turn signal switch quick fix pictures

[l_turn9]

Take a look at this thread - turn signal switch quick fix pictures
It has photos showing the contacts inside the switch and their position. It is sometimes possible to fix the contacts by bending them, but IMO, it's better to buy a new switch as you don't want to be driving along one night and have your "fix" fail leaving you at 60mph in the dark of the night. New SWF Turn Signal Switches can be found for between $125 and $150. This is a safety issue and just as easily as you lost the low beams, the other light positions could stop working as well. The lights stop working when the contacts stop touching the proper matching contact. But something has caused the contacts to become misaligned.
Good luck!

[DRACO A5OG]

^^^ very true and agreed but in writing this, mine and many of us had success so far.

Important thing is, to insure all contact are working properly, If burnt or compromised, then yes, go get a new one but put a relay or you will soon be replacing it.

[rick-l]

I couldn't get the flash feature to work, or get less than 300 ohms across the back contacts (right in front of the turn signal contacts with the short white wire going to it). I got tired of fishing 600 grit sandpaper through the outer contacts pulling the 1/8 inch out with no results. I was also getting the turn signal high beam feature.

I drilled out the rivets and it literally fell apart in my hands with pieces going all over. The rivets were 0.080 so I got some #2-56 -1/2 screws and nuts to put it back together. A 2-56 tap will hold the screws in the turn signal spring bracket but not the switch body. The turn signal cancelling feature was the only hard part to get back together. The spring loaded turn signal contacts at first were hard but after I cut a narrow strip of flashing to hold the contacts in the slots it was easy.



Does anyone know why the top contact (high beams) sags down onto power after a while? Is it the plastic that hold the pivot point deforming and flowing? It happens every couple years now.

[rick-l]

Originally Posted by l_turn9

Take a look at this thread - turn signal switch quick fix pictures
It has photos showing the contacts inside the switch and their position. It is sometimes possible to fix the contacts by bending them, but IMO, it's better to buy a new switch as you don't want to be driving along one night and have your "fix" fail leaving you at 60mph in the dark of the night. New SWF Turn Signal Switches can be found for between $125 and $150. This is a safety issue and just as easily as you lost the low beams, the other light positions could stop working as well. The lights stop working when the contacts stop touching the proper matching contact. But something has caused the contacts to become misaligned.
Good luck!

It is a poor design that hasn't been updated and a new switch will soon suffer the same affliction.

[HWG09]

Thanks for this thread I was able to fix my dimmer switch issue sort've.

Symptoms were brights were always on and stalk would not stay at dim. When I would put the turn signal on left or right lights would dim and then return back to bright.

Read this post and messed with my contacts. I didn't have the right socket to remove the steering wheel (is it 26mm?) so I just unscrewed the side plastic and wiggled from there. Looked like the bottom (bright) contact was indeed touching the other two however it was so flexible that when I tried to wiggle or bend it down didn't do much for me but I did get it to snap down to the lower contact it would seem. When I went to test the normal dim worked as did the turn signals but brights turned all the lights off.

Here's a youtube video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jU81ouHT6e8

Perhaps I need to readjust or look to take the steering wheel off and do it properly. Still unsure how I'm going to get that bottom contact to stay by itself.

Also, I just purchased this '87 Carrera and created a YouTube channel to share how much I really don't know what I'm doing. Feel free to check out the other videos. Thanks.

[HarryD]

Originally Posted by HWG09

Thanks for this thread I was able to fix my dimmer switch issue sort've.

Symptoms were brights were always on and stalk would not stay at dim. When I would put the turn signal on left or right lights would dim and then return back to bright.

Read this post and messed with my contacts. I didn't have the right socket to remove the steering wheel (is it 26mm?) so I just unscrewed the side plastic and wiggled from there. Looked like the bottom (bright) contact was indeed touching the other two however it was so flexible that when I tried to wiggle or bend it down didn't do much for me but I did get it to snap down to the lower contact it would seem. When I went to test the normal dim worked as did the turn signals but brights turned all the lights off.

Here's a youtube video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jU81ouHT6e8

Perhaps I need to readjust or look to take the steering wheel off and do it properly. Still unsure how I'm going to get that bottom contact to stay by itself.

Also, I just purchased this '87 Carrera and created a YouTube channel to share how much I really don't know what I'm doing. Feel free to check out the other videos. Thanks.

The nut for the steering wheel is a 27 mm socket.

[DRACO A5OG]

Simple

You tweeked the contact too much, just tweek it back but half way

You see, one contact controls both hi & lo beams

[HWG09]

Originally Posted by HarryD

The nut for the steering wheel is a 27 mm socket.

Thanks, thought I was close.

[HWG09]

Originally Posted by DRACO A5OG

Simple

You tweek the contact too much, just tweek it back but half way

You see, one contact controls both hi & lo beams

Gotcha, figured as much but hard to really do it right w/out the steering wheel off.

[DRACO A5OG]

Would be best to remove the wheel, but please for your safety sake, disconnect the negative side battery when working with electrical, the 12volts will not harm you much but the CCA will or at a minimum remove horn round fuse in frunk fuse panel.

Where are you located, maybe a Pelican can let you borrow a 27MM socket or go to HF and get one cheap, oh yeah you need to torque it too.

Btw, there are 5-6 contact tabs that need to be looked at, cleaned and or tweeked.

[HWG09]

Originally Posted by DRACO A5OG

Would be best to remove the wheel, but please for your safety sake, disconnect the negative side battery when working with electrical, the 12volts will not harm you much but the CCA will or at a minimum remove horn round fuse in frunk fuse panel.

Where are you located, maybe a Pelican can let you borrow a 27MM socket or go to HF and get one cheap, oh yeah you need to torque it too.

Btw, there are 5-6 contact tabs that need to be looked at, cleaned and or tweeked.

I actually just purchased a socket on Amazon so all good and will definitely remove the negative lead on the battery next time. Thanks!

[DRACO A5OG]

Awesome

BTW, here is my previous findings and post:

Originally Posted by DRACO A5OG

I was already to place a Voodoo spell on Won and order a new switch. $132

But a Previous poster mention a 4th Spring. I was WTF?

OK, after fixing my ghost flash when I used my turn signal, it fixed it so well my flash stopped working after about a month. It worked when tested prior to assemble but past couple of months I have not been able to flash on coming traffic. I guess that is a blessing no road rage from potential hot heads

Any who, I opened her up again and found the 4th and wouldn't you know it 5th spring:

If you look closely between the metal actuator and copper 3rd spring (Hi-Beam) you can see #4 spring as previous poster mentioned. If you un-do the zip tie you will see #5, These are your FLASHER Hi-Beam springs.

#4, in between and just back of #3 and Actuator


#5 just to the right of the Lo-Beam #1 Spring


I bent in the #5 and used emory cloth in between #4 & #5. I used a small phillips to pull down #4 to get the emory cloth in there. Pulled the actuator arm to get better friction with the emory cloth. After a few more adjustments #5 and pulling the actuator, Much SUCCESS!

Won and posters THANK YOU!

Jim

[MrBonus]

Just ordered the Mitch Leland bushing. I need to knock this project out at the same time.

[gsxrken]

12 year old thread but hey, the car is 31 this year. Every time I used my turn signals, the hi beams would flash and/or stay on. Other than needing to macguyver a puller to pull my Momo standoff spacer off the steering spines, a quick bend of the silver bar and hi-beam contact and I'm back in business. Thanks to all the posters whether you're still here or not.

[universeman]

I've done this fix twice now, haven't yet gotten it right (but did get it better this last time, by bending the silver bar.)

If you're fixing this problem, take your time in there making sure it works well, before you put it all back together! Turn the lights on, turn the wheel, flip the turn signal stalk back and forth - test thoroughly!

Me, I'll be back in there this weekend...

[theiceman]

Originally Posted by l_turn9

Take a look at this thread - turn signal switch quick fix pictures
It has photos showing the contacts inside the switch and their position. It is sometimes possible to fix the contacts by bending them, but IMO, it's better to buy a new switch as you don't want to be driving along one night and have your "fix" fail leaving you at 60mph in the dark of the night. New SWF Turn Signal Switches can be found for between $125 and $150. This is a safety issue and just as easily as you lost the low beams, the other light positions could stop working as well. The lights stop working when the contacts stop touching the proper matching contact. But something has caused the contacts to become misaligned.
Good luck!

I fixed mine over 10 years ago and still absolutely no issues. Don't be such a negative nanny.
I suppose you think everyone should just replace their brake calipers too as the ones they rebuild could fail at any time and cause disaster.
I don't think it's fair to discourage others based on your personal confidence level in your own repairs

[cmcfaul]

When the high beams are on it's supposed to turn off the fog lights....Right? How does it do this?

Chris

89 Carrera

[pavegeno]

High Beams on = fog lights automatically off.

How - German magic.

[cmcfaul]

Magic aside, is there a relay somewhere? Its super cold here in VA. Suspect a relay might be sticking (in addition to the stalk switch needing replacement or fixing).

Chris

[Downerman]

Just wanted to say thanks to this ancient thread poster (and contributors) and I'm grateful as my new (to me) 1981 SC had the same issue with low beam flickering to highs on a rough road. Had to hold the arm in place as to not blind on-comming traffic. With some very minor pressure on the arm identified, my problem was gone. In all honesty, you can clearly deduce what's happened over time. Your actually getting the arm back in-line with what the engineers had in mind. Personally I'm not worried one bit about the lights going off at night doing 60 MPH but point taken as I guess anything is possible. It's whatever makes you sleep well at night. Again, my thanks for the great info.