Anyone,
My turn signals will not cancel when I straighten out the steering wheel.
I
suppose something is broken inside the steering column. How difficult is
this to fix and can anyone give me a part name or number or a description of
the work?
-Matt.
=====
Matt,
You will need to remove your steering wheel which is not to hard. First
pull your horn pad directly back in one swift move. Next you will need a
27mm socket to remove the wheel nut. On the back side of the steering
wheel
is a canceling tab which can easily be broken. If it looks intact you can
test the turn signal assembly by using a screw driver to push the white
canceling button.
Mark Anderson
======
Matt,
Even if the plastic canceling tab on the back of the
steering wheel is not broken off, be sure and take a
hard look at its leading edges - where they contact
the inside of the turn signal assembly canceling
mechanism - they are supposed to have an clean bevel
to catch and cancel the switch.
If the leading edge of this tab is worn, then it can
be filed down to have clean bevel and may should work
- use the unworn areas to determine about what angle
to file down to. My '85 model had this problem and it
was an easy fix.
In addition, if this is you problem then you'll need
to lubricate your turn signal assembly so that it does
not have so much resistance that it wears the plastic
canceling tab.
If the canceling tab is not broken or worn then it is
something wrong with the turn signal assembly - again
lubrication may be needed.
Good luck
Paul Scott
==========
The turn signal switch on my '79 has never really worked correctly.
The lever doesn't click into place most of the time. Unfortunately, since I'm
one of the 48 people in the US that use their turn
signals, its a big pain. I end up holding it in position most of the time.
I guess its pretty much a sealed control unit, and not really repairable. My
guess is that the little plastic lever that gets pushed against
the tab on the steering wheel is sliding at an angle over that tab instead of
straight out, and so keeping it from locking into place. My first
question is: is there any trick to fix this, or is it just worn somehow. If it
can't be fixed, my second question is: how do you replace this
cluster? I have the cruise control in the cluster, and I don't see any connector
for those wires. It seems to be hardwired right into the
signal unit. Is the unit worth the big $$$ it costs, or should I just join the
(US population)-48 people that don't use their turn signals?
Rock
'79 Euro 5speed
-------------
I did take it off the steering column only to find that it was sealed, which
didn't bode well. The lever locks into place with the steering wheel off, or
when the wheel tab is beyond the switch. The only thing I could do to make it
fail was to use a screwdriver in place of the tab, and it seemed that the
plastic switch would often slide along the screwdriver face vertically. In this
case I think the switch is in the 'release' position (as if the wheel tab is
pushing it to release) so it never locks. But I couldn't tell why it might be
doing that.
We should have laws to use turn signals. Its a pet peeve of mine, but I think
I'm in the minority.
-------------Rock,
Thanks for visiting my website.
I'm a bit confused about what the problem really is: is it a release problem or
a locking problem? I will answer both, and you will have to imagine without a
picture. I've added numbers to prevent confusion.
The locking works like this: you push the turn-signal-handle(1) and a plastic
tab mounted(2) on the handle (inside the assy) locks into position. That part is
very basic. If it doesn't lock its probably broken or the unlock mechanism is
stuck. On my web is a picture with a circle indicating the broken tab. I have a
more detailed one if you like.
The unlocking works like this: the white plastic lever under the steering wheel
(3) is normally in a horizontal position. When you engage the turn signal
handle(1) it becomes actuated and points in a slightly different position. As
soon as you start turning the steering wheel the tab mounted on the steering
wheel(4) passes the plastic lever(3), and this lever will have to make room for
the tab to pass.
Its spring actuated and mounted very flexible, so it moves away in the
turn-direction-turning of the wheel. As soon as you start reversing the wheel it
finds the tab(4) again and this time in the position to cancel the turn signal.
It pushes the little mechanism in the assembly to unlock the
turn-signal-handle(1) from the plastic tab(2).
The lever(3) now gets back to its idle position. As you may turn twice the white
plastic lever(3) will be in neutral position again and will slide away as the
tab(4) passes again. You can hear the click when it does that.
What sometimes happens is that wear on the steering wheel tab (4) will cause the
plastic lever(3) to slide away when it should actually unlock the mechanism.
Some people fancy sticking tape around the tab(4). I personally hate this. The
other option is that the white lever(3) is worn a bit and moves in the vertical
direction when its supposed not to. A file will do the trick to make it straight
again.
I think its possible to open and close the assembly with a little work (you will
have to drill out the locks and replace them with screws) but I've never tried
that.
Hope that helps a bit. Fix or replace is up to you ;-)
Regards, Theo
'88 928s4 cherry red
The Netherlands
http://928s4.no-ip.info
==========
Rock,
I took my switch apart by drilling out the little rivets. Inspected and figured
out how to file, bend, tweak and fudge with it to make it cancel properly. I
can't offer details, but it seemed pretty obvious to me. I just put it back
together using #4-40 screws and nuts in place of the rivets. You might try it,
and if you can't fix it, then you haven't lost anything if you decide to buy
new.
Of course, I have experience as a watchmaker and machinist and electrical
engineer and sail boat builder, etc, so fixing the turn thing appeals to me.] --jer
83S A/T 84S A/T parts queen
Jerry mc Murry