I have a audi a4 97 1.8t and just the other day i try turning them on and just the backlights and front corner lights turn on i check the fuses and the bulbs and there fine and i dont know what to.do next only the high beam lights turn on plz help its driveing me nuts

 

headlight combination switch. common problem, search for DIY fix or buy replacement at ECStuning.com

 

Oh i think your right because wen i move the switch up to turn on the headlights it only moves up once and to turn the headlights i gotta switch it up twice so i gotta replace that piece then right?

 

or maybe it's just that the contact's are dirty and you can take it apart and clean it and save your self 140.00 + shipping and then if you do take it apart and clean the contact's and it still does not work then you can go out and spend your money

 

The switch goes bad because for all their over-engineering, Audi decided to run the full current used by the headlights through the switch. There's little plastic slider that holds the contacts that complete the circuit when you flick your headlight stalk up. The current creates heat which melts the contacts deeper into plastic slider, preventing them from making good contact inside the switch. The DIY fix works but has been known to eventually fail again. There's guys on here who've done that fix 5 times. The new switch uses the same plastic slider which will also eventually melt over time. The proper fix would be to wire a relay in between the battery and the switch, which would keep all that juice from running through the switch in the first place. A new combi switch is ~$150, if you're remotely handy I recommend just doing the DIY fix. Be careful with the airbag.

 

Shokan has Good and tested switches for $75. www.shokan.com. This will be a recurring problem for you as it has been for EVERYONE and no one ever had a solution. After replacing it 5 times I called a friend (auto electrician) and we diagnosed it.

The wiring harness had two wires that were burning causing the copper piece inside to heat up and melt. The switch draws nearly 23 amps with the front and rear fog lights on, 13 with just the front, and 7 amps with just the headlights. I ended up running a relay for the fog lights so the switch will never draw more than 7 amps. The fog lights still run through the switch so they function like normal (off when high beams on / off when car off)

 

running a relay between battery and switch still causes the switch to draw the full 23 amps. the fix is to run the fog's through a relay

 

How will running the fog lights through a relay fix the combination switch?

 

The fogs run through the switch right now, creating a 23 amp current. If you run them off a relay instead and then to the switch then the fogs get power from the relay but "authority" to be on from the switch. Thus the switch only has 7 amps running through it, the wires stay nice and cool and don't melt the plastic piece

ps i love the quote in your sig

 

good info, thanks. And the quote is tragically true lol.