Pinto Car Club of America

Welcome to FordPinto.com, The home of the PCCA => General Help- Ask the Experts... => Topic started by: 302PintoMan on April 26, 2010, 10:52:38 PM

Title: headlight switch
Post by: 302PintoMan on April 26, 2010, 10:52:38 PM
seems as soon as I fix one thing something else takes a dump.  Headlight switch is good with headlights but won't keep tail lights and dash lights on so buying a new one tomm.  How do you get the damn thing out of the car.  Was looking at it tonight, or attempting to, and can't figure out how the knob is on.  Didn't see a lil set screw anywhere and don't want to break it the new switch doesn't come with one lol.
Title: Re: headlight switch
Post by: 289Wagon on April 26, 2010, 11:32:44 PM
 The knob and shaft come out as an assembly.
There should be a very small spring loaded button in the metal
portion of the switch.
  Pull the knob out to the H/L position, push and hold the button
in and then continue to pull out on the shaft/knob assy.
  You may have to move the shaft in and out a little, like play
with it.
Title: Re: headlight switch
Post by: Starsky and Hutch on April 27, 2010, 12:05:49 AM
The button you have to push is on the top off the switch body near the back.... i had the speedo  cluster out  and it was easy to see that way
Title: Re: headlight switch
Post by: jimdaug on April 27, 2010, 01:23:13 AM
I had a car that I couldn't get the button pressed in enough and ended up wrenching the knob back and forth until it came out, and the switch came out in pieces, but I got it out :). But yes there is a button and it's kind of stiff, so press pretty hard.
Title: Re: headlight switch
Post by: Pangra74 on April 27, 2010, 02:58:58 PM
Yeah, and after you fight with that friggin' button you may find a nice indentation in your finger for a little while...ouch!!
Title: Re: headlight switch
Post by: 78txpony on April 27, 2010, 08:39:44 PM
Been there, done, that, got the lousy t-shirt...
Cluster has to come out, hopefully in one piece.  Mine sure didn't...
Remove knob as already described. 
A pair of needle nose pliers removed the front 'nut' thingie. 
Air vent duct may need to come out. 
When reinstalling, pray the knob stays in the switch and the new switch does not crap out in a year like mine did.  My dash lights have only two brightness settings now - on and off.

See  "The tale of the dreaded headlight switch" here for your entertainment...
http://www.fordpinto.com/index.php/topic,11964.msg77377.html#msg77377 (http://www.fordpinto.com/index.php/topic,11964.msg77377.html#msg77377)
(about half way down).

Title: Re: headlight switch
Post by: 302PintoMan on April 27, 2010, 10:49:04 PM
Mine has an aftermarket custom cluster so wasn't to bad.