[W126 Coupe] 86 500 SEC

[Josh Allen]

Stuart Dangar wrote:

> Hello,

>

> My '86's blinker stopped reseting after turn has been executed. 

> Quickfix? or tedious column reconstruction? Think I heard a sound like 

> brittle plastic snapping last night and hasn't worked properly since...

>

> Thx,

>

> SD

>

> -- 

> Stuart Dangar

> 404-343-8859

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I had the same thing happen on my 84 SEC and had to replace the turn 
signal switch assembly.
I took it out and fiddled with it for a while, but it's a little plastic 
toggle that is supposed to trip and reset the switch, but after 20+ 
years, the plastic apparently gets a little brittle and can break.

That being said, I didn't go to the dealer for it, as the one from a 
wreck is working just fine, probably better than the first one was 
before the replacement.  The only downside of the other old one I have 
is that the arm was a bit sun faded and took a couple coats of matte 
black paint before I put the switch into the car.


As far as what it takes to replace it:
Remove the steering wheel (be careful if you have an airbag) using a 
10mm hex key socket in the center.
Remove the knee bolster (lower dash panel under the steering wheel).
Unplug the two wiring harnesses that come down from in the steering 
column plastic cover tube.
Remove the 3 screws that hold the switch assembly to the steering 
column, which are accessed from where the wheel was located.
Lift the switch assembly out of the column, while keeping the connectors 
from catching on the edge of the column plastic cover on the bottom end.

Reassembling it is just the same in reverse.

The only 'gotcha' that could happen is if you don't grab the connector 
by it's body and instead pull the cover off of one of the two 
connectors, in which case the cover MIGHT be loose enough to release and 
possibly let pins come free.  Not that it's too likely, but it pays to 
be a little careful with these, as I've had one on the back of the 
instrument cluster do it to me and made me hunt down a diagram for a day 
or so.


Sorry to be less than hopeful on the existing switch, but it's a fairly 
easy fix to replace.

-Josh Allen