Headlight Switch Question:

[Captain D]

Hi guys,

Just curious to get some info if I may please. Basically, last month, I went to hit the switch to turn on the headlights in my 69' Charger and nothing came on. Granted, the last time that I had used them were a few seasons past and they worked just fine (everything is new: bulbs, wiring harness, gauge cluster, the ground connection is clean, all fuses are fine, etc. And, everything is all nice and tight - in short, perfect). Went to use em' when I finally needed them in heading to an event and when I finally get around to actually 'using' them - 'dead in the water.' However, all of the park lamps both front / rear and vacuum works just fine...just the headlights refuse to come on. Crazy. I applied some light sandpaper and contact cleaner on the current switch prongs just in case it had any corrosion build-up, but still nothing. The car is at the body shop getting some last minute things done before the year is out, so I can use a tester and see what's happening here in a few days. In the meantime, here are my main questions:

1.) Can the headlight switch be bad even though all park lamps and vacuum work perfectly fine?  
2.) And, kind of unlikely but worth asking just for the sake of asking, can all of the headlights refuse to come on in the event that one blows out? In other words, if one goes; they all go?

Thanks for any insight. I've searched online and headlight switches run anywhere from $45-$125+. If it's the switch going up, I'd like to replace it before my park-lamps are affected next...it's just the thought of replacing it with the cluster still installed as it's a super tight fit that is making me consider that option as my final resort, lol.

Thanks a bunch for any thoughts,
Aaron  

[Lennard]

https://www.classicindustries.com/shop/1969/dodge/charger/parts/?q=HeadLamp%20Switch%202864134

[b5blue]

Closely check your dimmer switch down on the floor. 

[Captain D]

Thanks man for the info - the dimmer switch on the floor never worked. It was one of those things that we never really got round' to hooking up. I can certainly check to see if there is any exposed wiring as a possible factor...

Have a great weekend,
Aaron

[Nacho-RT74]

you'll find green violet and red wires arriving up to floor dimmer switch. Green comes from headlight switch and is the wire must be hot coming from... then the floor switch is the selector to feeds lows ( violet ) or highs ( red )...

[70 sublime]

Maybe check where the wires go through the firewall to the front head light harness if the lights are working on the back of the car

[XH29N0G]

Do you have a multimeter to check for continuity between the appropriate pins.  That way you can see if it is the switch.  I had contacts in the switch corrode and took mine apart, cleaned it with hot vinagre and then baking soda solution to neutralize acid and reassembled and it worked.  Hopefully yours is a simple solution and solvable quickly.

Dropping the steering wheel and cluster is not super difficult for laying it down so you can work.  If you pull the cluster, cover the steering wheel with a towel to keep it from scratching.

[Nacho-RT74]

as mentioned... the first check is the green wire at floor dimmer switch must be hot when headlights are on from dash switch. If not, the problem comes from dash switch, plug or wire. If green wire gets power at floor dimmer switch and neither the red or violet wires get powered, could be the floor switch itself. IS NOT UNCOMMON find some overheated spot on input or output terminals at headlights switch plug  ( althougth you already told you got a new wiring, but for the rest ) missing the contact.

Commonly the headlights switch gets two inputs, one from fuse box to feed parking and dimmer wheel, then another input straight from the charging system ( without fuse, more than the fuse link itself ) to feed just headlights. This wire is black, I think white traced and uses to be 12  gauge. The one coming from fusebox to feed parkings, must be red or pink? can't recall at this moment, and uses to be 14 or 16 gauge ?

[Bronzedodge]

Thanks man for the info - the dimmer switch on the floor never worked. It was one of those things that we never really got round' to hooking up. I can certainly check to see if there is any exposed wiring as a possible factor...
(snip)

Wait a minute - ALL the headlight power goes through the dimmer switch.  If it is not hooked up, you will have no lights.

[Nacho-RT74]

 

however I assummed is not working doesn't mean is not installed and power is not going through, maybe stuck in one position 

[72Charger72]

Had this same issue yrs ago/ Took a wiring schematic and few days to track it down to the floor headlight dimmer switch. Replaced it and Viola everything working.