second headlight switch doesnt work...
 

the first head light switch burned out and i had no parking lights. i bought a second one and now i once again have no parking lights. i want to just wire up my own switch but cant figure out the wiring for the parking lights from the switch, if anyone knows which wires from the headlight switch control the parking lights, please let me know, like i said, this is the second headlight switch ive put in and i dont trust buying another.

Sounds like its not the switch to me.

well, the first one burned up, badly. so i bought a second for more money than i wanted to pay, they worked, and ive noticed the parking lights flicker from time to time, and on my way home last night they just stopped working. interior lights work, but actual parking and side markers do not. if i could find out what wires were what on the plug on the switch, i could hard wire the lights and find out if its the switch or if its something in the wiring.

Don't ghetto rig a switch. Get the headlight switch repaired by Icemark, then do this:

https://www.rx7club.com/2nd-gen-archive-72/heavy-duty-light-switch-operation-how-too-prevent-burnout-164931/

how would i take the switch out of the dash surround w/ out breaking it, i was given the dash surround w/ this switch....

Pull off the knobs, undo the screws and pull it out. See the FSM page T-18.

and remember never ever use a headlight switch with a burnt/damaged harness or it will just burn out the new switch!

this is what happened the first time, i cut the harness as far back as needed and rewired it to the T. i know u said not to rig up a switch, but for the time being i have to till i can get another switch, would splicing in my own switch w/ the relay u described be feasible? like i said, only temporary, i work nighhts and cant risk driving to work and home w/ no lights.

no ideas.... ? wonderin what wires go where, if i use an alternative switch.... couldi use the relay as well with another switch, how would i go about such a task? no radio shack has any relays w/ numbers like those around here.... any help is welcome...

You can not use that harness... it does not matter about a alternitive switch, you need to replace the harness.

you could temp wire in a seperate switch for the parking lights and dash lights, but to use a Mazda switch, you need to replace the harness. You could not use a relay though without replacing the harness.

Its pretty straight forward... not sure what you are not getting on that.

harness is fine, no im not going to use another mazda switch, damn things are too expensive, and i cant trust them, this is the second one that has failed. dash lights are fine, parking lighhts are all that has gone out, the first harness was replaced, burned up the whole damned dash, this harness i have now is new, and not burned, so yes, ill wire up my own switch, might be a good thing to have the parking lights on a separate switch next time i see blue lights down another country road.... so, once again, ill ask, which wires need to be hooked up to the switch, not, is this a good idea, or will this work, just, what wires, its pretty straight forward....

That attitude won't get you much help. Have you looked at the FSM wiring diagram? Like you said, it's pretty straight forward...

yeah, red/black wire, ive looked, and looked, and looked again, im not trying to be a smart ass, i just thought help would be a lil easier to find. i know the red/black wire is one primary wire, but its only half of what i need, whyis it so hard to get any help?

Because you're being rude.

Look at the wiring diagram. Power comes into the swich though one wire, then goes to the lights through another. You're just bypassing the switch. This should be easy to figure out.

im not the brightest crayon in the box, but i know how things work, i know, there are some people on here who ask stupid questions, and have little or no common sense. i know how to bypass the switch, my problem the whole time, was a burnt wire right outside the firewall that was "soldering" itself to the firewall. maybe i didnt describe what i was doing very well, making this more frustrating and making myself seem like a rude ass. basicly i tried to wire my own switch till i could get another factory switch. problem being no matter what i did nothing worked (because of the burnt wire in the engine bay) sorry for being impatient, but when people tell me to get a factory switch and not a home made switch, or tell me to check the fuses, or replace the harness under the dash, i already know, ive already done it/dont have the option to do it right now, i only come here when i have no other choice, i check my fuses, i ask my friends, and i spend too many hours trying to figure it out on my own, so please, when i or someone else asks for help, please do not judge them by how many posts they have made, or the nature of the question. my problem was simple but as always an odd thing, no wonder i kept burning up switches.

Actually I never even noticed your post count, not that I would've answered any differently if I had.

The circuit is shown here. The only wire in the circuit that passes through the firewall is the white/red wire between the BTN fuse and the ILLUM fuse in the front harness. Is that the one you found damaged? If it isn't I doubt that's what's causing the problem. If it is, repair it and you're good to go.

Either way, if you really want to rig up a switch, the circuit between the BTN fuse and the headlight switch is the other half of what you need.