Headlamp switch frozen

[harvey]

Can't believe this has happened... the headlight switch won't go into the 'off' position. It's frozen, just will not budge. I popped the cover off and messed about with the switch but it will not budge. I've pulled the 7 & 8 fuses so I can turn it off that way until I locate a new switch.

While driving with the head lights on the wife thought she smell something burning. And, the switch while driving is very warm to the touch so maybe it got so hot to melt something that made it stick. I dunno???

Anybody ever had this happen?

[California Dreamin]

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While driving with the head lights on the wife thought she smell something burning. And, the switch while driving is very warm to the touch so maybe it got so hot to melt something that made it stick. I dunno???

Anybody ever had this happen?

Unfortunately the old connections and contacts create electrical resistance, that resistance generates heat and it certainly sounds like you are correct with your diagnosis.
The California, with it's four lamps, illuminates all four lamps on full beam, 240watts which is 20 amps (unlike the round headlamp models that use half that) and unfortunately Volkswagen didn't feel it was necessary to fit relays to the headlamps on the majority of models. As a side note* and as you will read on the WIKI, retrofitting relays is a very worthwhile task as it both makes the lights brighter and more reliable.

Martin

[harvey]

The California, with it's four lamps, illuminates all four lamps on full beam, 240watts which is 20 amps (unlike the round headlamp models that use half that) and unfortunately Volkswagen didn't feel it was necessary to fit relays to the headlamps on the majority of models. As a side note* and as you will read on the WIKI, retrofitting relays is a very worthwhile task as it both makes the lights brighter and more reliable.

Martin

Many thanks, Martin

I'm planning to live with the switch frozen 'ON' for a couple of weeks until we get to Germany - hoping that it will be easier to find a new switch there than here in Denmark. I'm now disconnecting the two batteries' grounding straps while we're camped. Then during the day pulling the low beam fuses while we're stopped for lunch, etc.

Thanks for the reference for the relay retrofitting. It seems very worthwhile and something I'd like to do when we've finished our trip.