Headlights Going Off When Flipping Turn/Flash Lever

[Tham]

I'm using a 1981 Corolla KE70, "DX" model, 1,290 cc 4K engine.


I was driving around Sunday night today.. The car in front was going
a bit slow, so I flashed my headlights at him to hurry up. When
the lever returned to its position, the headlights went off !
Turning its switch on the lever off, then on, the headlights
came back on again.

Then, when flipping my turn signal lever to the right to change
lanes, it happened again. Turning the on/off switch restored
the headlights. I had been noticing these few months, that
whenever I flipped the lever for a turn, especially to the right,
the headlights would "blip" a moment when the lever returned.

Stopped the car at the roadside, sprayed some Philips contact
cleaner into the lever contacts on the inside. Appeared to
help a bit, but the problem was still there.

So I phoned my car's wireman, and he said the complete
switch assembly - turn signal, headlights, flash and wiper
- had to be replaced, since the contact surfaces were likely
worn, or else the headlights would fail to switch on
permanently one day.

He said this happened more when using the lever on
right turns because this is the direction used most often
on the roads here - Malaysia is right-hand drive. Thus
the headlight/turn signal contacts tended to wear out
more on the right.

He could look around for a used or Taiwanese unit for
me, said it would cost at least M$100 ++.

Or he could try modifying the wiring, and installing a
separate switch for the headlights, leaving the lever
switch for it redundant. Would cost M$ 50 +.


However, I called my car's aircon man for some further info.
He said save my money - the problem could just be left alone.
No risk of the headlights failing to come on. Just turn the switch
on/off whenever the above problem arose, and it would
come on again. He said his 1982 Datsun 120Y had been having
this problem for years.

Any opinions ?


I thought it was old fashioned at that time, but now I understand
why they mounted a separate simple switch for the headlights on
the dashboard in the 1974 Opel Kadett 1.2S which I was driving
in 1979 !

Thanks.