I just got my 1975 914 off ebay last week and new I had a project. When I started it up and drove for a few minutes I noticed the headlamps came up but not on, the dashboard lights began to fade and light smoke started to drift out from under the dash.

After the car was off, the headlamps stayed up and the small amber outside lights were on.

I finally pulled the battery and the smoke and lights left me. The headlamps are in the up position still.

I assume a short, but I really don't know where to start, so as a new member I hoped I could turn to a few good souls to give me some "pointers."

Thanks

George

Hi George. The area you are talking about is right where the fuse panel is. I would take it down and make sure all connections are good and all wires are covered. There are fuse panel update kits you can buy from some of our members in the member vender section. JWest and Engman sell very nice ones. Check the wiring up to your gauges and and switches as well. If your harness is bad there is a member here that sells those too.
Good luck and keep us posted.

1. locate the wire (s) that fried and identify them. pelicanparts has the electric schematics for all year 914s.

http://www.pelicanparts.com/index.htm

then it's a link on the left hand side.

let us know whats happening and take a few pics if need be.
it's not the end of the world.

The headlight switch is on the left of the wheel too, and continues to have power going through it even after the headlight motors have shut off. Yer gonna have to find the crunchy wires and work back.

What a great resource.!!
I thank you all and will proceed. The 914 came with a great many loose wires hanging from the dash, I was hoping if I closed my eyes they would go away.

Time to look for the "crunchy" ones and start tracing.

Thanks again .

George

Once you let the smoke out, it won't work any more.

I took my whole dash apart, and discovered that if I had ever been able to drive my car, I'd have had no headlights. One of the many reasons that I am going through every part of the car. The rust hole in the bottom of the fuel tank is another reason.

It could easily be that the headlight switch bezel has come loose and the switch turned a little bit. (ask me how I know)

Then it shorts out against the dash and smokes.

Rich

Rich

After I look up "bezel" should I replace the switch or is it repairable?

The bezel is the nut that hold the switch in place.
turn the switch so its not touching anything and then tighten the bezel.

Get a mirror and see if you melted any wires...if so, fix them.

Rich

Welcome to the madness.

Before you drop the fuse panel or look behind the gauges, disconnect the ground lead from the battery. Many of the wires on the fuse panel come directly from the battery w/o fusable links like modern cars.

If you want to operate electrical items with the fuse panel dropped, make sure no wires touch other stuff and reconnect the ground to the battery.