License plate and dash lights on with key on, but lheadlight switch in the off position Options

[HalfMoon]

I started my car tonight and noticed despite the headlight switch being fully in the off position, my dash lights are on and my license plate light is .
Odd. Never saw that before. Headlight switch I imagine....
Thoughts?
David
Addedum-and saw what I thought was a wisp of smoke come from under my dash at the windshield....perhaps my imagination?

[Tom]

Progress! That's good. Not take voltage measurements at the wiper motor for the high with the wire removed at the motor. That way you will know if the switch is sending power to the wiper motor on high. If there is power, the motor should work. If no power, you need to check out the wires between the switch and motor, and the contacts in the switch itself.
Tom

[HalfMoon]

Progress! That's good. Not take voltage measurements at the wiper motor for the high with the wire removed at the motor. That way you will know if the switch is sending power to the wiper motor on high. If there is power, the motor should work. If no power, you need to check out the wires between the switch and motor, and the contacts in the switch itself.
Tom

Here's what I did:
With the ignition switch on, using my known to be good spare motor.
I detected power st the column plug rd/blk (disconnected from the switch).
Previously detected continuity from red/blk to the wiper motor.
Addedum-Evidently I tested only sot 2 to 53a (power) and neglected to test for continuity from slot 4 to the 53a, which I later did test and found no continuity!)
Another addedum (See below post. I've erred at identification. I referred to pin pin 5 as pin 4. Grrrr. This is pissing me off!) Second wire from 53a DOES NOT have continuity at steering wheel column wiper switch connector, position 5!

And here's what I detected at each pin of the motor in each position and all wires attached in a POWER test (different from continuity, remember)
(my stock one is a four position switch) with the ignition switch in the on position.

Position 1 (presume this to be intermitent)
53=no power
53a=POWER
53b=no power
31b=no power

Position 2 (parked?)
53=no power
53a=POWER
53b=no power
31b=no power

Position 3 (low?)
53=POWER
53a=POWER
53b=POWER (although you could see clearly the test light was not as bright)
31b=POWER
and in this position the wipers will function at low speed

Position 4 (high?)
53=no power
53a=POWER (but let's not forget 53a has two wires on it, slot 2 and 5 (correected from earlier post where I misidentified pin 5 for pin 4) of the connector at the steering wheel)
53b=no power
31b=no power