[Hoonbash]

Hi,I'm a newby from Alberta,Canada.

I just bought my 1st Caddy,a 1983 Fleetwood,and have been fixing a few small problems and I need some advice.

I can't get the high beams to stay on,they'll flash but that's it.The lever and actuating rod are in good working order and a new GM dimmer switch has been installed.I tried moving the switch aroung on it's mounting points but that didn't work either,I can hear the switch clicking when the lever is pulled.

What am I doing wrong?

Hoonbash

 

[lochenjons]

hey i had the SAME problem when i got my fleetwood. turns out, theres a feature built in the car that automatically dims the high beams when it senses oncoming traffic.
take a look at this picture:

see where it says "auto" on the headlight switch, then "off" right beneath it? (there are two "off's", im not talking about the one that you can plainly read in the picture at the bottom of the switch. I'm talking about the one above it) rotate the silver tab (it won't be on off) to off and it should work. this will disengage the auto dimming hi-beams. hope this helps, let me know if this works

 

[Hoonbash]

I thought you nailed it but that's not it either.

Hoonbash

 

[lochenjons]

oh man maybe it is the dimmer switch then? you could try just replacing the whole headlight switch assembly... they dont cost much

 

[Hoonbash]

I put in a new dimmer switch.Wonder if it's the headlight switch?

There's not much more for parts involved

 

[Hoonbash]

Bah this sucks the headlight switch is discontinued.I'll keep messing with it and watch E-slay for a switch.

Hoonbash

 

[Hoonbash]

Any other ideas out there???

 

[Highway Star]

I had a similar problem with my '91 Pontiac Firebird T/A a few years ago. I couldn't get the high-beams to kick in when I pulled the lever. The only way I could get the high-beams to work was to tilt the steering wheel to its highest position. Therefore, it appeared to be a problem with the linkage rod that went from the lever to the switch on the column. I did some slight bending/adjusting with the rod, and that fixed the problem.

Your situation may be entirely different, but who knows. Try tilting your steering wheel to different positions and see if it makes a difference.

 

[Hoonbash]

Good idea Highway Star

I found when the wheel is tilted all the way down the brights stay on and can't be dimmed,I can put pressure on the wheel going away from the rod side of the column and they'll go out.


It must be the rod? or where I've got the adjustment of the switch on the column.

Things are looking brighter

Thanks-Hoonbash

 

[Hoonbash]

Well I had at it again and no damn luck,the same thing happens.I must have moved that switch a dozen times.

Frustrating as hell !!

hoonbash

 

[Brougham_1987]

Hi, I'm sorry for reviving this old thread but my 87 Brougham with Guidematic and Sentinel recently developed the same problem and I was wondering if someone ever found a solution? I'm thinking it should be the dimmer switch but ordering parts from Rockauto takes time and I'm wondering if there is a way to test the switch? One thing I noticed is that the ash tray light turns out when I try to switch on the high beams and that the radio and the AC display switch to full brightnes. Thanks for any help!

 

[Brougham_1987]

Update: Disconnecting the Guidematic near the radiator allows me to switch to high beams again. As soon as its warmer agaiin I might try to repair the Guidematic but for now it works.

 

[cadillacmike68]

Good idea Highway Star

I found when the wheel is tilted all the way down the brights stay on and can't be dimmed,I can put pressure on the wheel going away from the rod side of the column and they'll go out.

It must be the rod? or where I've got the adjustment of the switch on the column.
Things are looking brighter
Thanks-Hoonbash

It's the wiring inside the column then. All that "multifunction switch" does is move / rotate some pins levers inside the column.