Ethan Posted October 2, 2019 Share Posted October 2, 2019 Hello everyone. I juts bought my 1st Buick ever, a 57 Special. So I am learning and doing the best i can. I am having trouble getting the headlights to work. Every other light works except the headlights. I have read the owners manual and it pretty much says to remove/test the light switch. I would test it while it is still installed but I cannot reach behind the dash to get to it. Anything information helps and sorry if I am leaving anything out. My mechanical skills only go so far and this is my first project car. The oldest car I have ever owned is my 98 Pontiac. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M1842 Posted October 2, 2019 Share Posted October 2, 2019 Should be spring loaded pin on the flat metal side of the switch, push the pin in and hold while pulling on the knob and pull it completely off. Then there is a large nut holding the switch to the dash (now revealed by the knob being out of the way. Use a really wide screw driver or other tool to turn it out. Once removed, the only thing holding the switch in are the wires. I would check the wires where they are screwed into the junction strip for corrosion on the connectors as well as the connectors on the switch while I was in there. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beemon Posted October 2, 2019 Share Posted October 2, 2019 Silly question but did you chase the headlight leads to see if you're getting 12V before you tear into the switch? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethan Posted October 2, 2019 Author Share Posted October 2, 2019 M1824, I cannot even reach the spring loaded pin. That is my problem. From laying on the floorboard I cann ot reach the light switch. My next time would be is to take off the panel were the EM brake light is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avgwarhawk Posted October 2, 2019 Share Posted October 2, 2019 21 minutes ago, Beemon said: Silly question but did you chase the headlight leads to see if you're getting 12V before you tear into the switch? One bad ground can ruin a whole day. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Bruce aka First Born Posted October 2, 2019 Share Posted October 2, 2019 I would begin with checking if power is reaching the lights as Beemon asked. Could be both bulbs burned out. Unlikely, one will not know until tested. THEN follow follow back towards the headlight switch. Dollar toi a donut, ou will find power TO the dimmer switch, non FROM same. The dimmer switch is located just about above where your left foot sits when driving. Might even try switching [ pushing with your foot ] first. Turn the head lights on , step on the dimmer. Ben 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avgwarhawk Posted October 2, 2019 Share Posted October 2, 2019 32 minutes ago, Ben Bruce aka First Born said: I would begin with checking if power is reaching the lights as Beemon asked. Could be both bulbs burned out. Unlikely, one will not know until tested. THEN follow follow back towards the headlight switch. Dollar toi a donut, ou will find power TO the dimmer switch, non FROM same. The dimmer switch is located just about above where your left foot sits when driving. Might even try switching [ pushing with your foot ] first. Turn the head lights on , step on the dimmer. Ben Dimmer switch! Good call sir. Good call. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethan Posted October 2, 2019 Author Share Posted October 2, 2019 Thank you all so much. I am new to this but with help from a good group of people like you I will learn fast. Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g-g-g0 Posted October 2, 2019 Share Posted October 2, 2019 Here's a pic of the switch. I am pointing to the button. You don't have to see it. Just feel it and push down and pull on the knob. Do this after checking the dimmer switch. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethan Posted October 3, 2019 Author Share Posted October 3, 2019 g-g-g0, The issue is I cannot even reach the the light switch, its tucked up under the dash pretty good. There are so many other wires that I cannot even get close to the light switch, my hand doesn't even come close lol Also the dimmer switch is the light switch, for mine anyways. You turn the light switch clockwise and counter clockwise to dim the lights. I am going to retest the voltage for the headlights and work my way back again and hopefully I missed something so I do not have to mess with the light switch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted October 3, 2019 Share Posted October 3, 2019 (edited) @Ethan The "dimmer" switch on the floor is for switching the headlights from hi bright status to normal status. The instrument panel lights are controlled by a rheostat that is built into the light switch, where you twist the headlight knob to make them brighter or lower. Edited October 3, 2019 by JohnD1956 (see edit history) 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank DuVal Posted October 3, 2019 Share Posted October 3, 2019 29 minutes ago, JohnD1956 said: The "dimmer" switch on the floor is for switching the headlights from hi bright status to normal status. This is what we are all talking about. ALL headlamp power goes through the dimmer switch. No dimmer switch working, then NO headlamps. Step on the switch hard many many times and see if it recovers temporarily. Also see if the wires corroded off of it, as happens in salty areas. BTW, that should be High beam status to Low beam status. No shop manual refers to normal status.😁 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Bruce aka First Born Posted October 3, 2019 Share Posted October 3, 2019 Ethan, Ethan! Do not question us old folks. I had probably driven as many miles as you have by the time that '57 came out. As Frank said, turn the lights on and stomp the dimmer switch. It is sticking through the floor about an inch and a half. It is about an inch , maybe a little less, in diameter. Look for it, you will find it. Ben 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancemb Posted October 3, 2019 Share Posted October 3, 2019 11 hours ago, Ethan said: g-g-g0, The issue is I cannot even reach the the light switch, its tucked up under the dash pretty good. There are so many other wires that I cannot even get close to the light switch, my hand doesn't even come close lol Also the dimmer switch is the light switch, for mine anyways. You turn the light switch clockwise and counter clockwise to dim the lights. I am going to retest the voltage for the headlights and work my way back again and hopefully I missed something so I do not have to mess with the light switch Ethan...couple things. First, folks are not talking about the function to dim the dash lights - that is indeed a function controlled by a rheostat within the headlight switch. They are referring to the switch on the floorboard that switches between High and Low beams. Check to confirm this is working correctly first. If you still have a problem that requires getting to the headlight switch, remove your dash pad and you will gain much better access. It can be removed in 5 minutes. 1) remove a couple screws under front lip of dash pad (may be recessed within vinyl/padding) 2) remove center trim piece directly behind windshield 3) remove small bolts holding dash pad, now exposed from removing trim. You can also gain better access from underneath by removing the small panel to the left of the steering column at bottom of dash. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buick man Posted October 4, 2019 Share Posted October 4, 2019 (edited) ... Not to highjack this post but this all reminds me when I had my 57 Caballero out on it's first road trip after buying it a month or so earlier for $ 35 dollars from a dealer who had it sitting in the back their lot as a trade-in but with the reverse anchor out of the dynaflow. Surprising because the car was in real good condition overall and ran like a champ. Summer 1973, it was mid summer on a Friday after work and I left town around 7:00. The trip involved about a 2.5 hour drive running on old 2-lane highways and it was starting to get dark. I pulled on the light switch but no headlights as they were working just fine the night before. I drove as far as I could but had to eventually pull over out in the middle of nowhere before it got too dark so I could check things out and see what i could do to fix things. Long story short eventually and with aid of a small dim flashlight I ended up having to melt off the rubber of a small section of the headlight wire with a match. My tool box luckily had about 3 feet of wire at the bottom so I used that to splice onto the hot wire to the headlight harness and jumped over to the battery positive terminal to get the lights to work independent of the headlight switch. When I arrived I just had to remove the wire from the battery post. I never did replace that headlight switch and just drove it that way and when I needed head lights I just connected my wires back up after splicing in a toggle switch and in-line fuse. Kinda lame but back then and in college had little time or money for cars or car parts. So Ethan. if you have to one can always run a wire with a fuse and switch through the firewall and hook it up under your dash for control of the headlights until you get around to replacing what you need to get things done right. Edited October 4, 2019 by buick man (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Bruce aka First Born Posted October 6, 2019 Share Posted October 6, 2019 What did the light problem turn out to be, Ethan? Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethan Posted October 7, 2019 Author Share Posted October 7, 2019 On 10/6/2019 at 10:45 AM, Ben Bruce aka First Born said: What did the light problem turn out to be, Ethan? Ben I am still not sure. There is not power going to the headlights or the dimmer switch. I need to make my way to the light switch. But the guy who owned the Buick before myself re upholstered the dash and covered up all the screws to the top of the dash so that makes things difficult since I cannot reach it from under the dash. I'll figure it out in time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now