On 1989 Toyota Celica GT why won't high beams stay on when switched low beams work but they do work when pulling lever and holding it?

Answer 1

Your multi-switch is worn out. There are lockout points which are needed to keep the positions. Occasionally you can take these apart and figure out a way to fix them. I had the turn signal part of the switch refuse to lock into place when turning left. I opened it up and examined it and realized that if I put a BB into the end of the mechanism's track, it would keep it from moving too far and releasing before the steering wheel had turned far enough to cancel the turn. In this case, there may not be a cure. Toyota can sell you the multi-switch to replace it. You will have to remove the steering wheel and steering column housing to get to the switch. The horn pad must be removed by unscrewing the two screws underneath the steering wheel spoke (at an angle) and gently pull the horn pad. There is an electrical connector to unplug inside. Once this is removed, you will need a socket wrench (17mm or 19mm if I remember right) to take the steering wheel nut off. You may be able to wiggle and pull the steering wheel off the steering shaft splines OR you may have to use a steering wheel puller (looks like a pulley puller tool) to remove the wheel. With the puller, you screw into the two opposite bolt holes and tighten the center bolt to push/pull the steering wheel off. Be careful when removing the cowl or housing for the column. Carefully study each screw as you remove it, or draw a diagram of where it came out (as well as remembering how the housing is assembled). Some screws are machine thread metal screws and some are coarse thread screws for plastic...they are NOT interchangable. You will hear buzzing or see a bad fit if you don't get this right. ALSO...do NOT force any parts of plastic. There are screw posts that will snap off with very little pressure! VERY hard to glue back together sucessfully! There is a small screw under the key cylinder part of the housing (which can also be broken if forced off without removing the screw). Set cowling aside. Once you remove all these, you should be able to remove the screws that hold the switch on the column and unplug it from the harness underneath the dash. The trick is removing ONLY the screws that hold it down...I think there are only four. If you remove all of them, the switch may come apart, although that's no big deal, as you are replacing the switch and signal arms anyway... LOOKS LIKE THIS: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Turn-Signal-Combination-Switch-1986-Toyota-Celica-GT_W0QQitemZ290169532853QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item290169532853&_trksid=p3756.m20.l1116#ebayphotohosting Good luck! Auntetr