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77 vette headlight switch burning

by Dave
(fl.)

1977 Corvette Wiper Switch

1977 Corvette Wiper Switch

77 vette I changed the dash pad and also put new led lights in dash the headlight switch burned.

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Mar 17, 2016
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starstarstarstarstar 		more wiring troulbe
by: Anonymous

I am ready to put dash back in the 77 vette.The 4 wire plug from wiper switch,where dose it plug into?
Mar 08, 2016
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starstarstarstarstar 		LED Lights
by: Corvette Master Mechanic Chris

LED lights actually draw less wattage then a traditional filament bulb. So unless you have installed them incorrectly or shorted out another wire during installation of the cluster the LED's should be fine.

Did you bench test the LED light install before installing the cluster back in the car? This would have required a power source (battery) to perform. If you did then the lights probably were installed correctly if they all worked. If you did not its possible that you have a bad LED bulb or a polarity issue. LED bulbs can get a little weird since they are polarity + - sensitive. Obviously I'm sure you don't want to take everything back out to check so you have a few options. You could pull the wires on the switch off and power the cluster lights separately with your own power source. We would have to locate the wiring diagrams unless you are already familiar with this. Secondly we could perform some ohmmeter checks to see if we can find the source of your short to ground. Let me know what you would like to do and I would be more than happy to help.

Chris
Mar 08, 2016
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		headlight switch burning
by: Dave

Chris thanks for your comment. I got the dash out of the car. I change the dash lights to led lights. Then I burned two headlight switches.Will the led lights work in a 77 vette? I hope I only have to buy one more switch.
Mar 07, 2016
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Light Switch Replacement
by: Chris Corvette Master Mechanic

Dave,

Thank you so much for your submission. It appears that your headlight switch is bad. This is a very common problem on your year corvette. Please see instructions below. Please try and find a higher quality part from a vendor that deals with Corvettes for a living.


1. Start by disconnecting the battery. If your Corvette has air conditioning, you will have to remove a/c duct from under the dash. In most cases, it will slide out or only be held in by one or two screws.

2. Reach up behind the dash and feel for the headlight switch. When you find it, feel for this small button on the bottom of the switch. Push it all the way in and at the same time pull the knob and shaft out. It doesn’t always come right out the first time. Sometimes you just have to keep trying until you hit the right spot. Do not force the knob and shaft out. When the button is in all the way, the knob and shaft will easily slide out of the switch. This can be very frustrating but this is the only way you can get the knob and shaft out without damage. So do not give up. Just keep trying. It will come out, I promise.
On your 1977 Corvette you will need to remove the side dash screws, the top three dash screws and the two screws on the side gauges. Once screws are removed the dash will slide out enough to removed the headlight switch.


3 With the knob and shaft removed, unscrew the center headlight switch retainer with a large flat blade screwdriver. This will release the switch and it will fall behind the dash.

4. Pull the switch down towards the floor. Remove the vacuum lines and unplug the switch. Connect the new switch to the plug. Re-connect the vacuum lines and feed the switch up behind the dash. Align it with the dash opening and install the bezel and center retainer. Hold the switch and tighten the retainer.

5. With the switch in place, slide the knob and shaft into the switch. You will feel it clip into place. It is a good idea to clean the shaft before you re-install it. A little steel wool will work wonders. Or if the chrome knob shows signs of wear replace with the correct reproduction headlamp rod and knobs for a the 77 Corvette applications. Re-connect your battery.

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