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Hi all,

Let me preface this post by saying my 1934 1104 has never been apart or restored and the headlights (and everything else) have worked fine for the past 50 years. Now they don't. The only thing that changed was a comfy ride in an enclosed trailer for 1000 miles and a new owner.

When I got home with the car, I showed the family the car and how everything worked. I was showing how even the running board and rear seat lights worked when either rear door was open.

There are 4 positions on the headlight switch. Off, parking, two driving modes, and the last being single light mode. All of this was fine when I got it home. After I left the lights on for about 10 minutes, they didn't work anymore, but only the two driving lights mode. The parking and single light mode still work. It all cases, the taillights no longer work, but the brake lights do.

Seemed simple to me, a fuse must of blown. So, checking only two fuses I can see, they are fine. I know the switch is fine in those positions because the rear courtesy lights work when the rear doors are open ONLY if the headlight switch is in one of the 3 on positions. I am thinking there must a another fuse somewhere, but I cannot find it. Because I dont have manuals at this time, I am posting this, as I KNOW this must be simple!

Thank for reading and I hope it made sense.

Tom Laferriere

I've just responded to your identical query over on AACA. How about checking there first to see if that helps you solve your problem.

Well, in the meantime I've gone out to re-read the owner's manual. What is says agrees with what I told you over on AACA, the fuses do not protect the headlights, they are on a thermal circuit breaker. EDITED - my error, the headlights are fused but also have a resistance wire that permits lamp operation even in the event of a short.

Also the headlight positions are:

0. All off
1. tail and parking
2. tail and headlights
3. tail and left-hand tilt and right-hand curb headlights
4. tail and bright lights

There is no "one light" position, that may mean one of your bulbs has one of the 3 filaments burned out. These are the Mazda 3003 triple-filament bulbs.

In addition to a burned out bulb, I'd guess that you have so much resistance in your wiring (switch, sockets, etc) that leaving the lights on for 10 minutes tripped the circuit breaker. After cooling off for a while it will reset and you should be OK for the moment, but you're risking a real problem if the resistance is that high - means wires are overheating - watch out for fire hazard. One cause of this can be gear oil from the steering gear leaking into the headlight switch. If so, you need to either retighten the packing gland at the base of the column, or perhaps replace the packing.

Or maybe just a less than tight connection. 1000 miles of bouncing in a trailer can do that.

Great Info and you are right about the single light mode.

As for the breaker, it never reset. How do I reset and where is it? Also, I still confused as why some of the headlight positions still work.

Thanks for your help!

You don't reset the breaker, it resets itself (assuming it's still functional). Again reading the owner's manual, if you have a short in the headlight circuit, the breaker will allow enough current to flow for minimal lighting, but will prevent enough from flowing thru a short to cause damage (assuming the 70+ year-old breaker still knows what to do). EDIT - correction, it's not a breaker per se but a resistance wire that allows some current for the headlights in the event of a short. But since you say you now have some headlight positions but not others, I doubt that's the issue.

Suggestion - remove the lenses, put on whatever headlamp positions don't work, and wiggle the bulbs. If nothing, remove the bulbs and clean the bases, bayonet and socket, and try again. If nothing, replace them one at a time with new bulbs (the repro of these bulbs was a one-shot deal - if you didn't get a set, better do it QUICKLY).

Any chance the headlights were on with the engine running while the battery disconnect switch was thrown? That immediately will burn out whatever headlamp filaments were active at the moment.

PS - I submitted an original copy of the owner's manual for you car and it's on this site - maybe you should download it and print a copy off to keep with the car?

You asked where the breaker is, as I think I indicated before it's within the fuse block.

PPS - another thought - is the wire bail clasp till holding the headlight switch tightly to the base of the steering column?

OK, after really thinking more and more about this, I decided to actually check the taillight bulbs. Now, keep in mind everything was working just fine, then they didnt! Well, I did have tail light bulbs in stock and decided to replace because they were blown! Installed two new ones and now I have functioning taillights! Yippee! I now must assume the headlight tri-bulbs are blown, except for that one that lights on position 4!

So now, this post changes to how the heck did that happen! All four bulbs blow at once?

Thanks gents, this was an issue that had to be solved before the night was over. I even slipped away for while during family day today.

Tom Laferriere

Quote:

I was having battery issues at the time, but dont recall if the car was running. I am not sure what you mean by battery disconnect switch??

Owen,

You have been extremely helpful. Thank you!

And I will need some bulbs!

Tom Laferriere

I am not sure what you mean by battery disconnect switch??

Maybe you don't have a battery disconnect switch, but you really should consider one, especially if your wiring harnesses are original!

What I meant was, if you disconnected the battery, either by using a disconnect switch or removing a cable, while the headlights were on and the engine running at anything more than a slow idle, the voltage surge would almost instantly burn out every bulb that was active at the time.

And don't delay in getting the 3003 bulbs, I don't know how many are still available and I doubt they'll ever be made again. Before that recent run, it wasn't uncommon to see prices of $300 or $400, even for a used bulb. So the $40 or so for a new one is an absolute steal.

Dave,

I am confused about the 'circuit breaker'. From the manual (p 16):

"The normal lighting current does not affect the protector, but if a short circuit should occur, causing a heavy current to flow, the fuse will blow. There is a resistance wire in the protector which will permit sufficient current to pass for the operation of the lights..."

The resistance wire does not sound like a cut-out, but more of a bypass that normally does not carry the main current. If something has caused the fuse to blow, then some current will flow through this resistor, presumably to not only the head lights but any other lights on the chassis circuit. Am I reading this wrong?

Also, Tom, I strongly agree with Dave that you should have a battery disconnect in the car, and a fuel pump cut-out if you are using an electric fuel pump.

Cheers,

Tom

Tom, I think you're reading it correctly and I may have jumped to an incorrect conclusion that the resistance wire was a thermal breaker.

EDIT - I've gone back and noted the error in the prior posts so should someone refer to them in the future, they'll find the right info.