Just another headlight switch gone...
 

So I was driving home on New Years eve from the girlfriend's house and I noticed my foot-well lights weren't on. Soon after on the same ride home my cluster lights went out. Not a big deal, gave the dash a smack like I usually do and they came back on. Not even a full minute later they just flickered and went right back out and this time no amounts of smacking and other unnecessary force could get them back on. Also noticed on my way home lots of people behind me were flashing their brights even though mine were off. Being the idiot I am, I just thought they wanted me to speed up, so I gladly obliged. Come to find out when I get home the brake light dims were out as well and caused it to look like my lights were off from behind me. Like all people new to the quirks of the FC's "fantastic" electrical components, I suspected it was just a blown fuse. Oh how ignorance is bliss. Got down under next to the pedals to change the fuse, which is not fun when you are 6 foot tall. Did some research after (Of course) the fuse wasn't the culprit, and found out the headlight switch and harness was the problem. Took everything apart to inspect how bad it was and would you look at that...

Just a little toasty ain't it?!
Attachment 653255

One of these things is NOT like the others!
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Just thought I would share my story of how it all happened. Looks like the wires on the harness were previously cut and messed with. To anybody who is selling a switch and harness for a S4 hatch please shoot me a PM. At $355 for a new switch WITHOUT the harness, I'd really just rather go without interior lights, but if anybody on this awesome forum could help me out with some good parts at a good cost I would be very greatfull.

dude bro do this mod it will prolong the life of your light switch, i did it works great. https://www.rx7club.com/2nd-gen-arch...urnout-164931/

as for the harness/switch junkyard, craigslist, or pay full price for one.

"Footwell lights"?

Yeah I saw the mod. I need to get the new switch and harness first. Then I will consider the mod.

Yes. Down in the foot-wells (if that is what they are called) where the pedals are on the driver side, and under the glove box on the passenger side. There are lights that illuminate that area when I turn on my headlights. I assumed they were factory equipment since they weren't some far out color like blue or green. Just a standard yellowish-white light like any other halogen light. Come to think of it though if they were installed by the previous owner and not a factory option then its safe to say we now know why the harness was cut.

Yeah, "footwell lights" not original.

I think Mazda assumed you already knew what your feet looked like and saw no reason to illuminate them.

So I got in my car to leave work today, and what do you know. The interior lights decided to work again!
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The interior lights will only illuminate when the wires are left in a certain position. thinking about using some little brackets I have laying around to hold everything in place so I can ride this switch and harness out until they are completely beyond usability. Might even just see if I can directly wire all the interior lights to a separate switch since I have to wire my horn to a switch soon anyways as well.

Started the car up this morning and while letting it warm up the harness decided to catch on fire. Pretty sure that means its bad...

I've got a spare S4 headlight switch in good working order if you need one. As for the harness, I believe the Headlight and Turn Signal switches are on a subharness, while the Wiper and Cruise Control switches are on another subharness. If you find one in a junkyard, don't butcher it because it is plug & play under the dashboard.

Read this post: Heavy duty light switch operation: how too prevent Burnout

And this post for a diagram: RX-7 Headlight Switch Harness Relay Mod

My interior lights started working randomly here over the last few months and I did the headlight relay mod over a year ago. I don't understand why because the only current the switch is really carrying is the 150ma for the relay and whatever few mA for the interior lights.