Headlamps on=pilot lamps/tail lamps/number plate lamp off

Post by **Vernon** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 6:08 pm

My daughter's 1965 saloon has a lighting problem. Switch the lighting switch to the first position and front & rear lights all work fine. Switch to the second position and the headlamps work but the front pilot lamps, rear tail lamps & number plate lamp all go off. I am aware that the wiring for the pilot lamps & rear lamps is coded red and that for the headlamps is blue so does this mean that the fault is at the switch? If not, where should I look first please?

Post by **Kevin** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 6:13 pm

By pilot lights I assume you mean the side lights (the ones with the indicators in the same assembly)
I have not come across this before but the symptons do seem to point in the direction of the switch.

Post by **Vernon** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 6:29 pm

Yes Kevin I do mean side lights. I only called them pilot lights because that's what Haynes calls them!

Post by **Alec** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 7:11 pm

Hello vernon,

it doe sound very much like a switch problem or that the wiring has been disturbed and replaced on the wrong terminals. If it is one of those Lucas toggle switches with 5 or 6 terminals it is very easy to get them wrong.

Alec

Post by **Kevin** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 7:17 pm

I only called them pilot lights because that's what Haynes calls them!

Must be an oversears spec manual as mine calls them side lights, the wonderful world of Haynes I suppose.

Post by **Vernon** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 8:03 pm

Kevin, Haynes shows them as pilot lamps in the wiring diagram.

Post by **Packedup** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 9:52 pm

As said, either the wiring has been put on wrongly, or the switch is duff.

I can't remember if the BoL (Haynes) is right about whcih wire goes to which terminal on the switch, but I did mine with a multimeter anyway, was easy and quick to do.

Post by **bmcecosse** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 12:18 am

Yes - it's just wrongly connected at the switch. It is possible to connect the switch so the side/pilot lights at the front go OUT when the headlights come on - but the rear side/pilot lights and number plate light stay on! Just play about with the connections.

Post by **Vernon** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 9:27 am

Thanks for all your replies. I'll "play about" with the switch connections as soon as the car is available. I just wonder how it passed the MOT this year as the switch has not been tampered with since. Perhaps the switch has developed a fault since January. I'll let you know the outcome.

Post by **bmcecosse** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 11:23 pm

Well - they maybe checked the side lights - all ok, and then checked the headlamps - not noticing that the side lights had gone out!

Post by **Vernon** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 7:43 pm

I spent this afternoon "playing about" with the lighting switch (after removing the drivers glove box surround and liner and holding a mini maglite torch in my mouth) and it was wrongly connected. The output was connected to terminals 5 & 7 instead of 7 & 8. My daughter bought the car in January with a new MOT so the tester didn't do a very good job. Anyway, all is working now so many thanks for your replies which pointed me in the right direction.
Colin

Post by **bmcecosse** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 8:11 pm

It is possible to connect them (as I have done) so the first position brings on the headlamps and pilot lamps - and the second position is just the pilot lamps. Thus the switch can be used to 'flash' the headlamps - best if they are left in high beam position of course.
Well done sorting it out - and you can see how that fault could quite easily catch out an MOT inspector.
When rallying my Minor many moons ago - I had a secret switch that cut off the rear side lamps - and the brake lamps - to disadvantage anyone following me !

Post by **Kevin** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 9:08 pm

When rallying my Minor many moons ago - I had a secret switch that cut off the rear side lamps - and the brake lamps - to disadvantage anyone following me !

Only off road I hope.

Post by **bmcecosse** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 10:52 pm

Of course - NOT!