ST Sport 2+2 headlamp mode on ignition switch fails

[mudpickle]

3 months ago I bought a 2007 Gas ST Sport 2+2 and I'm on my 2nd ignition/headlight switch. Was wondering if anyone has had a similar problem or can offer some advice before I go out and buy another ignition switch or install a toggle switch. Thanks.

[kgsc]

Put in a relay and use the switch to turn it on and off instead of the lights themselves. $6 and some wire.

And Welcome to BGW !!

[mudpickle]

Thanks for the welcome. I'm pretty green about this so if you could indulge me a couple questions....

By a relay, you mean like a toggle switch? Was planning on taking this approach since it would be cheaper than another ignition. Wasn't sure on the amps until a little bit ago when I found and downloaded the wiring diagram and confirmed that I did indeed have a 15 amp fuse in the block. Now assuming that I need a 15 amp toggle?

Thanks again and hope I'm using the correct terminology.

[kgsc]

If you go this route and your current switch is fried you will need a new one plus a 12 volt relay like they use for off road lights. Like $6 from an auto parts place... On the current setup, there are 2 wires for the headlights going to the switch. One of those has 12vt + and the other goes to the lights. The new relay will switch that and take the load instead of the switch.

Step one, disconnect battery.
2. get access to the old switch
3. Isolate the wires for the headlights
4. Hook battery back up long enough to determine which of those two wires has 12vt + to it
5. Disconnect battery again
6. Now the wiring.. Relay has 4 terminals, 30, 85,86 and 87. Assuming your current connections have 1/4 female blade connectors, you will need to create a harness with a male 1/4 blade with two wires that come out of it that go to two 1/4 females. Plug the male of your harness into the wire you identified as 12vt+ from the original harness. Take one of the female connectors and plug that onto terminal 30 of the relay, put the other on the ignition switch. Now take the other wire from the old circuit and plug that onto term 87 of the relay. Now create another wire that has a female 1/4 on each end, one goes to term 85 of the relay and the other goes to the remaining terminal on the ign switch. Now you will need a ground for the relay. Find a ground and run a wire with a 1/4 female connector and plug that onto the remaining 86 term of the relay.

Hook the battery back up and test..

If all is well, tape up the connections and reassemble..

[mudpickle]

Ahhh, so the switch would still be on the key? Perfect! I would buy you a beer if you lived closer! Thinking you should write a self help book called Wiring for Dummies - can't thank you enough. I'll try this tonight and let you know of the outcome.

EDIT: On a side note, would a bad ground be causing this to happen? Just wondering what would be killing that switch when I rarely use the lights.

[kgsc]

The headlights alone on that setup are going to pull 6 amps or so. Add taillights to that and it is just pushing the limits of the switch IMO... The relay makes that load go away to the switch.

[mudpickle]

Ok, this is pretty sad that I'm just now getting around to messing with this but I had bought another new switch and now it's doing the same thing as before. I built the harness and installed it and the new relay and did as you said. Now the lights come one but go off when you hit the accelerator pedal and start the engine. Engine goes off and the lights come back on. Any suggestions as to what I should be looking for? Thanks in advance for any help.

[kgsc]

Slacker !!!

Ok, you probably just have a wire out of place. On the back of the switch you should have these terminals, B, I, B1 and L.

White with yellow goes to B
White goes to I
The other 2, white/blue are for the lights.
One of those is 12+, the other is for the lights. You need to get a volt meter out and figure which is which.

Now the relay wiring.
You need a new 12+ wire with fuse coming up to the switch. This goes to term 30
Whatever white/blue wire went to the lights goes to 87
The terminal on the switch this white/blue wire came from goes to 85
86 goes to a ground. I usually just run 12+ and - from the battery..

[mudpickle]

I'll double check it all this morning but that seems like what I did. Just brainstorming but would any of this have to do with unhooking the reverse buzzer?

[kgsc]

I wouldn't think so