Headlights - always on, wont turn off

[rail king]

i just picked up a clean 94 talon tsi awd for my new daily driver. im going thru my list of things to maintain/clean/replace and my headlights seem to be the next topic to tackle...

AND YES I HAVE SEARCHED!!! im not a noob and im very much mechancally inclined. i cant seem any info that relates to my specific issue.


MY ISSUE:

when i start up my car, the headlights instantly turn on (which may also be contributing to my starting/cranking concern - another topic). the light switch has 3 options yes? - OFF / ON / ON + FOGS. @ OFF, my headlights are on. @ ON, my headlights are on but they are no brighter than the OFF poisition. @ ON + FOGS, the fog lights come on but again the headlights are not any brighter.

everyone following me?

at first i thought the lights were DLR but that was not the case when i went to switch the "ON" for night time driving but was surprised when it had no impact. my thoughts are its the headlight switch itself or maybe a wiring issue of some sort. at any rate, i want to get this resolved asap so i can move forard on installing HIDS

any thoughts on how to trouble shoot this would be very appreciated.

thx

 

[Lofty]

First off, it's Off/Runninglights/Lowbeams. The fogs are a separate button themselves, which are a little circular button to the left of the steering wheel. The fogs will only be on when your low beams are on.
It sounds like it could be the alternator choke fuse, check into it.

 

[luv2rallye]

His car is Canadian which have a differently designed headlight system including Daytime Running Lights (DRL).

 

[Defiant]

Can you do HID conversion with DRLs? Don't the DRLs use the high beam filament?

At any rate, pull the light switch and look for any sign of wire tampering. Also check the fuse boxes for same. The first new part to throw at it will be the light switch.

 

[rail king]

the light switch is the same as my lurn signal lever. i dont think its been tampered with.

 

[MuffinMan7580]

That's why you ask for a combination switch at the parts store when you replace it.

 

[Defiant]

the light switch is the same as my lurn signal lever. i dont think its been tampered with.

Yeah. Meanwhile, check the fog light switch on the instrument binnacle, and the fuse boxes, to see if anyone's done a mod on how they're turned on, and if it's screwed-up. You might lurn something.

 

[evileclipse909]

Try unpluging the headlight switch to see if the lights turn off. That way you can diagnose the problem instead of just throwing parts at it. And Luv2rallye is right. In canada it is a law that your headlights need to be on at all times.