Pinto Car Club of America

Hi all...looking for some advice on an electrical problem I have related to the headlights on my '79 Pinto Wagon. I think it may be related to the dash switch and/or dimmer switch. When pulled to on position, front and side clearance lights all work and the taillights, but headlights do not. Also noticed there is no back-lighting on the switch itself. Tested headlights, they do light when supplied with power, and there is continuity between hi/low posts in connectors, and the ground contacts are good. Anyone have any thoughts on this? Have not figured out how to remove switch from dash yet, so any help there would be helpful too.

Thanks in advance for any input you might have for me.

Mark

I wouldn't concern myself with the switch backlighting, as there probably isn't even a light there.  My '79 doesn't have it, and I don't remember any of my others having one.

Sounds like you have power to the headlight switch.  Pull the connector off the dimmer switch and see if you have +12V on the red/yellow wire with the headlights turned on.  If so, the head light switch is working.  With the headlights turned on, Try jumpering the red/yellow wire to red/black wire at the dimmer connector and see if the hi beams come on.  If so, the dimmer switch is the problem.

Could also be that the dimmer connector got bumped off (disconnected) from the dimmer switch.

Thanks a bunch Jerry...the dimmer switch was in fact the problem. You help was right on the money. Thanks again. Mark

Quote from: Jinxter on September 09, 2007, 05:37:49 PM
I wouldn't concern myself with the switch backlighting, as there probably isn't even a light there.  My '79 doesn't have it, and I don't remember any of my others having one.

What's wierd is the switch bezel looks to be able to light up. What I thought about doing just for the hell of it is drilling a hole in the bracket & mounting a light to light up the bezel. But then again I like to do different things like that.