Driving home this afternoon, indicated right at an island, but when the indicator cancelled, it did it's occassional fast ticking thing (give it a little wiggle, it stops).
Gave it the wiggle, but it didn't stop...then a wisp of smoke appears from behind the steering wheel AAAAAARGH! (first thought was AIRBAG!)...
After more wiggling, stopped the smoking (hence the post title), I can indicate left, but not right (VERY stiff). Obviously melted something in the switch, but now what? Rough guess is I need a new/replacement switch...and I hope that's it!
Does the steering wheel have to come off? If so, any tips on airbag removal?
I HAD put my cigarette out...
Moderator: RichardW
Hi Phil -
The occasional fast ticking has been a symptom of too much resistance in the contact set. Today it finally reached a level where the contact set burned out [:(]
All because the full blinkers lamp current has to pass the stalk switch contact set.
No idea on Xantia/airbag steering wheel, other than the usual advice posted here seems to be disconnecting battery for an hour, to discharge the airbag electronics, BEFORE you start fiddling.
The occasional fast ticking has been a symptom of too much resistance in the contact set. Today it finally reached a level where the contact set burned out [:(]
All because the full blinkers lamp current has to pass the stalk switch contact set.
No idea on Xantia/airbag steering wheel, other than the usual advice posted here seems to be disconnecting battery for an hour, to discharge the airbag electronics, BEFORE you start fiddling.
There's thread on airbag removal somewhere. 2 tips which I remember.
1) the 2 screws holding the airbag in place are torx size X (it's in the thread.)
2) when removing the wheel just losen the main nut before starting to hit it. If the wheel comes all the off befor threading the wiring through it's an expensive replacement.
GSF sell the replacement switch or go second hand.
mipzter
1) the 2 screws holding the airbag in place are torx size X (it's in the thread.)
2) when removing the wheel just losen the main nut before starting to hit it. If the wheel comes all the off befor threading the wiring through it's an expensive replacement.
GSF sell the replacement switch or go second hand.
mipzter
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philhoward
Had another go just; Forced the switch to the R/H (up); a bit of a click and it seems okay again...
Left the r/h indicator on for over a minute; still works fine and no smoke! Perhaps it's just burnt off the high resistance coating, but maybe it'll pack up tomorrow!
I shall monitor it VERY closely, but prepare for a switch replacement anyway..
Shame i've got a box full of BX ones, but no Xantia ones...
Left the r/h indicator on for over a minute; still works fine and no smoke! Perhaps it's just burnt off the high resistance coating, but maybe it'll pack up tomorrow!
I shall monitor it VERY closely, but prepare for a switch replacement anyway..
Shame i've got a box full of BX ones, but no Xantia ones...
if the switch is broken its better to go to or phone the scrapyards
the can be expensive to buy new .since you have airbags probarbly better to disconect the battery and wait for 15 mins before removing
the housing to gain access to the switch,if the scrappy has a switch
give it a blast of contact cleaner before fitting it.
the can be expensive to buy new .since you have airbags probarbly better to disconect the battery and wait for 15 mins before removing
the housing to gain access to the switch,if the scrappy has a switch
give it a blast of contact cleaner before fitting it.
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">the can be expensive to buy new .<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
Not really. Mine went a few years ago (95 Xantia). The official replacement part was only about £35. Which, as my local garage noted, was a fairly sure sign that these things fail regularly. They're nearly £150 on a Range Rover.[:(]
I believe it was an absolute dog to fit, though. I didn't fancy doing it myself, so I left it to the mechanics. But nor would I leave the existing switch in situ, no matter how well it's behaving now. If it's already gone up in smoke once, it'll do it again.
Not really. Mine went a few years ago (95 Xantia). The official replacement part was only about £35. Which, as my local garage noted, was a fairly sure sign that these things fail regularly. They're nearly £150 on a Range Rover.[:(]
I believe it was an absolute dog to fit, though. I didn't fancy doing it myself, so I left it to the mechanics. But nor would I leave the existing switch in situ, no matter how well it's behaving now. If it's already gone up in smoke once, it'll do it again.
I entirely agree with MW - if its failed once then it will do it again and indicators are definitely safety related so vital. I wouldn't mess around with a second hand one either. Certainly I gained the impression that ZX ones failed frequently and see no reason for the problem to be confined to Zx's (which may use the same part)
jeremy
jeremy
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philhoward