So what are all the switches for, anyway?

[JJorda]

On my '71 Coupe, some time in the past someone did an awful hack job on the wiring harness. There's three column mounted levers - one controls turn signals, one controls wipers, but the third one doesn't appear to do anything. What was it supposed to do? It's the longer one in the rear on the left hand side.

Is there a .pdf copy of the owner's manual anywhere online?

Once I figure that out, time to work on the newly non-functioning gas gauge....

[RRoller123]

high beams?

[focodave]

I don't know about your '71 Coupe, but in my '80 Spider that is the headlight high/low beam switch.
Up is low beam, down is high beam, pull back to flash high beams when the switch is in the low beam position.

[JJorda]

Thanks for the replies. I'll start tracing out the wiring over the weekend to see where it's been cut.

I guess I should also mention the switch movement - there are three positions - up, down and center. There's no forward and backwards, and they're all maintained positions - no spring back to center. I guess high beams makes sense, since I didn't see anything else on the car to go from low/high beams.

[RoyBatty]

Waiting for a definitive answer on this one too.
I have noticed in the wiring diagram they note the switch has an "anti-dazzle" feature.
So what then, we have high, low and third position is to flash at oncoming high beam runners.
On my coupe with the long lever on the left side of the steering wheel in the center position, the headlights are on low beam.
With the lever down, the go to high beam, and with the lever up, all the lights shut off.
What is anti-dazzle?

[vandor]

On a '71 the longer left side column stalk should have 3 positions: up is parking lights, middle is low beams, down is high beams. Obviously it only does this once the headlight are turned on with the rocker switch on the dash.
Oh, and pulling it should activate 'flash to pass'
Two interesting things I noted on my friend's '72 Coupe. There is a relay under the brake fluid reservoir. It's function is to turn on the low beams when the high beams are on. No idea why. I eliminated it on his car, as we used 100 watt pencil beams for the high beams and the outer lamps also have a filament for high beams.
The other is that the reverse light circuit is only live if the lights are on! They figured it it's not dark, you don't need the reverse light

[btoran]

most people are dazzled by the looks of our cars. the anti-dazzle feature makes your car temporarily look like a miata so other drivers can concentrate on the road.

sorry, i couldn't resist and i'm allowed since i'm a former, happy owner of a miata.

[4uall]

DID SOMEBODY SAY MIATA?