Anyone have an idea of why I only have headlights when the high beams are on?
I have no front corner running lights or low beam head lights with the headlight switch on and the high beam switch in the off position.
Headlights come on when the floor switch is hit.
They did function fine until recently.
Discovered this the other night upon leaving a restaurant at 11 pm. (Also the first time I left the car with a Valet. I could only think of: Bueller... Beuller...)
68' Firebird 400 convertible, numbers matching, solar red w/ deluxe parchment interior. 66' Pontiac Ventura Hardtop 66' Pontiac Catalina Convertible
Keep in mind the high beam switch on the floor gets it's ground from the two small screws that hold it to the floor. If they are not tight and or rusty/dirty this exact problem you are describing will happen.
I went through this with both our 68 Bird and our 68 Camaro, was the dimmer switch on the floor both times...
It is definitely something at the switch. I do not think it is a ground though. Nice and tight to the body with good new fasteners. A bit of wire wiggle at the switch and they work again. Probably just dirty contacts at the connector. To fully pull the carpet back would take a while, so I will wait and see if it becomes a problem again.
68' Firebird 400 convertible, numbers matching, solar red w/ deluxe parchment interior. 66' Pontiac Ventura Hardtop 66' Pontiac Catalina Convertible
Usually giving the dimmer a good kick fixes that very problem and I am dead serious. LOL Just happened last night on the LeMans, gave a bit of a kick and back in business. I really think it's because it gets a weak ground from those two small screws...
I agree with the dimmer switch being the cause of your problem, but not because of a ground problem. The switches are not grounded to operate. They have one input from the light switch and one output each for the high and low beams. The only switch that is grounded to operate is the wiper switch. OK, and the dome light switch on the headlight switch!
The problem with your front parking lights must be a different problem. They are separate from the headlight circuit. All the running lights are on one circuit; parking lights, tail lights, side markers and license plate light. About the only way to troubleshoot this is to follow the brown wire between the light switch and the parking lights and see where there is a break. Of course, both bulbs might be out, but they would unlikely go out at the same time.
