Headlight Electrical Question

Ugh.

Sounds to me like you simly need to take the connectors apart, sandthem with 400 wet and dry till they're nice and clean and shiney, then dab a bit of dialectric grease on them and it should be fine for ages.

Absolutelty. I'm not complaining, though; I just want to fix the problem in a reasonably cost-effective manner. I'll see if I can find some of this stuff, and some dialectric grease as well.

I don't think I can get at the contacts. The plug resembles the end of a household extension cord; it's a solid piece of molded, soft plastic with the contacts recessed inside slots.

Update on the SDL's door-check problem: Had the door check replaced last Friday, and now all is well. The mechanic showed me the old part. The rollers were cocked at about a 30-degree angle inside the track, due to my having to muscle the door closed so I could drive the car home when the door jammed in the open position. Now it opens and closes like new.

Thanks, Geoff

We had a similar problem with our 420sel. We simply clipped and replaced the electrical connection. You can purchase one at Auto Zone.

Did you try spraying electrical contact cleaner in the connector, then working the bulb on and off a bunch of times?

I have eurpo lights with removable ceramic bases so mine won't be the same as yours. But you should be able to replace the thing the light plugs into if that's the part that's messed up.

Auto parts store should have "tune up grease".

Found it -- and got a can of contact cleaner at the Radio Shack in the same strip mall. Ten bucks each for a small can -- ouch! But they seem to have fixed the problem. Thanks again to all who responded.

Geoff

Have you tried "Deoxit"? I think that it is available at Fry's. If you can't find it there give me a ring at home or my cell. I'll send you the numbers by e-mail.

Geoff Miller wrote:

DeoxIT is the best stuff. I've tried just about all the contact cleaners out there. You can use a whole can of a "contact cleaner" and not solve the problem. One or two quick sprays of DeoxIT and it will work every time. They have a great site,