Loss of headlights

[thatfatbloke]

Yesterday evening I was wafting down a fairly fast A road, when all of a sudden the headlights and dashboard lights went out. I won't say what I said on here, but a quick off/on of the switch restored the headlights, but the dashboard lights needed a swift slap on top of the dash for them to come back on. Didn't do it again for the rest of the journey. I'm about to go out and test the Battery connections as that's the only thing I can think of that may cause that. Any other ideas please?. Ta.

[ambermarine]

Similar to the dicky ignition switch issue on the Mark 4s ,the same symptoms, and a touch of the ignition key usually sorts it without messing about tapping the cluster or switching lights on and off.

intermittent and on mine happened about 5 times over a period of three years before I put in a new ignition switch because it can be very scary .

It is a known fault amongst members on this forum but Lexus will not admit to it.

I dismantled my switch when I had fitted the new one and found that the lubrication grease inside the carousel of contacts had migrated from the nylon body onto the copper contacts ,it may have been causing a poor contact when vibration affected the setting during the driving mode but I was'nt going to find out as putting this switch in is a very difficult and awkward job.

I have had no problems since fitting the new switch which are about £100 from Lexus but can be bought cheaper as they are fitted to a multitude of Toyota vehicles and other makes of car.

[ambermarine]

I have some pics of the interior workings showing the areas affected by the grease and its possible circuit contamination.

will post them when I figure out the methodology

[ambermarine]

As promised these are the pics the switch, it is really easy to take apart and reassemble and I suppose it would be possible to clean all the gunk off the copper contacts.

But when I bought the new switch I did not have this knowledge and assumed the switch was faulty.

[thatfatbloke]

Happened again on Saturday. This time in slow moving traffic, dashboard lights went out and lost power steering, engine still runs and driveable albeit with heavy steering. Into park, ignition off, start engine again, no problem for rest of journey. Forgot to fiddle with key to see if it's that. Off to the mender man it is then.

[Malc]

rather than putting it into P try putting it into Neutral when that happens ......  then re-start

It's quicker and you keep the momentum if you have any

is this happening after a longish hot/warm run ?

Malc

[messi]

Sounds like alternator to me