turn signal switch quick fix pictures

[Bill Mihalic]

PRE-H20...Thank you for your great post. I typed a detailed reply a few minutes ago, but it disappeared when I left this page. I'll re-create it tomorrow.

The bottom line is that it seems that my switch suffered some melting of the plastic/nylon slider piece, and it looked like yours. The melted portion prevented the power contact from touching the hi beam contact. I used a small bit on the Dremel tool to grind away the obstruction. The two contacts can now touch, and the slider can move through the hi beam leaf to separate them when moving to low beam. I now have to bend some of the moving parts to get everything to function as intended. 13 second video.https://youtu.be/vInxWmYkyog

[PRE-H20]

Bill,

wow you did a great job in freeing that all up, the video looks great and moves smoothly and freely!

mine was toast... the WHOLE thing was fused together, i didnt have a choice but to look for another one...... i was soooo lucky to find one for 150.00 .... you may have saved yourself a few bucks there!

good luck...

[l_turn9]

Hi Gang -
My '74 911 Headlight hi/low beams worked great until recently. Now I only have High Beams, but the Flash still works. My switch is pretty new so I pulled the Steering wheel to get a look at the problem. I 'think' my switch is working as it should; even though the lights are not doing what they should be doing. Is there anything that will prevent both low beams working? I added relays to the wiring a few years ago and the headlights worked great ever since, at least until this problem appeared... Any Ideas?

Also, I added some photos showing the switch on the car. Each photo has the TS Stalk in a difference position.

TIA
Larry
youroil.net

[brad951]

Hi folks - diagnosing a strange issue with my turn signals on my new to me '99 Boxster. I haven't read anything like this in this thread. Here's what happens:

1. Hazard lights work perfectly.
2. Turn signals work when I push the stalk off center, either up (R) or down (L) but if I lock the stock in the up or down position, expecting continuous turn signal until cancelled the turn signals do not function. They stop just as the stalk passes the lock detent.
3. I could swear when holding the stalk manually, with the signals working (before the stock locks) I can hear a faint noise from the dash area, a light buzzing or crackling noise.

As the signals work with the hazard switch and with the turn stock held manually I think the relay and fuses are good. Is this a failure mode in the turn signal switch assembly do you think ?

Thanks for any help you can provide !

[theiceman]

More resources for those who might went to attempt to repair their switch.

https://rennlist.com/forums/911-forum/517567-hi-lo-headlight-switch-repair-thread.html

[Bend911]

I know this is an old thread, but I wanted to thank you for posting. The pictures were really helpful and it saved me from buying a NOS signal. Thanks!

[TipToe]

Originally Posted by hobieboy

Hi,
Thanks for the great pictures & explanation, though I still have some questions...

My problem is a little different - started with no high beam, then my low beam went as well. Flash still works.

Looking at my switch, the low beam contact does not touch the the middle brass strip (all 3 brass strips are "separated"). When push to the high beam position, the little plastic tip retracts, but all the strips moves towards back of car & all contacts separates

I bent the big silver bar towards the 3 brass strips, and now low beam is back. But my high beam still no go. Any suggestions?

thanks!

Yes, I have this same issue. No High beam or Low beam....but I can flash High.

[theiceman]

Originally Posted by TipToe

Yes, I have this same issue. No High beam or Low beam....but I can flash High.

try reviewing the rennlist link in this thread , you will be able to see how it works.

[Poopwink]

Question for the Pelican brain trust: on a recent trip, I flicked my turn signal stalk from high beam to low beam and heard/felt a faint pop. My high beams are now stuck on and I found this thread while searching for a solution.

I'm not sure how to solve the problem by bending the contacts into a different position. Compared to the original images in this post, my high beam contact is already pulled well away from the low beam contact.

When I move the turn signal stalk between its two positions, the only component that changes position is a small metal prong, noted on the photo below. There's no motion on the low beam contact, the high beam contact, or the "center contact" between the two. Is that the expected behavior, or did something actually break and needs to be replaced?



The fact that I heard a pop/click when the high beams became stuck makes me think I need to replace some part of the mechanism that is no longer moving with the stalk position. I'm stuck right about this point:

Originally Posted by Bill Mihalic

The bottom line is that it seems that my switch suffered some melting of the plastic/nylon slider piece, and it looked like yours. The melted portion prevented the power contact from touching the hi beam contact. I used a small bit on the Dremel tool to grind away the obstruction. The two contacts can now touch, and the slider can move through the hi beam leaf to separate them when moving to low beam. I now have to bend some of the moving parts to get everything to function as intended. 13 second video.https://youtu.be/vInxWmYkyog

Any advice is appreciated. Thanks!

[Poopwink]

Here's a link showing what moves (and what doesn't) when turn signal stalk is moved in and out of high beam position: https://imgur.com/a/LpbCrHy

[blaschuk]

1989 911 cabrio. Identical problem making me avoid driving after dark because the high beams would turn on constantly with bumps or after using the turn signals. Infuriating!!! Simple fix as described above. Thank you for the pics.

[johnsquires]

Won, thank so much for the detailed post on the fix. I also had a problem with the high beams being engaged all the time and it got really annoying trying to hold the stock so I wouldn't blind oncoming traffic. Simple fix with your help. I've learned so much from this forum and saved a lot of dough--and time.

[deemsriddle]

My first Porsche, a 1968 912, had this issue some 52 years ago. The switch was very expensive so I just removed the switch, saw the problem, and repaired it. See this thread:

https://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/248149-turn-signal-switch-quick-fix-pictures.html

This has been helpful in several cars over the years. I have the same issue with my 1979 SC. Looking at the new part in the catalogue, the new part does not look to be repairable.

Has anyone done this or is new $400.00 switch in my future?

As I always say, you guys help keep these antiques on the road.

Merry Christmas

Deems

[Harvs11]

This old post saved me. I had an issue where the low beam would only stay on if I held gentle pressure against the stalk. These images and notes helped me understand the switch and how to fix it. A few tweaks on the bottom bar and the contact is right again.

Thank you, Won. It just proves that knowledge never gets old.

[1soanso]

Saved me today as well. 1981 SC. - bone stock. When the headlights were on and I would turn the wheel the hi-beams would come on. Took off the steering wheel, six screws, small bend in high beam arm and YES!!! all good. THANK YOU THANK YOU.

[Hx911]

Thank you for the info and pictures. I sandpapered, was not enough, and then bent the low beam contact slightly’. Now my low beam stays on even on a bumpy road
My 1974 911 Targa thanks you!

[Jay Laifman]

Thank you to everyone for this thread. I have had my '73 911 since it had 40k miles and it was 5 years old. At some point, it had the highbeams coming on after every turn signal. Long before the internet and the collective information on it, I ended up buying a replacement. I never liked how much louder and crackier it sounded - but it worked. I also didn't like that the handle itself had rougher edges. I saved the old one anyway.

Then my replacement started acting up. So I now found this thread, and fixed the original one. Wow. So much better. Love it.

Interestingly, my original 1973 one is not built exactly like the replacement, and that lower metal lever was already bent up a bit. I don't know if it left the factory that way, or someone had already made that adjustment in the first 5 years of its life before me. But I can absolutely say the smoothness of the mechanism is so much better with the original that is now back in there. Sadly, I am sure they can't be found anymore.

[Jay Laifman]

I wanted to update my prior response. I was happy that I could get my old signal working because it was smoother than the OEM replacement I bought. But sadly in bending the arm, the old plastic crumbled. So I had to go back to the OEM one, which I fixed.

It still had the drier, clackier click, compared to the old one. But in researching this, I noticed that people lubed their switches. So I gave that a shot. Sure enough, it is now just as smooth as the original factory one.

I now believe that the OEM one never had the lube. It might underscore what I find from time to time: OEMs are not always the same as Porsche parts, and OEMs are less money for a reason - here, not putting in the lube. Perhaps.

[E Sully]

I think the lube is a good idea, but make sure it is safe on rubber and plastic. Silicone grease is good. Avoid lithium as it degrades rubber and plastic.