Hi all,

I'm familiar with the usual combo switch issues that cause the headlights to stop working on my 96 a4 related to the melted plastic slider inside and have become quite adept at breaking down the steering column and fixing the switch.

This time is a little different in that my low beams/fog lights stopped working, but my high beams still work when in the forward position (unlike most times when the slider melts and the brights only work when you pull it toward you). I took everything apart and there are no melted parts and everything seems to be making contact okay.

Does anyone have ideas or know the wiring/pins well enough to know what else could cause the headlights/fog lights to stop working but still allow the high beams to work in both positions? For all I know, it might not even be a combo switch issue, but that's usually the first place things go wrong...

Thanks,
Brian

 

Quick update: I've narrowed it down to the combo switch by trying a different switch (that I can't use for other reasons) and confirming the headlights all worked with it (high/low/fog).

I'm suspicious of the contact bars behind the turn signal stalk. One of them had a slight bend in it which I just tried straightening, but it hasn't help. I'd like to try fixing this switch rather than buy a new one. Anyone knows which contacts need to be open/closed for the low beams to be operational?

 

When you took the combi switch apart did you make sure the two copper bars were not pushed down in the small white plastic piece? That the springs had fully extended and had not gotten stuck in a compressed position preventing contact from being made? I found this to be the case with mine

 

Yes, the two copper bars, springs, and white plastic piece are still pristine.

I'm thinking it is the contact bars behind the bright switch perhaps that may be the issue.

I had the lows working again momentarily, but both the lows and highs were on at the same time when I had the brights on and then after I tried the turn signals, the lows stopped working again altogether. Probably it is either just hitting or just missing a contact when it should be doing the opposite. I'm going to try tinkering some more and see if I can't get it straight.