bluejeep2001

So its been taking 10 or more cycles of the headlight switch to get them on lately...once on, never any issue. I have a headlight harness upgrade where the switch only drives the relays and then the battery directly powers the lights. I had a BWD - S2036 switch sitting in the garage for over a year but figured my time was running short on the life of the old one. It was almost nice in NY today so I went to work. OMG ...unless I wanted to work upside down with my head under the dash for 2 hours, I had to get to the switch by alternate methods. I had to dis-assemble the entire dash and front console to get access. The bracket the switch is mounted to is about 3 layers deep. About an hour to 1 1/2 to get access to the switch...15 min to actually change the switch , and then put it all back. I didnt pay attention to how the "box" around the steering column came apart and mated with a big rubber gasket surrounding it...that was a good 1/2 hour of together/no back apart then try two... no ...on the 4th try I finally got it...The 2001 switch has a big connector to mount all the wiring and one ground connector so it was real easy...no screws or terminals.There is a spring loaded button to release the switch **** and shaft, but its finniky and took several tries to get it released...have to do that first because the plastic trim is too small to allow the **** to pass thru . All the wiring at the switch looked almost new .Another hour to get everything back into place, after cleaning the 1/2 inch of dust and dirt that was everywhere..lights come on the first pull..very happy. Total time a little over 3+ hours with several Beer Breaks and almost no upside down time..The switch on the left is the new one

exasemech

Weird
I recently replaced the switch on my 2000, I would have assumed it's the same. Had to take off the plastic and metal knee bolster or whatever it's called below the steering column, remove the nut that holds the switch in and do the rest by feel. Didn't take off any of that other stuff. Took about 20 min.
Maybe 2001 trim is different?

Lynn Gräber

same. Mine went pretty quick too.

bluejeep2001

You are both probably correct. I was expecting to have individual spade terminals on the wiring harness, not a connector. So i thought i had to have good access to the switch. It was also 20 degrees outside so I didn't want to be laying across the door sill half outside for any length of time, I wanted to try and do it from mostly inside . Also didn't realize how the switch was held into the bracket until I had the bracket in my hand. Nor how long the wiring harness was. Next time I will know better, at least it gave me a good excuse to clean off all that dust and crud that had accumulated on all the stuff inside the dash

exasemech

Blue Jeep
so here's something you can contribute to the cause as you have your new switch:
When you have the headlights off I would expect the digital displays (odometer, radio if stock, overhead console) to be full bright. With the headlights on the display brightness would be controlled by rotating the **** to the left(counterclockwise) to brighten but they are still pretty dim.
The question ; If you rotate the **** full right (clockwise) with the headlights on do the displays go full bright that you can see clearly in the daytime?

With my new Mopar switch full right does nothing, can't see the displays in the daytime with the headlights on (rain,fog, snow, etc)

Thanks

bluejeep2001

I will check this afternoon when im back at the lot. I only have the odometer and stock radio no ovhd console

bluejeep2001

Was mostly successful..rainy and cloudy at 4pm so not as bright as a sunny day...**** rotated full left ccw past the detent with the lights on...dome and liftgate light on..odo and radio about 1/2 brightness of lights off easy enough to see but probably not if a sunny day..slowly started turning **** right..cw..dome and liftgate lights off..odo and radio still at approx 1/2. Continued turning c/w until full dim...barely visible odo and radio..turned past a very small detent...odo goes lights off bright but radio stays full dim....never tried that before so i dont know what the original switch did

exasemech

Blue Jeep
thanks very much for trying that and the report. I have no idea how the thing is really supposed to work; the owners manual and shop manual say nothing about the full right option and my new switch just goes full dim when in that detent.

In any case thanks again for the help.

Lynn Gräber

.

you may have seen my post in another thread. My new replacement switch for my 01 turned full right basically turns off interior dimming and allows the radio, overhead console, and mileage meter to go full bright with headlights on. I don’t particularly remember this behavior with my previous switch for the last 20 years, but it works now.

I will say, the same thing happened when I upgraded to led headlights. My original lamps had no halo effect, the new led”s do.

bluejeep2001

Whats a halo effect

Lynn Gräber

a slight glow to the headlights when only the markers are on.