rodriguezeddy Posted September 2, 2018 Report Share Posted September 2, 2018 My turn signal switch is not working right. Only able to drop it down to turn left. Stuck and can't get it to go up for a right hand turn signal. Took off steering wheel and this is what I found: Red arrow piece was preventing any upward movement of my turn signal. Pulled this out and spring did not look that good. What is this spring and button for? Was where it was at the proper location for it? Once I removed this piece I was able to get my turn signal up and it ended up engaging a "hazard" light. 1 Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted September 2, 2018 Report Share Posted September 2, 2018 I believe that's for the horn. It makes contact on a ring on the under side of the steering wheel, allowing it to turn but still make contact. While it's effect is the same as a hazard switch, I think the switch is just connecting both sides. I would start with a good cleaning, then maybe take it further apart to see what's going on. 1 Quote Link to comment
wayno Posted September 2, 2018 Report Share Posted September 2, 2018 I do not believe that part is supposed to be in that hole you have it in the first post photo that has an arrow pointing at it, otherwise you would likely have another one in the lower hole. You said it will not move to the right turn position with it in there which makes sense with it in there, I suspect that part came off the back of the steering wheel or maybe it is supposed to be pressed onto that copper colored short post on the other side of that screw next to the hole it is in in that photo. Not sure why both your dash lights blink, do all 4 lights blink(front and rear) when it is doing that? 1 Quote Link to comment
rodriguezeddy Posted September 2, 2018 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2018 Correct I don't think this piece was supposed to be in there. Found some turn signal switch pics on Ebay and it looks like I am actually missing a piece or something may have broken off. Visually it looks like this part should fit into another small housing: If I put the part into the copper colored short post my horn comes on - so yep its for the horn. Unfortunately my signal and brake lights (front and rear) are not working yet but troubleshooting this is my next project. The only one that works is this one and its when I make a right turn signal and both dash lights blink. Not really sure why both dash lights are blinking either. Going to take it off, clean it up better and investigate more 1 Quote Link to comment
difrangia Posted September 2, 2018 Report Share Posted September 2, 2018 The little housing that you mention that the bronze sleeve, spring and copper contact button mount in needs to be made from a non-conducting (electrical) material. the knurling on the outside of the bronze sleeve is what anchors it into the housing. It is the contact terminal for the horn and as mike said the copper button contacts the bronze ring pressed into the bottom side of the steering wheel. It appears to me that your plastic/phenolic housing for the contact deteriorated at some point and let the contact unit loose in the switch housing. It took a wild ride for long enough to honk the spring up as it is in your photos. I'd bet there was a period of uncontrollable horn blaring and choice language at some point over this in the pickup's history. 1 Quote Link to comment
mklotz70 Posted September 3, 2018 Report Share Posted September 3, 2018 When checking the bulbs....make sure that you don't have double filament bulbs in single filament sockets.....and vice-versa 1 Quote Link to comment
rodriguezeddy Posted September 3, 2018 Author Report Share Posted September 3, 2018 After taking it out and some cleaning: Horn Yep all signs point to a housing that I am missing which must have broken off at some point: Looks like replacing this part will be impossible so next plan is to come up with a new way to recreate its function. I've seen some switches use a leaf spring to drag onto the bottom side of steering wheel like this: Turn Signal There are three small gold contacts on the inside (hard to see but third one is behind metal piece) This is what the leads look like and I can only see two of them with one empty slot - is this supposed to be empty? I fiddled with it by moving this whole housing into all positions. I was only able to get the left signal to work and the right signal keeps engaging both for a "hazard" effect. 1 Quote Link to comment
wayno Posted September 3, 2018 Report Share Posted September 3, 2018 I have a switch that looks just like yours in all but one of the photos(one with leaf spring), mine only has the contacts yours has, the other 2 slots are empty just like yours, also your plastic piece doesn't look broken to me, mine looks exactly like yours. I have had a couple of these switches apart, they are very hard to get back together and it has been so long that I do not remember what was inside them anymore except 2 small bearings with springs under them. Them loose pieces you have may go inside the switch, but I do not remember anymore, and I am not going to pull it apart to find out as the last time I had them apart I decided to never pull one apart again unless I had to, I remember that. I would hook up turn signal lights front and back to do anymore testing, most indicator lights act weird when a bulb is out, since you do not have any lights or you may have rust in one or more of the sockets, it may be grounding out and causing the double flashing lights in the dash, all lights need to be working to know for sure. I do not recall any of my 320s having a 4 way switch, does your truck have a 4 way switch? 1 Quote Link to comment
difrangia Posted September 3, 2018 Report Share Posted September 3, 2018 I'm thinking that the switch is also used for right-hand-drive pickups also which may explain the empty terminal positions. I had mine apart also but that's been several years ago. 1 Quote Link to comment
rodriguezeddy Posted September 3, 2018 Author Report Share Posted September 3, 2018 Started with front driver side signal light and it did not look good: After yanking and crushing this bulb out I am no longer getting the "hazard" effect from dash indicator light. Now it lights up properly for right signal and stays on solid for left. All my lights are rusted over like this so like Wayno said I'll need to get my lights/bulbs front and back working first to really see where I am. Going to look to see if I can find bulb socket replacements. 1 Quote Link to comment
rodriguezeddy Posted September 9, 2018 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2018 Was able to verify that all signal and brake lights are working today! Front signal lights are good now that I replaced the rusted out bulb housings and the "hazard" effect is gone and working properly. Wayno was right, since most of my lights were totally rusted over and not working this was causing some weird behavior in my dash indicator light ? 2 Quote Link to comment
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