Headlight switch failures

I did some searching and didn't find anything really pertainting to this specific problem.
Tonight, my headlights shut off by themselves again. I jiggle the switch and the come on again (this is the 3rd or 4th time it's happened in about 5 months). A few miles later I lose my dash lights, then discover that the running lights aren't working either, but I still have headlights. I feel the switch is messed up, since you definalty feel somethings amiss in it, at least when rotating the dimmer feature. I also noticed before the dash lights went out that the switch felt a little warm.
Now, this will be the second switch in about 4 or 5 years on my 89' XJ. I'm probably just jumping the gun a bit, but I fear something worse may be going on, or am I just paranoid and the shop installed a not so good part?
I am thinking though, to get the load off the switch of installing a hi an low beam relay off the battery to take care of powering the headlights. But that's a whole other project.

Thanks!
Chris O.

did you check the ground?

check the fuse connection in the fuse panel. i had the same problem as you. the fuse was good but it wasnt making good contact. my problem is that i have a 5 speed and the hydraulic fluid from the clutch drips onto the fuse box and is slowly eating it away. try turning the lights on and move the fuse sise to side. i believe it is the PARK LPS fuse. 10 amp.

side to side

Check the electrical connector on the headlight switch. If it is deformed, melted, burnt in any way you have a bad connection there and need to replace it along with the headlamp switch.

Okay, I got the switch replaced. When this happend to my dad several years ago, he took it to a shop and yes, they replaced the connector with crimp on connectors, (what a PITA this was to fix, there's no slack on that harness!) I assumed the first time it went it affected the molded connector.

So, check the ground was mentioned, which ground? The one of the switch was clean, no corrosion and was snug.

Yes, the parking lights fuse was tripped. The fuse is snug in there, and I see why it tripped when the bad switch was removed. Seems the rheostat for the dash dimmer had broken and shot out since it is a spring like element. This touched ground and tripped the park lamps fuse which powers both the parking lamps and supplies power to the dimmer for the inst. lights, which BTW have thier own fuse after the parking lamps fuse.

Anyways, thank for the pointers folks!

Chris O.