Amusing headlight issue

daffyflyer · Postby **daffyflyer** » Wed Apr 06, 2011 1:13 pm

Here is a funny one I discovered by surprise a while ago.

If you dim the dash lighting all the way, the pop-ups... pop down

Rather annoying when you're driving along and accidently turn off the headlights.

Anyone got any thoughts on what might be the issue? It only happens when the dash is ALL the way dimmed, and it makes an angry buzzing relay chatter kind of noise when its doing it

Old Dude · Postby **Old Dude** » Wed Apr 06, 2011 1:19 pm

As your aware our cars have a lot of character :lol:

and its his /her way of letting you know he or she isn't happy with what your playing with :lol:

GP · Postby GP » Wed Apr 06, 2011 1:22 pm

How do you dim the dash lights?

daffyflyer · Postby **daffyflyer** » Wed Apr 06, 2011 1:28 pm

Err, the dash light dimming thing on the dash on the right side of the wheel.

Not really that bothered by it TBH, as I don't often dim the dash lights, but I wonder if its a symptom of something electrically fubar

Perhaps it was a design feature as a homage to the classic Lucas electrics in british roadsters? :mrgreen:

93_Clubman · Postby **93_Clubman** » Wed Apr 06, 2011 2:20 pm

daffyflyer wrote:If you dim the dash lighting all the way, the pop-ups... pop down

Anyone got any thoughts on what might be the issue? It only happens when the dash is ALL the way dimmed, and it makes an angry buzzing relay chatter kind of noise when its doing it

Just checked & my '93 NA8 Clubman doesn't do any of that. Think it's often earthing issues when the pop-ups pop down.

Hammer · Postby **Hammer** » Wed Apr 06, 2011 5:51 pm

That querk doesn't happen on my NA8.

+1 on 93_Clubman's explanation on why it's happening to you.

GP · Postby GP » Thu Apr 07, 2011 12:22 pm

Err, the dash light dimming thing on the dash on the right side of the wheel.

Mine doesn't have one

Hammer · Postby **Hammer** » Thu Apr 07, 2011 12:39 pm

GP wrote:
Err, the dash light dimming thing on the dash on the right side of the wheel.

Mine doesn't have one

Hi GP

What year is your NA? Could it be the previous owner removed it?

Here's a photo of where it's usually located. It's the switch on the very left of the three switches (the far right switch isn't OEM). I've also seen it located in the middle on some NAs.

GP · Postby GP » Thu Apr 07, 2011 1:22 pm

Hmmm, Maybe Imports don't have the dimmer switch

daffyflyer · Postby **daffyflyer** » Thu Apr 07, 2011 1:34 pm

You was ripped off - no dash dimming/surprise headlight closing knob for you :mrgreen:

GP · Postby GP » Thu Apr 07, 2011 3:35 pm

Damn it

joe5084 · Postby **joe5084** » Wed Apr 13, 2011 8:31 am

Two posibilities it could be a faulty dimmer unit and it is shuting off when dimmed down or some one has rewired the headlight motor relay to the wrong side of the dimmer unit.
Just two guesses to start with.