Hi,

I'm sorry that this may sound rather dumb, but I'm trying find out what this switch I have is and does. I have a 1976 mini leyland, 1000cc (from Australia)

The 1st photo is the wiring diagram. No. 34 is this switch and when you follow wires they go to the front and rear lights indicated by the asterixes. I have also traced these manually and they do the same as the diagram.

From the 2nd photo it looks like a dimmer switch as it turns clockwise and anti clockwise. It also has "P" on it which I assume means "park or parking". When I turn on the engine and move the switch back and forth nothing seems to happen.....dash lights don't dim and it doesn't do anything to the parking lights either

As nothing happens when I move the switch I assume that it doesn't work but I'd love to know what it's function is? Appreciate any help.

Thanks in advance.

It is a dimmer switch for the cluster. P stands for panel lights. It is just a manual variable resistor that increases or decreases the voltage to the cluster lights.
If the dash lights are working and the dimmer function is not working then they may have bypassed the switch by putting the 2 red wires on the same terminal at the back of the switch. These usually fail because the resistor is open circuit from wear or burning of the resistor.
This is quite safe to keep it bypassed. You just wont have the dimmer function and may need this fixed if you have to get a roadworthy in the future.

can also need cleaning have it on my 73 van didn't work cleaned it with some fine emery paper and a spray of inox41 now works .
but as above might have been bypassed.

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65 panel van Sprog
73 panel van Iggy