Took apart headlight/turn signal switches, a few questions...
10-11-04, 08:03 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Took apart headlight/turn signal switches, a few questions...
Didn't mean for this to be this long, but I want to be thorough...
I had the day off so I decided to take my steering wheel off and take apart my headlight/turn signal etc switch to see if I can't track down the problems... here's what it was doing: lights worked fine, but no brights. No horn at all. The turn signal does not reset itself when you turn the wheel, and also the left turn signal doesn't work anymore (it did a week ago).
Okay, here's what I did to troubleshoot: For the turn signal, it was blinking very fast in the back and not at all in the front. With hazards on, the rear and passenger side lights were fine, no lighting from drivers side. It DOES come on when you turn driving lights on, but when trying to do a turn signal it does nothing. Tried switching the bulbs, did nothing.
Then, I pulled the wheel off and took everything apart. I clean a lot of contacts, but this does nothing. I fiddle with the metal contacts for the lights, figure out how it works, and fix it. I have brights now. It looks like someone took it apart and didn't put it together correctly.
Turn signals I mess with a bit, but nothing changes. Must not be the switch.
When I put everything back together, the whole lever feels much tighter..whee! I then see if I can figure out what is wrong with the turn signal cancelling thingamajig. With the wheel off but everythign else back on, I play with that round piece of plastic in the middle while turning on the signals. When moving it with my hand, it cancels the turn signal correctly in both directions several times. Does anyone have a pic of what that piece is supposed to look like? I think mine might be broken, as it doesn't work when I put the wheel back on.
I finally decide to see if I can fix the horn. I take a look at it to see how it works, and it seems that the metal on the back of the steering wheel wasn't contacting the little rod that sticks out of the switch assembly. I take the two screws off the back of the wheel, slide it on, and sure enough, horn works. I put the screws back in...no horn. Eh? I leave them off, and put the wheel back on and screw it in.
Now I'm thinking that maybe I don't have the wheel on quite all the way. It's on as far as it was before, but it it was supposed to be in a little more that might explain the horn not working and the signal not cancelling.
Finally, with that done, I try to get out the O2 sensor. It's a pile of rust, and was a pain in the ***. I didn't manage to get it off, but I did unplug a couple of wires, which I have in the picture. It is near the passenger firewall, right beside the winshield wiper fluid reservoir. What is it for? and more importantly...which cable is supposed to be plugged into which side? I tried them both, the car didn't seem to car which way it was.
I also included a pic of a spare harness by the wheel...what does it go to? I seem to have nowhere to plug it. At first I thought it was the horn, but my horn works now. Finally, there is a pic of my steering wheel on, and how much space there is. It that where it's supposed to be, or do I need to beat it with a mallet to get it in a little more?
I had the day off so I decided to take my steering wheel off and take apart my headlight/turn signal etc switch to see if I can't track down the problems... here's what it was doing: lights worked fine, but no brights. No horn at all. The turn signal does not reset itself when you turn the wheel, and also the left turn signal doesn't work anymore (it did a week ago).
Okay, here's what I did to troubleshoot: For the turn signal, it was blinking very fast in the back and not at all in the front. With hazards on, the rear and passenger side lights were fine, no lighting from drivers side. It DOES come on when you turn driving lights on, but when trying to do a turn signal it does nothing. Tried switching the bulbs, did nothing.
Then, I pulled the wheel off and took everything apart. I clean a lot of contacts, but this does nothing. I fiddle with the metal contacts for the lights, figure out how it works, and fix it. I have brights now. It looks like someone took it apart and didn't put it together correctly.
Turn signals I mess with a bit, but nothing changes. Must not be the switch.
When I put everything back together, the whole lever feels much tighter..whee! I then see if I can figure out what is wrong with the turn signal cancelling thingamajig. With the wheel off but everythign else back on, I play with that round piece of plastic in the middle while turning on the signals. When moving it with my hand, it cancels the turn signal correctly in both directions several times. Does anyone have a pic of what that piece is supposed to look like? I think mine might be broken, as it doesn't work when I put the wheel back on.
I finally decide to see if I can fix the horn. I take a look at it to see how it works, and it seems that the metal on the back of the steering wheel wasn't contacting the little rod that sticks out of the switch assembly. I take the two screws off the back of the wheel, slide it on, and sure enough, horn works. I put the screws back in...no horn. Eh? I leave them off, and put the wheel back on and screw it in.
Now I'm thinking that maybe I don't have the wheel on quite all the way. It's on as far as it was before, but it it was supposed to be in a little more that might explain the horn not working and the signal not cancelling.
Finally, with that done, I try to get out the O2 sensor. It's a pile of rust, and was a pain in the ***. I didn't manage to get it off, but I did unplug a couple of wires, which I have in the picture. It is near the passenger firewall, right beside the winshield wiper fluid reservoir. What is it for? and more importantly...which cable is supposed to be plugged into which side? I tried them both, the car didn't seem to car which way it was.
I also included a pic of a spare harness by the wheel...what does it go to? I seem to have nowhere to plug it. At first I thought it was the horn, but my horn works now. Finally, there is a pic of my steering wheel on, and how much space there is. It that where it's supposed to be, or do I need to beat it with a mallet to get it in a little more?
10-11-04, 10:55 PM
#2
Mmmm Wankel Juice
Join Date: May 2004
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Do not beat your steering wheel.. You will break the plastic clips that are inside it. Those clips are for the collapsible steering wheel. You will create more problems..
If you tell me what colors the wires are on that connector, I can tell you what it's for.
Steering wheel looks fine..
Turn signals probably aren't cancelling because the plastic **** that sticks out of the rotating mechanism is probably broken off. If it's still on there, then the steering wheel may not be fully engaged on the ****..
Hope this helps
Dave
If you tell me what colors the wires are on that connector, I can tell you what it's for.
Steering wheel looks fine..
Turn signals probably aren't cancelling because the plastic **** that sticks out of the rotating mechanism is probably broken off. If it's still on there, then the steering wheel may not be fully engaged on the ****..
Hope this helps
Dave
10-12-04, 12:49 AM
#3
Thread Starter
The **** is there, but it doesn't stick out any from the rest of the assembly. I think it's broken, but I'm not sure since I don't know what a whole one looks like. I'll check the color next time I have it apart.
10-12-04, 05:07 AM
#4
The black thing that spins (cancels turn signals) should have 2 nipples sticking out of it that go into the 2 holes in the back of your steering wheel. If it has been removed before most likely they got broken off. They are a huge PITA to line up correctly. As far as the turn signals themselves - The side that blinks fast on the rear and nothing in front means that the bulb in front is burned out. Not sure why it does that but if you have an out bulb it will flash the other one twice as fast.
10-12-04, 10:06 AM
#5
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Yeah Ian is right. If you look at the back of the wheel there are 2 holes in the center plastic - the 2 nipples on the cancel device go into those holes so that as you turn the wheel, the device spins and hits the inside of the lever mechanism to reset it. When you take apart the wheel that canceller is actually just floating on the shaft IIRC. You should definately be able to see the ring (canceller), and it should be pretty obvious if the nipples are broken because you'll be able to see how they could fit into the holes in the back of the wheel. If there's no ring at all then it was probably not replaced from the last guy who had it apart...
I think maybe the steering wheel shaft is pulled out which explains the horn issue (too much space between switches and wheel. The steering box can get messed up and it will collapse and expand about 1/4" if you really pull/push on the wheel. Mine's been like that for 7 years and it hasn't casued problems, but I'd hate for you to try pushing it back in... If that's not the problem you'll be the one to have broken it as partguy74 mentioned.
I think maybe the steering wheel shaft is pulled out which explains the horn issue (too much space between switches and wheel. The steering box can get messed up and it will collapse and expand about 1/4" if you really pull/push on the wheel. Mine's been like that for 7 years and it hasn't casued problems, but I'd hate for you to try pushing it back in... If that's not the problem you'll be the one to have broken it as partguy74 mentioned.
10-12-04, 11:38 AM
#7
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by Hades12
The wires look like the AC pressure switch, I think it does not matter which one is on eather side, As the switch is just open or closed.
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