I have a couple of apparently conflicting problems with my old Saab 9000 - dim headlights & burnt out dip switches! Perhaps someone can shed some light (if you'll pardon the pun).
I have been having problems over the last three years with the dip switch failing on a 1987 9000i. The last one I fitted was new/genuine saab, but only lasted 6 months. The symptom is that, when you pull it up to go from dip to main, it will not hold main beam & drops back to dip when you release the switch. I have now had 4 of these switches. It appears to be a mechanical problem in the switch, but it has been suggested to me that it could be due to the contacts burning out in the switch due to excessive currrent. Could it be a relay problem causing excessive current to go through it? The relay on this model is a simple single pole, one set of contacts feeding power to both main & dip through the switch.
The conflicting part is that the car suffers from dim headlamps - good pattern, nice spread etc but not very bright. So, thinks I, I will spend some money on the Phillips VisionPlus bulbs. But having fitted them, they have made little difference to the light on the road. They look bright enough but the light shed still isn't great. I have stripped the headlights & cleaned the glass inside (not touched the reflectors obviously). The reflectors still look nice & shiny although with a smidge of bloom (hey, at 15 years old & 194k, what do you expect?).
Another possibly relevant fact is that on both headlamo connectors, the plastic has melted slightly round the earth lead. I have tried taking a direct earth feed from the headlight to the battery negative - no difference.
The poor old girl is worth peanuts, so I don't really want to spend a fortune at the main dealer getting this sorted (if indeed there is a problem). Anyone out there any ideas???
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Melted plastic sounds like overheating of the earth lead. Yeah, I know it's obvious.
Could there be a short circuit somewhere which is allowing excess current to flow to earth instead of passing through the lamps? But if that is the case, why are fuses not blowing? They should if too many amps are flowing.
If it were me, I would be looking at re-wiring the headlamp circuit. Might be easier than finding an earth fault. Disconnect existing cables at both ends and run new ones. Make sure they are heavy enough to take the current, of course.
No doubt others know more than me about auto -electrics which can be a pig to fault-find.
No offence to pigs of course. (PC bit)
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You should be able to test the brightness problem by taking a direct pos feed to the battery at the same time as the earth. Do it on one light and compare with the other.
As to the switch, cheapest way would be to get a double pole household light switch from Woolies and screw it to the dash. Live wire (presumably pos, does'nt matter) to "L", with dip to "1" and main to "2".
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Interesting idea but wouldn't do much for the interior aesthetics - besides, being swedish, I'd have to fit an Ikea switch.
Good idea with the direct battery connection for pos and neg, will try this morning.
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Just like piloting a Spitfire!
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Glad someone else has had problems with dim h/lights on my '93 9000. I posted a comment on a thread some time ago stating that I'd be better off shining a torch through the windscreen of mine. Xenon bulbs from Halfords sorted the problem.
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As you can see from my original post, I have already installed top-rated Philips VisionPlus xenon with little effect. As you say, it seemed the obvious thing to do, but although the lights look brighter & whiter they don't cast much more light. I've had the car 8 years, but can't remember whether they were any better when I first got it. I've had a 9-5 for a few months & even without xenons the lights are excellent. Spoilt now!
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