« previous next »
Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 6

Author Topic: Help, Headlights won't turn off! SOLVED!  (Read 18930 times)

Offline Mars Attacks

  • GTI forum regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 205
Help, Headlights won't turn off! SOLVED!
« on: 08 March 2010, 09:06 »
Morning,

Got a strange problem and i'm hoping somebody can help. My missus has a MK3 8v gti (1995) which i was driving last night.

When i got home (was late around midnight, not that that is important) and stopped the engine, turned off the lights and locked up. Then i noticed that the dipped headlights were still on. No other lights had remained on, the nothing at the rear, nothing on the dash or dials, just the dipped headlights. When i turned the headlight switch in the car back on the dash and dials lit as they should, but when i turned them off again everything went off apart from the dipped headlights.

In the end i had to disconnect the battery to get them to go off and hoped that whatever the problem was would reset itself over night.

Connected the battery back up today and the lights came back on again. Ended up having to unplug the light clusters individually so i could take the car to work.

Anybody had the same problems before. I had driven the car earlier on in the night with the lights on and they had turned off correctly. I thought it may be a fuse / relay problem but really have no idea where to start. Any pointers would be gratefully received. Cheers
« Last Edit: 12 March 2010, 18:18 by Mars Attacks »
Logged

Offline FlySpeck

  • GTI forum regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 202
Re: Help, Headlights won't turn off!
« Reply #1 on: 08 March 2010, 13:57 »
hi mate, you dont say what model you have, but i take it the mk2 in the sig? tho theres a mk3 next to it.....lol

anyway, there is no relay for the lights in the golf, its all done inside the lighting switch, with fused protection. The switch is notoriously crap and you can just pull it out (a bit fiddly) and replace it with an ebay one, there are millions, try to get a cheap buy-it-now from a premium seller and it will be there in a flash. I have a spare mk3 one that doesnt put the lights on unless you throw the switch firmly, hence I replaced it. If you were local you could have it, and get one when you could but they are commonly faulty and get replaced a lot. My new one has no light behind the dash illum control button, but hey it works otherwise lol. I think I'll go into business refurbing them once ive fixed that ;)

Logged

Offline VR6-Joe

  • I live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 3,638
Re: Help, Headlights won't turn off!
« Reply #2 on: 08 March 2010, 14:01 »
I'd guess he's referring to his missus Mk3 GTI 8v seeing as he starts by saying "My missus has a MK3 8v gti (1995)" and this is in the Mk3 section :wink:

By the way that's a Mk1 Sportline cabrio not a Mk2 :grin:
« Last Edit: 08 March 2010, 14:03 by VR6-Joe »
Logged
Gone but not forgotten;
1983 Mk1 Golf GX - 1991 Mk2 Golf GTI - 1988 Scirocco Scala - 1989 Mk2 Golf CL - 1993 Mk3 Golf Ryder - 1996 Mk3 Golf SE - 1996 Mk3 Golf CL - 1995 Mk3 Golf GTI 16v - 1996 Mk3 Golf VR6 Highline - 2003 Saxo VTR - 1996 Mk3 Golf VR6

Offline VR6-Joe

  • I live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 3,638
Re: Help, Headlights won't turn off!
« Reply #3 on: 08 March 2010, 14:08 »
Oh and I'd also change the headlight switch and see where that gets you!!

My nan once looked out of her bedroom window as she was going to bed, and noticed her number plate lights were on :shocked: She went outside, opened the car, and tapped the headlight switch, then the number plate lights went off! Although it kept doing it (pretty much every night!) so she bought a new headlight switch and it's been fine since :)
Logged
Gone but not forgotten;
1983 Mk1 Golf GX - 1991 Mk2 Golf GTI - 1988 Scirocco Scala - 1989 Mk2 Golf CL - 1993 Mk3 Golf Ryder - 1996 Mk3 Golf SE - 1996 Mk3 Golf CL - 1995 Mk3 Golf GTI 16v - 1996 Mk3 Golf VR6 Highline - 2003 Saxo VTR - 1996 Mk3 Golf VR6

Offline Mars Attacks

  • GTI forum regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 205
Re: Help, Headlights won't turn off!
« Reply #4 on: 08 March 2010, 14:37 »
cheers for the posts, yeah i thought i'd been specific enough mentioning it was a mk3 problem.

seems like everything points towards the headlamp switch so i'll look into that.

Need to get it sorted as the missus has handed off her car to me until its fixed, all the while she gets to drive my sportline to work getting all the attention! ha

cheers
Logged

Offline VR6-Joe

  • I live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 3,638
Re: Help, Headlights won't turn off!
« Reply #5 on: 08 March 2010, 14:43 »
Do you know how to remove the headlight switch mate? Just wondering what would happen if you disconnected it
Logged
Gone but not forgotten;
1983 Mk1 Golf GX - 1991 Mk2 Golf GTI - 1988 Scirocco Scala - 1989 Mk2 Golf CL - 1993 Mk3 Golf Ryder - 1996 Mk3 Golf SE - 1996 Mk3 Golf CL - 1995 Mk3 Golf GTI 16v - 1996 Mk3 Golf VR6 Highline - 2003 Saxo VTR - 1996 Mk3 Golf VR6

Offline Mars Attacks

  • GTI forum regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 205
Re: Help, Headlights won't turn off!
« Reply #6 on: 08 March 2010, 14:45 »
yeah i had a quick go in the carpark at lunch and figured out how to get it off. have got the headlamp clusters disconnected so didn't see what happened when i took the switch off. will have a go tonight and see what happens. obviously the headlight switch is still working for the dash lights and front and rear fogs as they still light up when i turn the switch. and the dimmer switch still works as well.

might try your nan's method and give it a friendly tap as well!
Logged

Offline Wayne

  • Sir Postalot
  • *
  • Posts: 32,051
Re: Help, Headlights won't turn off!
« Reply #7 on: 08 March 2010, 19:34 »
Might also be worth checking the dim / dip resistor.
Logged

Offline Mars Attacks

  • GTI forum regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 205
Re: Help, Headlights won't turn off!
« Reply #8 on: 08 March 2010, 21:20 »
now then, time for an update.

i located the dim / dip resistor and removed it completely as it was hanging inside the wing un attached so just unplugged and removed. but the headlights remain permanently on unfortunately.

i also tried removing the headlight switch, but the lights still remained on. did a test and turned on the front and rear fogs with the headlight switch and then unplugged the switch, and they all turned off, however the headlights stayed on.

anything else i can try people? mot on friday so its picked a perfect time to crop up!!
Logged

Offline javalin

  • I live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 1,457
Re: Help, Headlights won't turn off!
« Reply #9 on: 09 March 2010, 08:51 »
both headlights or just one?  Thinking she might have left an indicator stalk up or down and getting "parking" style lights?

J
Logged
You only ever need two tools in life. If it moves and it shouldn't use Duct Tape. If it does not move and it should, use WD40.
Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 6
« previous next »