Chevrolet Cavalier Switch & Plug

The headlight switch activates the headlights, taillights and enables to adjust light intensities for different conditions. The headlight switch designed in various types, such as a knob or rotating knob or push button secured on steering stalk, also acts as a dimmer switch. You cannot operate the headlight without a headlight switch as it leads to accidents in the night by blinding the driver's visibility. The Head plug acts as a bridge between the headlight terminals and the electrical systems. The head plug consists of three terminals, one for ground, one for high beam, and one for low beam. If the headlight assembly designed with two terminals for high beam and low beam bulbs, the socket also comes with two wires each. Ensure to check the working condition of the headlights before starting the drive though they are not regular maintenance parts.

The functioning of a headlight switch varies with different vehicle configurations. However, the most commonly used type is where the switch transmits low current, a 12V signal to activate the headlight relays that turn on the headlights. The other types provide ground to the headlight relays or generate a 5V signal to the body control module that operates the headlamps. The sockets are connected to the battery via two or three electrical wires based on the type of bulb used that has the recommended rating. There is a fuse in the circuit that protects it from any excess current flowing in. This circuit is activated by a relay, when the driver switches the on the headlights, the relay activates this circuit that power the socket and is then received.

The switch allows the driver to have full control of a vehicle's headlights right from turning on and off to changing headlight intensities and also provides for the adjustment of the lights to high beams or low beams depending on driving conditions, ensuring that the light does not blind the oncoming drivers. The headlight sockets are the parts in which the headlight bulbs are plugged in. The socket functions as the female side that is operated by the battery of the vehicle and the bulbs are the male side that is connected via the socket to the power supply.

The position of a headlight switch varies with different vehicle configurations. It can be present as an separate knob or switch on the dashboard. In the steering column itself, the switch can also be included in the turn signal stalks. Inside the headlight housings are the sockets, where the lamps are plugged into.