S2 Light switch - anybody changed for a new design?

[stanley sweet]

I have a LHD S2 low headlight model. I had the lightswitch rebuilt last year and it's never been any good  - in fact not much better than before. It still decides at random when lights will come on. I can switch it off and they stay on, switch it off again and they go out etc. I've come back from my Controle Technique (French MOT) and at one point was called to show them where dipped beams were. Don't ask me, could be anywhere. It took me a couple of minutes of fiddling before they came on. But I've no idea what I did. So it's been marked as a minor fault. But I don't want to persevere with the old switch or waste time having it rebuilt again. Has anybody dumped the standard switch for a reliable modern type? I've found a rotary switch on the Holden site marked off/on/on/on, in other words off/side/dip/main as far as I can tell. I don't mind keeping the old switch in place and using it for the indicators while having a reliable light switch elsewhere. Has anybody else done anything similar?

As an aside it failed on dipped beams too low, ineffective handbrake on one side and the fact I have harnesses fitted. This is the first time this has been mentioned. The inspector showed me his rulebook and I would have to produce paperwork to say the car was homologated with them. So he apologised for the stupidity of it and suggested I bring it back with the normal belts and then after the test - ahem - put the harnesses back in.

[Scott]

I'm afraid I don't have any experience of changing switches and it sounds like you have a bad earthing problem if this is intermittent.
However a while back I also had an intermittent problem that was very frustrating ... but eventually traced to a fuse! The fuse looked fine and was intact but it appears that over many years had built up oxidation and was acting more like a resistor! Rubbing each end of the fuse with emery paper and problem solved. Whilst this is probably not the cause of your problem it's something very easy to do and at least eliminates a potential issue.

As to the seat belts ... that is a surprising request. Homologation is usually used in the context of something being approved for use having been fitted post-manufacture. I also have harnesses and the eyelet bolt mouting points behind the rear seats are very clearly factory fitted and designed and intergrated into the structure of the car from point of manufacture. Several years ago I had an MOT station (in the UK) query their fitment but once I pulled forward the rear seat to show very clearly the integrated eye bolt mounting points he was happy.

[stanley sweet]

Thanks for the reply. I think the problem still lies with the switch. For instance on the way home I stopped for fuel and just knocked the lighting arm gently and noticed the headlights on in a window reflection. The switch at the end of the stalk wasn't even in the on position. Turned it on and off and they went off. It's back to being 'hair trigger' again with much clicking of relays and lights flashing. In fact when I very first fitted it after the rebuild the dip beams wouldn't even go out. That led me on a wild goose chase of relays etc. I've been driving with one of the plugs undone so that I still had indicators but the lights were out at least. A neighbour who is a good mechanic resoldered some of the wires in the switch and managed to get it to the point where the dips switched off and it would go through the Controle technique. So the problem is the switch as far as I can see. Once I've sorted the other bits to get it through I'll have time to look at fitting an different type. I've found a couple on Europa Car Spares and Holden that seem to fit the bill. I like originality up to a point, but I also like a car I can jump in and know the lights will switch on and off, first time every time. I can never see myself selling it but if I ever did, the original switch will be in a box for the new owner to fit if they desired. The good news is there has been a rule change here and once it goes through, as a registered 'Vehicule Collection' it will now only require a French MOT once every 5 years.

[dhla40]

This sounds very similar to a problem I had on my S3, if you unscrew the ring nut and remove the housing from the switch you will see that one of the terminals is very close to the inside of the housing. If this touches the casing it shorts out and flashes the lights , I cured mine by sticking some insulating tape on the inside.

Sean

[stanley sweet]

I'll take a look at that when I get a bit of time. Thanks for the suggestion.