Headlight switch question

[gman]

My headlight switch had been acting up lately.....the dash lights would go out once in a while but jiggling the knob would bring them back on. Now they are gone and no amount of jiggling will light up the dash. Does the switch have to be grounded or something for it to work? I"m wondering if the switch has some rust on it causing it not to work. Headlights work fine and the inside cab light works fine when turning the switch for the interior light. Is the switch toast or is it just a bad ground? Thanks for any help.

[jhow66]

Try rotating the knob-sounds like the reostat is losing contact. new switchs are cheap.

[Longhorn Man]

pretty common after 30 + years.
Your best bet is to remove the switch and carry it into the parts store so you can verify the location of the terminals by the letters. Even many modern switches in other makes of vehicles look just like the old ones, but the terminals are jumbles up and rearanged. It'll still plug in, but an example would be the dash lights coming on with the dome light and parking lights running off the rheostat and dimming as you turn the knob.

[Hooter]

after thirty plusyears, the rheostat is usually worn out or not existent, pull the switch out and you will see a very long spring molded into ceramic with a flat contact riding on it, thats your dash light dimmer switch, now in your case, the spring could no longer be there, (been returned to dust and dirt from once it came from) or the tab that contacts it is bent or gone too, just replace the damn thing, they arent more then 15 bucks and i bet the rest of your lights will be brighter too

[784X4GUY]

Yeah sounds like the switch, just go to the parts store and get a new one...Later Mike

[gman]

Thanks for the replies. Guess I'll just buy a new GM one for about $20 and be done with it. Thanks again.