engine and drivetrain hazard switch TRIUMPH!!!

[albawhore]

HELP. The kids were driving the Malaga and pushed the red button to see what it did. It broke. Is there some kind of band aid fix or another model switch that will work. The only local o2 source is closed till monday.

Thanks in advance

HAZARD SWITCH TRIUMPH!!!!!!

I removed the switch from the console and CAREFULLY prised it apart. There is a little armature that, through a little amazing german engineering, rides in a slot in the side of the button assembly. The spring that keeps the armature in said slot had lost its integrity over the years and was unable to keep the catch intact. I custom fit a small length of tooth pick between the armature and the plastic body of the switch, wedged it nicely in place. Put the assembly back together and VOILA, works like a charm.

This being my first toothpick/McGiveresque o2 fix I am now feeling ten feet tall and bullet proof so I think I am going for a ride.

TA-TA

JB

[c.d.iesel]

...GOT $48.08 ?

JUST BUY ONE MATE.

[albawhore]

You kill me with the cut sheets, someday I want to grow up to be just like you.

I am going to replace but I was stuck with no source for several days and a perfectly good weekend to drive/work on the old girl.

Thanks Creighton

[mikem]

Years ago I was messing with my '76's broken Hazard switch and found that you can jump pins "49a" to "15" on the car-side harness connector (looks like green/purple to white/purple wires) and retain turn signal operation.

I can't tell that the other six connections have any essential use for normal driving. Any ideas?

[jgerry2002]

Rather than a toothpick, you can also just use a set of pliers and bend the arm (that rides in the groove) a little and the switch will catch in the groove again without popping on. I just fixed a hazard switch a couple of days ago.

[Zenon]

...GOT $48.08 ?

JUST BUY ONE MATE.

And who do you work for, CD? Sheesh. You say this kinda thing all the time. Some of your advice is very useful but the just-buy-a-new-one-at-the-BMW-dealer mantra is lame and obvious. Such "advice" is certainly useless at the side of a road or on a saturday evening.

Of course, some things should automatically be replaced or farmed out for sound practical reasons such as safety, function, lack of proper tools/repair skills, efficiency, etc.

But why not try to fix the Hazard switch if you can? Is it something that makes the vehicle unsafe if it fails? I fixed mine years ago (by bending the arm ever so slightly) and never had a problem since. Sure, it still looks old, but then it perfectly matches the rest of the 34 year old interior.

Is it a time=money thing? Well, lets look at the economics - it took me about 15 minutes to do the repair (re/re time aside since that is the same for a new switch). At $48.08 plus taxes I'd have to be taking time away (opportunity cost) from a job that lets me clear $200/hr AFTER TAXES for automatically buying a new one to make hard-nuts financial sense. If only! More likely to be taking time away from XBox or surfing the pr0n anyway. And what about the time spent to physically drive to the dealer to buy a new switch and/or the delay between ordering and receiving? What about the possibility that fixing things yourself can be intrinsicly rewarding and enjoyable?

If something can possibly be fixed for a very small investment in effort (which I would argue is definitely the case with a flasher switch if the surgeon is not a clutz), why not give it a shot? Worst case is that you will need a new one, anyway and best case you saved some dough and, more often than not, some considerable hassle.

regards,

Zenon

P.S.

http://www.zeebuck.com/bimmers/tech/hazardswitchfix/hazardswitchfix.html

Page has no text but shows the switch guts and how it works. The usual problem happens when the pin in the arm jumps the track in the button. Looking back, it may make more sense to bend or augment the flat brass "spring" that pushes on the arm. Anyway, bending the arm ever so slightly is what I did and it worked. Too much bend causes the switch to jam up.

[KFunk]

Bending the arm a little bit did not work for me... in my case the arm wouldn't bend, and it just snapped off.... and JB weld wouldn't even hold it back on there.

I got another one for ~free from a junk car, and had the same issues. I bent the thin brass part, and it worked fine. Plus, the plastic track was worn down and not holding the pin. Notching it with a knife helps it a little, but eventually you run out of plastic. I globbed on some 5 minute plastic epoxy (the kind you have to mix), and then cut a new track into it with a knife. Its worked fine for a while like that....

[jgerry2002]

And who do you work for, CD? Sheesh. You say this kinda thing all the time. Some of your advice is very useful but the just-buy-a-new-one-at-the-BMW-dealer mantra is lame and obvious. Such "advice" is certainly useless at the side of a road or on a saturday evening.

I think the point of the post is the fact that a hazard switch is available new from the dealer for a car that has been out of production for 30 years... Its obvious from the "know how" on the board that everyone will have some method of fixing it, so I just see it as another option. You would be surprised of the number of people who get into these cars and never really think to check the dealer for any parts. Especially if you've come from many other marques, you can't just walk into their local dealer and order a small part like this.

I do agree with the method of your fix though, that is exactly what seems to be working for me and many others.

[Arizona02]

here in Phoenix.I think its a backwards factory design flaw, switch should be off when button is in out position.

[PeterVarga]

I have a used hazard switch that you can have. If

you want it EMail me at PeterVarga1953@juno.com.

It is from a '75 console. Absolutely. Free.