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1955 Headlights not working

Started by 55 ledsled, October 16, 2018, 10:14:18 AM

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55 ledsled

Hello,
I am having issues with my headlights and dash lights not working. I had the entire frot off of the car and everything should be well grounded and connected just fine. I do have running/fog/turn signal lights. Someone once said that there is a breaker on the headlight switch? If so, does anyone know if the headlight switch can be removed from the outside of the dash? It looks impossible to reach from underneath because of the hand brake and heat venting. Any suggestions would be great. This does have the Atomic setup.
Thanks

Bob Kielar

The switch is only accessible from the back and yes it’s a pain to get at. Mr. Gomez will probably chime in he is a expert with this electrical wiring.

Keep Cruzin,

Bob Kielar
Keep Cruzin
1955 Cadillac Fleetwood

Cadillac Jack 82


Try turning the knob back and forth when the light switch is pulled out.  When I first picked up my 55 the headlights worked but the dash lights did not.  After turning the knob a few times the dash lights popped on.
Tim

CLC Member #30850

1959 Cadillac CDV "Shelley"
1964 Cadillac SDV "Rosalie"
1966 Oldsmobile Toronado "Sienna"

Past Cars

1937 LaSalle Cpe
1940 Chevrolet Cpe
1941 Ford 11Y
1954 Buick 48D
1955 Cadillac CDV
1955 Packard Clipper
1957 Cadillac Series 62
1962 VW Bug
1962 Dodge 880
1966 Mercury Montclair
1967 Buick Wildcat Convertible
1968 Chevy Chevelle SS
1968 Plymouth Barracuda
1977 Lincoln MKV

J. Gomez

Quote from: Bob Kielar on October 16, 2018, 10:41:09 AM
The switch is only accessible from the back and yes it’s a pain to get at. Mr. Gomez will probably chime in he is a expert with this electrical wiring.

Keep Cruzin,

Bob Kielar

Thanks Bob now I’m in trouble…!    ;)

Adam,

Here is a post with some steps on the headlight switch layout although this is for a ’56 the same would be applicable for the ’55.

http://forums.cadillaclasalleclub.org/index.php?topic=152276.0

If your instrument panel lights are not working there are several areas that may be the cause of your problem, as listed on the above post. The rheostat is the main issue broken resistance wire, duty contacts on the wiper or on either side of the two contacts (front and back). The back ones from the rheostat make with the ones on the main headlight switch.

As for the main headlights (Non-Autronic eye) the “light blue” wire from the headlight switch feeds the +12V over to the foot switch, from it the wires are feed to each of the headlights sockets for the low and high beams.
You may need to trace and check the voltage at these areas, foot switch “B” terminal and either “1” or “2”. From there over to the headlight hardness going over to the sockets terminal. If you have the original wiring there could be a brake on either the wiring or at the terminals, corrosion etc.

Also there should be a ground from the main headlight light sockets that would be connected somewhere in the chassis. On the ’56 this one is attached to the radiator support, I believe the ’55 is the same.

Good luck..!
J. Gomez
CLC #23082

55 ledsled

Wow, really dumb engineering by Cadillac on this one! I will have to dig into it. Thanks much!