[dcalfa]

Hi, I've searched the board to no avail so I was hoping someone might be able to help. I am swapping out my old console for a somewhat better used one, and everything is good to go except for the hazard switch. Mine is a 78 Spider so it has the round push button type with a light inside the red button.

I was stupid and just yanked all the wires trusting that the wiring diagram would guide me. But the diagram I have (the color-coded ones provided to many on this forum) lists only four connections for my hazard button:

49A-White/Black
L - Blue/Black
R - Blue
31 - Black

But these connections alone do not work. Also, I'm 99 percent sure that many more than four of the posts on the switch were filled (maybe all of them, I'm not sure.) There are a lot of extra wires floating around in the console area, partly because I don't have some lights like ExhTemp hooked up, but also I suspect because some of them need to be hooked to the Hazard button.

If anyone has any info or advice, I'd appreciate it. I hate to put it back together worse than before.

 

[papajam]

Couple of questions;

Do the turn signals currently work?
Did the hazards work prior to changing the console?

Try this test. Disconnect the wires on terminals 49a, L & R of the hazard switch. Now connect all three wires together. Do the signal lights flash?

 

[dcalfa]

The signals work. The hazards worked great before I bumbled along.

I will try your test in the morning; what will that tell me?

 

[papajam]

The signals working verifies flasher function.
The hazards working prior to the console change verifies wiring.
If the signals flash for the test, the switch is highly suspect.

 

[dcalfa]

Ok. But it seems unlikely that the switch would suddenly die now. What I'm curious about are the other prongs on the switch which were previously occupied when it worked -- is there an alternate wiring possibility? It was definitely working before with all or most of the prongs in use. I'm just kicking myself for being so rash.

 

[Tifosi]

Trust in the papajam for rich in the force he is.

Switches can die as suddenly as anything else, even by simply disconnecting and reconnecting the wires on an old one.

AFA all the 'extra' terminals, the wires given above will allow the flashers to work if they are gonna work. The other terminals either aren't used, not used on that particular model car, (remember, the switch can likely be found in several models and marques that may or may not require different wiring arrangements) or are used for things over and above actual turn signal function (backlight or power/ground/circut jump off to service other things mabe, but not the actual flasher circut)

EG: the rocker style flasher switch in the S3 has some empty terminals too when properly connected, (at least IIRC), as does the heater rocker switch (which I'm sure about)
Granted yours is a different style/type switch, but the premis is the same.

 

[papajam]

Switches can die as suddenly as anything else,...

Not to mention that we don't (yet) know if the original or replacement switch is being used. Should have asked that (guess I just did ).

 

[dcalfa]

Oops, yes, this is the same switch I had in previous console, moved over to the newer one.

 

[dcalfa]

Well, first the test--three wires you mentioned put together--produced no signal lights. And now things have gone further downhill: First fuses #3 and #6 blew, so I unhooked the hazard switch altogether, and now fuse #6 keeps blowing again.

At this point I"m out of 8 amp fuses and out of my depth, so I'm probably going to just send it off to my mechanic since I needed to tend to some other items anyway. Which is a tragedy given the spring weather we're having here...

 

[144]

You've got a dead short going on under the dash. Get control of all the loose wires and tape them to prevent a short to ground. Use a tester to check for short instead of expensive fuses.

There are only four wires to the Hazard Switch.

Get out your wire diagram and figure out where all the loose wires go to.

Taking electrical problems to a mechanic is an expensive proposition because he's going to have to grunt out chasing wires, just like you would have to.

 

[dcalfa]

I hear you, and I know you're right. But the cost issue is why I tried to handle this myself and I already turned a half day job into nearly two days-- some of us just aren't up to this stuff I'm afraid. I've got family stuff to take care of etc, so it's worth it to me to farm this out at this point.

I really do appreciate your help, though.

 

[dcalfa]

Well, Roadtrip I owe you a debt. Despite what I declared in the previous message, your encouragement prompted me to recheck again and I found the problem (wrong connection). I now appear to be good to go, though the hazard switch still isn't working but I'll leave that for now. Many thanks...

 

[dcalfa]

...And then I go for a test drive and a new problem: turn signals prompt the hazards! Judging from the wire diagram I'm betting it's a wrong white/black wire. I'll dig into it later and hope I don't get nabbed for not using my signal in the meantime...