash, and push the **** in thru screw w/o tightening the screw and snap...**** is in. screwed the screw in so switch is tight w/dash, hook up battery and there we have it. No lights, then parking lights, then headlights w/each movement out (could clearly feel the detente for parking lights). Guess the Advance Auto switch was bad. I'll take it back. Finally!

Allan R

Good to hear it worked out. The switch you put back was OEM wasn't it? Did you make any dimensional comparisons between it and the AA one before you reinstalled it?

MDchanic

I'm glad you fixed this before it drove you insane.

Wow.

- Eric

Lady72nRob71

If not will you take the old one out to make a comparison to the new one?


I know, I'm looking for trouble...

Glad you got it working!

Goldhawg

The one that finally worked was the new one that came with my KWIKWIRE harness. It and the one from Advance Auto looked identical to the one that came out originally.

Allan R

So that means that it was just a matter of getting the headlight shaft far enough in to lock that groove at the end in place.

I was really curious about this so I went out to the shed this afternoon and pulled out a spare headlight switch and trim assembly. Mine worked flawlessly every time. Maybe it was just luck of the draw??? Anyway I put it all away again until I need it. I have an NOS one I left in its box sitting waiting for the day.....

I can't believe how many parts I've accumulated over the past 5 years.... Need a bigger shed!

Lady72nRob71

That won't work because they all shrink - you should know that!
The TX heat makes mine shrink some each year. It does it to the ground, too.

Allan R

Ha! I'll prolly have to start selling some of them to make room for more inventory??? Well at least the walk to the shed is on nice soft green grass.......(duckin fer cover)...

I know all about stuff shrinking. All my damn clothes do that too!