Headlight Switch Smoking

[green97]

I have smoke intermittently coming from my headlight switch. The problem started early this morning when I drove to work with headlights on.

Something I believe is a coincidence but worth mentioning is that I recently installed HID headlights with relay harness and HID fog light bulbs. I also recently removed the DRL fuse. I put it back in later today and disconnected the diode for DRLs. I believe the changes are irrelevant....

So after home from work I pulled the headlight switch and checked things with headlights on and the connector pin for the #8 circuit labeled as "interior dim lamp signal" is getting too hot. Hot enough to show slight melting around the terminal on the switch. I have the OE service manuals and found the circuit goes to various interior lights such as window switches, hvac controls, driver info display, instrument, cluster, steering wheel coil, gear indicator, etc. I checked continuity for that circuit between the headlight switch connector and most of the other connectors and found no broken circuits but I did have continuity in between the ground and the #8 circuit on every thing checked so far. I have yet to check the ash tray, window switches steering wheel and gear indicator.

Logic tells me I have a wire grounding out somewhere between. Does this sound correct?

1. What should I do next? Is there an easy way to figure this out without dissecting the entire harness? Any tips please?
2. My plan is to start removing the tape wrap and try to follow the wires back to the headlight switch from all the illumination connectors and maybe find something. I really don't want to do this.
3. Is there anything that would be helpful to inspect the harness such as removing the dash somehow for access? I already have most of the stuff like radio, cluster and hvac switches removed but most of the wiring appears to behind the frame of the dash panel and inaccessible.

In the mean time I will try to study my manual. Again I don't think the HID upgrade or DRL mod is relevant since I used a relay harness and I am not tripping any fuses.

[green97]

Problem was headlight switch after I took apart the dash and cracked the vinyl in the process. A replacement switch solved the problem.