Topic: brights/brights switch

[camarobuyer86]

 My brights are stuck in the on position. [91 camaro] The brights switch wont work anymore.  Is this a quick and cheap repair? or is this an hour or more of labor at a garage? your knowledge and advice is appreciated.

[barrie1]

Is this switch located on the turn signal stalk or on the floor. The floor mounted ones are known to stick on occasion and can be tapped to bring them back up into low beam with a small hammer. If its the column mounted one then the turn signal stalk will need to be replaced which is not that bad to do. There's only one main wire connection in the column and one clip type of hold down as well. Some have to have the wheel removed and some don't as they can be done thru the side of the column.

[camarobuyer86]

 its on the turn-signal stalk but strange thing occurred: next morning I clicked my brights switch and it worked.   

[barrie1]

You probably had a stuck contact in the switch which happens on occasion. If you haven't used it much in a while the small amount of grease on the moving parts dries out somewhat and can stick. I just had this happen a week ago with my truck which has the switch on the floor. Once I kicked it 3-4 times it loosened up and is working fine again. 

[random006]

I just had this happen a week ago with my truck which has the switch on the floor. Once I kicked it 3-4 times it loosened up and is working fine again. 

Love those "high tech" solutions.   

My memories of floor mounted high beam buttons is usually a large rust spot with a vague lump in the middle.        Honestly, who thought putting an electrical and very important object on the floor of a vehicle was a good idea?  Last time I checked, the Motor City got all four seasons with the associated amount of moisture.   

[AVToller]

Starter buttons used to be located on the floor in many cars! 

[random006]

Starter buttons used to be located on the floor in many cars! 

OK, make that 2 large rust spots on the floor.  Yikes.   

[ovr50]

Geez, Ross, if you remember starter buttons on the floor, you must be REALLY old...

[AVToller]

Geez, Ross, if you remember starter buttons on the floor, you must be REALLY old...

I am, but to be honest, I never owned a car which was so equipped, but my older brother's first car had a floor starter button! 

[barrie1]

How about the 2nd button on the drivers side floor for the radio. It looked just like the Headlight button but was different again. Anybody remember what this was for? For your younger folks it was a switch to change the stations on your radio in many of the GM's with the "WonderBar Radio" from the Factory. My Dad had that in his 1955 Buick Super he bought new. If you don't use the highbeams very much the dirt builds up in them and they get stickey and will stick on occasion. I take the one out of my truck once a year and relube it to solve this problem. 5 minutes maintenance is better then having it jam on the highway late at night. 

[ovr50]

Well, I remember the GM "WonderBar" radios but never had a car with that in it. In fact. in my youth, I only had Mopars and Fords, then jumped to BMW.

Ross, I never had a car with the floor starter button either, but I remember seeing them as a kid. That's when the ignition key was just "off-on" and you had a starter button somewhere. My 1950 Ford I had when in U, the button was on the dash. How the world turns, now BMWs, etc have the starter button on the dash again. 

[AVToller]

Yup, isn't it amazing how one has to pay a major premium to get the latest innovation such as a starter button? 

Of course each new generation invents sex too, so I guess we Old Farts shouldn't be too surprised.