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Mon Aug 04, 2025 8:28 pm

Hey all,

I simply can’t get the switch to seat. I can consistently screw in the upper right screw. But not the other 3 that seat the switch. I can screw them in with no switch in the way. Not stripped.

Any tips? I have no idea what’s going on there but no matter what I try, I can’t get the screws in when the switch is in.

Am I missing something here?

1969 bug

Mon Aug 04, 2025 8:33 pm

Check to see if you can pull the wires further forward and allow the switch to seat further into the column.

Mon Aug 04, 2025 8:46 pm

OldSchoolVW's wrote: Check to see if you can pull the wires further forward and allow the switch to seat further into the column.

I’ve tried that. No luck. I’ll keep at it, though. Thank you.

Mon Aug 04, 2025 10:51 pm

This sounds like a shitty part. Is it? Where did you get it from? This part is typically poorly manufactured, from the aftermarket section. Even when the cars were still new, the cheap aftermarket stuff stunk! It has only become more putrid as time has marched on.

On the other hand, do all 4 screw holes align with the housing?

Did you keep your old (I hope it is a VW OG one) switch. You may have to rebuild it! You can (sometimes) rebuild an OG switch using the shitty aftermarket switch (after disassembling it) as a parts source. Might be worth a try. You have no way to make it worse!

Tue Aug 05, 2025 6:33 am

VW_Jimbo wrote: This sounds like a shitty part. Is it? Where did you get it from? This part is typically poorly manufactured, from the aftermarket section. Even when the cars were still new, the cheap aftermarket stuff stunk! It has only become more putrid as time has marched on.

On the other hand, do all 4 screw holes align with the housing?

Did you keep your old (I hope it is a VW OG one) switch. You may have to rebuild it! You can (sometimes) rebuild an OG switch using the shitty aftermarket switch (after disassembling it) as a parts source. Might be worth a try. You have no way to make it worse!

It’s the original part. I removed it when troubleshooting my horn and wanted to test the switch. I don’t know how to get it realigned. You can’t really see through the switch. I have used some small screwdrivers to line up the holes, but I can’t get it in far enough to get the screw to catch. I bought a new switch last night as I think my old one may be done, but I’ll keep trying. Has anyone else had this problem? Is it hard to get in?

Tue Aug 05, 2025 6:52 am

drwecki wrote: Is it hard to get in?

Depends on the gal....

The turn signal switch itself needs to be pushed further towards the front of the VW, the wires are getting hung up somehow in the channel/opening. I just replaced the TS switch in my own 1970 maybe a month or two ago and had similar issue.