Here's an emergency set up in my van...

A long time ago during my first years I got a headlight switch problem (no
low beam, high beam is OK if I hold the headlight stalk up)... So I bought
a set of Hella Rally lights (or fog lights) and bolted them on the front
bumper, wired to a switch on the dash with a relay, independent from the
headlight switch...

oh yeah ... later on the famous headlight switch failed again at night
during a trip ... so I turned those Hella Rally lights ON and kept going...

just a thought... Those Hella Rally lights do help on twisty roads... a
real plus...

On Tue, Jun 22, 2021 at 2:44 PM John Rodgers <jrodgers113@gmail.com> wrote:

> Thanks for the guidance on this, Folks. Tracking down electrical
> gremlins always gives me migraines!
>
> On Tue, Jun 22, 2021 at 4:26 PM Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> > Intermittent headlights usually indicate a bad wiring connection. Could
> > also be a bad switch. Going back to 1971 the headlights are powered off
> the
> > X contact on the ignition switch. On the Vanagon the high lever is
> powered
> > directly from the fuse box, battery connection. So operating the lever
> > bypasses the ignition and headlight switch. Since the lights do work with
> > the lever pulled the ground is good. Bad ground would have only the high
> > beam indicator light but no lights. If ignition switch than other stuff
> > operated by the X contact such as the heater fans would also not work.
> The
> > X contact also operates the load reduction relay. On the later vans the
> > contacts at the back of the fuse box do fail so you may need to
> diagnose. I
> > would start at the headlight switch. Get the Bentley, follow the circuit,
> > and test for the failure.
> >
> > Dennis
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com> On Behalf Of John
> > Rodgers
> > Sent: Tuesday, June 22, 2021 1:28 PM
> > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> > Subject: Headlights
> >
> > Headlights have started cutting off and on. The  high beams fail more
> > often than the low beams but they both do it. By pulling the switch stalk
> > on the steering column they will stay on as long as I hold it back. Has
> > anyone with ideas as to what this is all about? Do I need a new headlight
> > switch. Or other?
> >
> > Thanks
> >
>