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The job is fairly simple, and you can either effect
a repair as I did or just replace the unit. Step #10
identifies the actual problem, which, after examining
the switch, seems it would be the logical failure
point for similar units.
1) With a cloth over a pair of pliers, remove the
"knob" from the slide switch.
2) CAREFULLY pry out the wood trim and the metal
backing from around the slide control. Do
this carefully, I said. The wood trim is very
brittle, and, as I've discovered this morning,
very expensive to replace.
3) Remove the foam and plastic insert that covers
the switch unit.
4) The switch is best accessed via removal of the
center console (remove ash tray, four screws
beneath the ash tray, and one (?) other on the
passenger side.....the trim under the glovebox
also needs to come out (three screws)).
[Two screws secure ashtray and two screws
secure the bottom of the center console. There
are also two screws that secure the top of the
console that are accessible from the center
air vents. ('87 16V)]
5) Pull the console out and down far enough to
disconnect the wire harnesses for the slide
unit, its light, and the ACC pushbutton unit.
This should give you enough room to get the
switch out.
6) Remove two screws through the slide switch
opening. This holds the unit in.
7) Remove and dismantle unit. Mine actually fell
apart upon removal. [To dismantle, gently
pry the clamshell halves apart with a flat-
blade screw driver. Be sure to keep the unit
flat (top-side up) on a work surface.]
The two clamshell halves of the switch had
separated, and spilled the surprisingly many
teeny switch parts. This was a mess.
Although I finally recovered all the parts, it
took some time before I was able to understand
and reassemble the switch.
8) I am only an English major, yet I found the
switch to be quite a feat of engineering. Not
including the two unit halves, the backing
plate/circuitboard, or the two relays that are
mounted on it, I had (and you should have)
-- three small, bat-wing, black rockerarms
-- two black rubber wheels
-- a white plastic roller wheel
-- a white plastic arm that holds the wheel
-- a small spring that provides tension to the
white plastic arm/wheel assembly
-- three brass clips (the actual electrical
switching mechanism)
9) If your unit didn't fall apart upon removal,
operating the slide mechanism should reveal the
purpose of all the parts. It's quite an
impressive little system, actually. The small,
black rubber wheels fit beneath the lever and
provide a smooth and controlled travel in a
molded track. The three rockerarms fit on three
pegs that are keyed to allow only so many
degrees of movement. The brass clips fit between
the rockerarms and the unit's backing
plate/circuitboard, opening and closing the
circuit depending on the movement of the rockers.
The spring-loaded, white-plastic roller arm is
the lever's extension that rolls beneath the
rockerarms and forces them back and forth, which
not only opens and closes the circuit for that
blower setting, but also provides the firm detent
between settings.
10) The problem is that the small key, molded onto
the rearward base of the peg, breaks off,
allowing the rockerarm to swing uncontrolled past
its intended travel, which allows the spring-
loaded lever/roller arm to extend up *between*
the first peg and the next, thus tightly jamming
further travel of the lever. As the lever/roller
arm has a fairly high spring loading, and, in the
off position, the first rockerarm is constantly
under its pressure (holding that first contact
open), it's easy to see why the small molded key
either gets ground off or simply shears.
11) I had no luck trying to "create" a small key of
my own with scrap plastic and/or superglue.
12) I simply glued the rockerarm in a perfectly level
orientation. This allows the roller arm to
travel beneath it, and will prevent it from ever
getting stuck there again. However, this also
prevents you from ever using the lowest blower
setting. I'll probably replace the unit
eventually, since I did tend to use that setting
more than the others.
[I chose a different fix: I drilled a 1/32nd
inch hole through both halves of the clamshell
and dropped a small cotterpin through the holes
to act as a stop for the low speed rockerarm.
This returns full functionality to the switch. I
used super glue to put the case back together.]
Well, I hope this hasn't been too confusing, and is of
some help to some of you.
Tom Gillen
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