anyone experienced this? i'm baffled, they work fine in summer , but the colder it is out, the longer they take to light up after turning them on, sometimes 10 minutes if it's super cold, been like this for years and i'm tired of it

i'm stumped as to why

my suspicion, is, much like the main relay when it's hot, which i all ready solved

it's the switch acting same way when cold?

 

Do you have the same problem with the taillights?

Have you cleaned the switch contacts and the headlight ground wires in the engine bay?

 

no problem with tails

no idea where switch contacts are, on the steering post ya mean?

and no idea where headlights grounds are, but i don't have the problem in the summer, so i can't see how it would be a grounding issue,then again if it was the switch would it effect tails or are they a separate post off switch

if most here say it's the switch, would i need anything other than #11?

http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/...INATION+SWITCH


and does it have to be oe? i see some smp ones on ebay for about $15 cheaper

 

Look in the 92-00 Civic FAQs sticky. Danomatic93 has a thread on disassembling the light switch and cleaning the contacts.

Do the same for the headlight ground wires (G201, G301, G401) in the engine bay.

Do the high beams work properly?

 

yes, when they eventually turn on everything is normal

if this a contact issue, why would it only happen when it's cold out?

the colder it is , the longer it takes

 

What I was asking is: Do the high beams have the same problem as the low beams?

Why not?

Clean the switch contact points and the ground wires and then go from there.

 

i can't seem to find that post, and i have no idea where the 3 grounds are, pics anywhere ?

i just remembered, no, i can use the high beams, until lows turn on, sometimes it's miles from my house early in morning on cold morning, so it's only lows that have the issue

 

Switch -- Did you look in the electrical section in the FAQs sticky of the 92-00 Civic forum?

 

yep, didn't see anything in exterior lighting

 

i. Wipers, Turn Signals, Combination/Wiper Switch, Dome/Map Light, Trunk light, and Chime

 

ok, found the post, meh, i'd rather just buy a new one if that's what it is

so why would high beams not be effected ya think?

 

Haha...so lazy

AGAIN, because the contact inside the switch is corroded.

 

i'm far from lazy, just got done doing timing belt, rocker gaskets etc

just can't be bothered right now

my intermittent wipers also have their own mind tho they do work, i assume it's same issue

i'm still stumped as to why corrosion would only be a cold issue, but i''ll clean or replace switch

 

welp, took it apart today and cleaned it with maf cleaner

see what happens in morning

 

well, that did nothing

 

ONLY when the problem happens:

1) Unplug the light switch and measure voltage to body ground at the two white wire terminals in the switch connector.

2) Reconnect the switch, turn the headlights on, measure voltage to body ground at fuses 10 and 11.

3) Unplug the headlight connectors, turn the headlight switch on, and measure voltage to body ground at the Red/Yel or Red/Wht wire terminal in the plugs.

 

well, i ordered a new switch and will go from there

i should have said, another thing this car does along the same lines

the colder it is out the longer it takes to go into park

i can actually put it in park but i have to wait for the red box to light up around the p before i can turn it off and remove key

the colder it is, the longer i have to wait

 

See post #16. Doing those diagnostic tests with a multimeter will keep you from throwing parts at the problem.

 

yes, i was gonna go there after eliminating switch

i dunno, way i do things i guess, i like to eliminate things one at a time

switch was pretty worn inside looked to me , figured couldn't hurt

i will test white wires in plug before installing new one

 

The switch can also easily be Ohm tested with a multimeter.

 

i know, don't guess troubleshoot

what should voltage be at those 3 areas you listed?

the problem is, this only happens early in the morn right now, when it's cold, and also dark ,lol

only reason i put it off

 

Within a volt of the voltage measured across the two battery posts.

 

and that should be 12?

 

Battery voltage = whatever voltage is measured across the two battery posts -- the normal range is 12.5-13V.

 

i know i have to do it when they aren't coming on, i'll have to get up early one morning

but i wanted to get a few numbers now

batt is 12.3 v and 14.5 engine running

light connectors are both 11.5 as are both fuses