Need help with some quirky behavior from my headlamps

[MrAceman]

I've started running into an issue where, intermittently, my headlights don't come on in my 89 GTR.

They almost always eventually turn on, but I have to turn the headlight dial off and on and off and on... until eventually they turn on. That can take 30-40 times off and on before the headlights come on.

My hi-beams work when I "flash" them manually (pull on blinker stalk), but they DO NOT turn (push on stalk).

Any suggestions? Thanks!

[louis110]

Is it just your headlights? Is the radio or any other electrics acting funny?

[nick-nismo]

Do you have aftermarket HID headlights? Sometimes when the ballasts get old they don't like to fire on, I had the same issue on my other car, one headlight would never turn on. I would flick it on off a few times and then it would turn on, after replacing the ballast everything was fine.

[caliber676]

Check the connector for the headlight switch behind the cluster bezel. They are notorious for melting and having connection problems

[MrAceman]

It's just the lights... I haven't noticed any electrical issues otherwise. The lights are a projector conversion but not a HID (best I can tell... It was done prior to me buying it). I've had other cars with HID conversions and this setup looks nothing like it. I definitely don't see any ballasts. Also... it's both lights either off or on. If think with a bad ballast you'd most likely only have intermittent issues with one. I suppose it'd be possible for both to go bad at the same time... but just really unlikely.

Once I have the bezel off is there anything particular that I'm looking for? Or is it going to be a pretty obviously melted slag of plastic?

[caliber676]

You will see a burnt, discoloured connector. You switch itself could be faulty as well, you should be able to test for continuity between the switch steps