xt binnacle light switch operation?

[jono]

The second button down on right binnacle looks to indicate it flips lights up or down. Twice in six years I have touched and lights stayed up but never on. The owner manual words and chart very hard to detwrmine use and function.

button would not release from in pressed in position. If I wind down manually they still power back to up position

[jono]

No edit button on my phone so continue story here. If I pull battery power lights stay down until power back on they go back up. Accidentally found if push in usual headlight on and up top side button at same time as press just flip button I got flip button to release and joids closed thankfully. Us this normal function? When push top front facing buttion see others move a bit as if a screw us loose inside and recall my once good friend tsubaru have similar problem. BTW anyone know of turbine or tsubaru lately. The latter still to post my goodies from five years ago

[idosubaru]

I can't follow your posts or what your question is exactly. 

 

That button keeps the head lights up, that's it.  It has nothing to do with turning them on.

It makes it easier to flash your lights at someone - otherwise you can't flash your lights very effectively if you have to wait for them to come up, turn on, turn off, go down, come up....etc.  Or if you want to leave them up in the winter, etc. 

 

If you want them to stay down - then leave that button OFF and never touch it.  Then they'll never come up unless you turn your headlight switch on. 

 

If the button is bad - replace/repair it.  They're a bit tedious to repair but you can disassemble and generally repair quite a few issues that commonly occur in those stalk mounted buttons.

[Subaru Scott]

I never thought about using that function to flash my lights, good point! I just thought it was for cleaning/replacement.

[Gloyale]

that button is so you can leave them up in snow and freezing.

 

So when you get up to drive at 4:30 in the morning the lights aren't frozen shut.  But they also aren't on so they won't blind the people in the house shining through the windows.

 

Works even when key off.....so you can run out when you forget and flip them up quickly without having to get teh key.

[jono]

You all understood me completely. Makes a lot if sense , but who wants to drive around in daytime and look like your old beast has a problem. Gawd they are ugly with eyes open - lights on or not. And the snow option, rather icing. As smart as with summer winter wiper switch. Thanks heaps. I think a screw may be loose on this backing of the switch rack. Button would not release on its own. Required partially press of lights on button to release. Hey I still got the looks on the road. Gonna mount concealed light bar it will look good if I have to flash high beams in daytime. Again thanks for explaining well better than owner manual

[idosubaru]

Yep - push it in and it makes the light assembly stays up.  push it again and the light assembly stay down.  has nothing to do with the bulbs being on or off.

 

The buttons in those pods routinely break - the plastic is old and more brittle.

Be careful disassembling it.  if you don't like the idea of breaking the steering column surround (if you still have it), you might want to just avoid using that button at all. the steering column surrounds break all the time, very easily.  just turn the head lights on if you may need them up. 

 

if you want to repair it: 

 

remove steering column shroud - these are very brittle, and break as you disassemble or assemble them...probably more often than not, particularly for a first timer.

 

then you remove the pods via 4 10 or 12 mm bolt on top.  

 

then disconnect the seemingly-too-many cords that snake down the steering column. 

 

if you can - take a picture of how they flow down the steering column.  when you go to reinstall your very brittle steering column surround, as you screw the surround together the wires will push against the surround and cause it to break if they're not routed well. 

 

with it removed it'll be really obvious to see the phillips heads screws on the back to diassemble the switches.  

 

i've never attempted to repair buttons on the car, sounds daunting as there's a lot of little bits and screws and stuff. 

[jono]

Again thanks for comment, tips and honesty. Apologies that I have found the better description in the owners booklet. Stupid me rushedto read in bad light. It is thepush again to release button that is not working as designed. Remedy seems to be support backing oanpanel by partially press in the headlights up and on side button. Problem was made worse by the fact if u manually wound lights down they powered back to up position viz switch stuck in! I wonder if there is some magic trick to restore the plastic prior to touching or. Once off say soak for a month in lux washing flakes or something!? Soak in mineral oil? Again, thanks

[Gloyale]

you must unplug the electric motor before manually winding the buckets up/down or the limit switches kick in and try to fight the bucket back up/down, were ever the switches are set to..

[jono]

Thanks again. Will not touch that switch until ready to get in there and repair