TheSamba.com :: View topic - Do the emergency flasher switches go bad often?

Sat Nov 14, 2009 8:33 pm

Go all of my lights working the way they should. One minute the E. Flasher worked well the next the lights were flashing when it was in the off position. I pushed and pulled and I heard a crackle noise from the switch area and blew a fuse. Double checked all the wiring. Connections all correct and secure. I'm pretty sure theres some kind of short in it.

Is that fairly common?

I love my bus...but is seems like I fix one thing only to find another issue. :(

69 bay (oops forgot)

Sat Nov 14, 2009 8:44 pm

I suppose we'll all just have to guess the year of your Bus. The late switches do have a tendency to come apart, especially if you're yankin on it trying to make it work. Check to be sure the two halves aren't separated. If they are, pop it back together and secure it with a zip tie. Replace the fuse and call it a day. I've never had a switch go bad myself but I suppose anything's possible.

Mon Nov 16, 2009 9:37 am

well during my tinkering and trying to clean up the rats nest behind the dash I left the 12v wire that connects to the turn signal exposed and a couple of sparks and a blown fuse resulted. I recovered the exposed wire and replace the fuse and everthing was fine. Then I noticed the flasher switch wouldn't pull out and I could hear some crackling in it when I moved it. I removed the switch all the while I noted and and took multiple pictures of the wire locations. I found one of the springs had somehow worked its way loos and was shorting out. Put it all back together good as new and replaced the connections EXACTLY as I had before and confirmed they were in the right place with the bently and now...

The flashers work when the switch is off and only on one side of the vehicle. Pull the switch out and nothing.

I have traced the wires back and forth. I tested the emergency flasher switch to the bently and it's fine. I made sure the connections on my flasher relay are ok and even switched it out to make sure it's not the relay.

Tonight I'm going to take the emergency flasher switch out and cover all the wires and see if the signals work allright.

Could I have fried the turn signal switch when I shorted it out?

Thanks again.
69 Bay

Mon Nov 16, 2009 9:38 am

check ALL the fuses again.

Mon Nov 16, 2009 12:49 pm

Since they only get used about 10 minutes every hundred thousand miles, they don't often wear out. I've never seen one worn out anyway.

Yours was probably damaged by the PO playing silly buggers with the wiring.

Wed Nov 18, 2009 9:12 am

Ok. I have no idea how this could happen but somehow the contacts in the switch were reversed. I found there was continuity between 49a and l@r when the switch was off. Wierd. But I took it apart again and re assembled and its working as intended now. The one side problem was simply a bad connection at the fuse box.

What a relief.

Moving on.