New Hazard Switch Electrical Issue

Arde

Well-Known Member
Site Donor $
Site Donor $$
Messages
4,682
Reaction score
1,891
Location
Cupertino, CA
Yay! I received my new hazard switch from Pelican today. Tested it as noted above before putting in and everything worked. I plugged it in, pressed in the butto….it lit up and my new flashers worked as expected. Thanks to everyone for all of their help! Also, prior to receiving the hazard, I pulled the brake light switch noting the plunger was defective. Went to my local NAPA store, picked up a replacement and my brake lights work as well. This is how it’s supposed to go!

So excited and thanks again everyone!
Awesome! Great that they sent you a replacement.
Pelican writes model and project specific write-ups for the readers. They should do one for the hazard light switch in E9s and title with my motto: I am so tired of being right.
 

ablank135

Well-Known Member
Site Donor
Messages
409
Reaction score
275
Location
Clarendon Hills, IL
If you all don't mind me jumping into this recent thread with my own hazard issue, and to ask the brains here to confirm my assumption of a bad switch, here's what's happening:

I depressed the hazard button this weekend for the first time in...forever, and the hazards merrily blinked on but would not shut off when I depressed the switch again.

But if I HOLD the switch depressed, they do turn off.

Turn indicators do not work with the ignition on and hazard switch held depressed.

Relay (which I pulled to turn off the hazards) clicks perfectly, and DOES shut off when hazard is held depressed.

I'm depressed.

New hazard switch, correct?
 

Arde

Well-Known Member
Site Donor $
Site Donor $$
Messages
4,682
Reaction score
1,891
Location
Cupertino, CA
If you all don't mind me jumping into this recent thread with my own hazard issue, and to ask the brains here to confirm my assumption of a bad switch, here's what's happening:

I depressed the hazard button this weekend for the first time in...forever, and the hazards merrily blinked on but would not shut off when I depressed the switch again.

But if I HOLD the switch depressed, they do turn off.

Turn indicators do not work with the ignition on and hazard switch held depressed.

Relay (which I pulled to turn off the hazards) clicks perfectly, and DOES shut off when hazard is held depressed.

I'm depressed.

New hazard switch, correct?
Yes, I think you have a mechanical failure of the hazard switch where you cannot disengage it.
Get a new one but do not buy it at Pelican as they may send you the bad one that John returned earlier in this thread :).
 

ablank135

Well-Known Member
Site Donor
Messages
409
Reaction score
275
Location
Clarendon Hills, IL
Yes, I think you have a mechanical failure of the hazard switch where you cannot disengage it.
Get a new one but do not buy it at Pelican as they may send you the bad one that John returned earlier in this thread :).
Yep, absolutely noted. Anyone got a lead on a reliable non-Pelican part? I do have an IM going with a forum member who has a used one, but it comes with no guarantees. Thanks a bunch.
 

Mot27cars

Well-Known Member
Site Donor
Messages
1,216
Reaction score
649
Location
Elkhart, IN
Yep, absolutely noted. Anyone got a lead on a reliable non-Pelican part? I do have an IM going with a forum member who has a used one, but it comes with no guarantees. Thanks a bunch.
Take it apart, you may be able to repair it.
 

sfdon

Well-Known Member
Site Donor
Site Donor $$
Messages
8,148
Reaction score
4,469
Location
sfbay area
The oldest scam out there with hazard switches…
buy new and return defective.
 

sfdon

Well-Known Member
Site Donor
Site Donor $$
Messages
8,148
Reaction score
4,469
Location
sfbay area
New old stock are available in Germany if can live with euro version
 

Attachments

  • B4B1DDA5-8253-4D96-B3F0-301835D4FF15.jpeg
    B4B1DDA5-8253-4D96-B3F0-301835D4FF15.jpeg
    211.8 KB · Views: 70

ablank135

Well-Known Member
Site Donor
Messages
409
Reaction score
275
Location
Clarendon Hills, IL
Yes, they are repairable. Fixed mine in 2016; no trouble since.

And if you buy a new one, din't throw away the old one. If need be, I'll buy it just to keep it in circulation.
Chris, before I crack mine open, what's the diagnostic path? Or will it be evident when it's disassembled?
 

Ohmess

I wanna DRIVE!
Site Donor $
Messages
4,833
Reaction score
2,639
Location
Aiken, SC
Not entirely sure of the diagnostic path. Mine popped out on while my car was being shipped from DC to Monterey, and the car arrived with a dead battery. After a jump, I found that if I pushed the button in, the flashers would turn off. But the button would not remain pushed in. This sounds like your problem too. The problem is mechanical, not electrical.

It has been a while, but here’s what I remember. There is a small arm that travels in a track and catches into a groove to hold the button in the off position. Somehow this arm gets flattened, and will not catch in the groove. You need to pry the switch open carefully with a small screwdriver while pushing the tabs in on one side. Obviously, use enough force to get the switch to come apart, without breaking the tabs.

Once open, slide the small screwdriver (or maybe a small pick?) under the tab and pry outward gently until it remains further out. You may need to pry on both sides. Reassemble and check to see if the button remains seated when you push it in. If not, try again.

One other thing to mention. There is more than one switch, and this fix only works on the earlier switches. I think your 73 has the earlier switch, but just in case I thought I would mention this.
 

ablank135

Well-Known Member
Site Donor
Messages
409
Reaction score
275
Location
Clarendon Hills, IL
Not entirely sure of the diagnostic path. Mine popped out on while my car was being shipped from DC to Monterey, and the car arrived with a dead battery. After a jump, I found that if I pushed the button in, the flashers would turn off. But the button would not remain pushed in. This sounds like your problem too. The problem is mechanical, not electrical.

It has been a while, but here’s what I remember. There is a small arm that travels in a track and catches into a groove to hold the button in the off position. Somehow this arm gets flattened, and will not catch in the groove. You need to pry the switch open carefully with a small screwdriver while pushing the tabs in on one side. Obviously, use enough force to get the switch to come apart, without breaking the tabs.

Once open, slide the small screwdriver (or maybe a small pick?) under the tab and pry outward gently until it remains further out. You may need to pry on both sides. Reassemble and check to see if the button remains seated when you push it in. If not, try again.

One other thing to mention. There is more than one switch, and this fix only works on the earlier switches. I think your 73 has the earlier switch, but just in case I thought I would mention this.

Excellent. I'll give this a try soon. Thanks!
 

kongsfam

Member
Site Donor $
Site Donor $$
Messages
40
Reaction score
38
Location
Camas WA
My yellow defrost button was always on and after opening it up, I found a purely mechanical failure, as stated above. With repeated use the plastic bits wear and results with the metal arm with brass pin moving toward the outside of the case and disengaging from groove on the centrally located push button.
The metal arm looks like 2002/e9 turnsignal/light switch metal and from experience, I know it will break if you bend it too far, so I didn't try to bend the arm in.
I made a stainless steel wire shim, 26 mm in length, as shown in pics. Since this switch mounts upside down, a loose shim would potentially fall out, so I made the long leg of the wire rest against the top/inside part of the pushbutton housing and this prevents the circular shim portion from falling out/into the interior of the mechanical and electrical innards.
This is completely reversible and has been working perfectly. The circular part of the shim can be adjusted for thickness if necessary.
IMG_2505.jpg

IMG_2500.jpg

IMG_2501.jpg

IMG_2502.jpg

IMG_2503.jpg

IMG_2504.jpg
 
Top