Switches for headlights,wipers andcruise control etc
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Joined: Mar 2004
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From: wv
Switches for headlights,wipers andcruise control etc
I just bought an 1985 Mazda Rx7 GSL, it seems to have many problems electrically around the the steering wheel. Such as the cruise control wont work, the lights come up and turn on but in order to keep the light ON you have to hold the switch down, whe you let go the lights go off, The horn is stuck and has to have a piece of wadded paper to keep it from constantly going off. last but not least the wind shield wipers dont work. These are all electricaly problems and would like to know how to fix this!
84SE-EGI helpy-helperton
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 3,584
Likes: 542
From: Phoenix, AZ
Most of the switches that you're talking about are located in the steering column unit, which ain't gonna be cheap, but may be found at a local junkyard. Likely that you could swap out the entire unit and fix it all in one go, however - so think about that.
Monkeying with the thing to try to get it all to work will take some technical know-how, some electrical experience, and enough time to do the job right - what you get for that is a cheap(er) fix.
If you choose to tackle this one on your own, be sure to check the fuses in the fuseblock under the driver's side under the dash, since you'll need to have electricity to everything before you start to troubleshoot.
Cruise control unit is located under the driver's side storage bin, but that's just the controller - the other solenoids and switches are on the column, or in the engine bay.
Lights are likely a short in the column switch, or a bad fusible link (driver's side strut tower, labeled 'Lights').
The Horn is simply the metal contact under the steering wheel cap that's probably shorted out against the metal - cut this wire, or insulate the frayed end, and you'll no longer have a horn, but you won't have it going off when you don't want it too. Wiring is simple enough - attach a spade connector and connect it to the metal ring that touches the metal hub when you push on the horn button.
Windshield wipers could either be a bad motor module, or a bad rack. Racks are hard to find, but you can remove yours and rebuild it to almost new condition.
Report back if you get into any of these projects, as I'm sure someone here has done it before. HTH,
Monkeying with the thing to try to get it all to work will take some technical know-how, some electrical experience, and enough time to do the job right - what you get for that is a cheap(er) fix.
If you choose to tackle this one on your own, be sure to check the fuses in the fuseblock under the driver's side under the dash, since you'll need to have electricity to everything before you start to troubleshoot.
Cruise control unit is located under the driver's side storage bin, but that's just the controller - the other solenoids and switches are on the column, or in the engine bay.
Lights are likely a short in the column switch, or a bad fusible link (driver's side strut tower, labeled 'Lights').
The Horn is simply the metal contact under the steering wheel cap that's probably shorted out against the metal - cut this wire, or insulate the frayed end, and you'll no longer have a horn, but you won't have it going off when you don't want it too. Wiring is simple enough - attach a spade connector and connect it to the metal ring that touches the metal hub when you push on the horn button.
Windshield wipers could either be a bad motor module, or a bad rack. Racks are hard to find, but you can remove yours and rebuild it to almost new condition.
Report back if you get into any of these projects, as I'm sure someone here has done it before. HTH,