Defrost Switch Assembly - How to Reassemble?

[DavidProehl]

In cleaning up my car today I removed all my switches to clean underneath them where gunk had accumulated. In removing the top of the defrost switch, the little brass pin popped out and even after replacing it the switch is now loose and no longer works. Does anyone have reference photos or could tell me how this goes back together?

Photo of how it looks after I tried to put it back together:


Video to show how loose this is now:

[mluder]

Good luck.

I had the same thing happen to me and I "played" with it for almost an hour. Never got it back to working although I managed to get it reassembled. However, it would work for one or two clicks and fall apart again.

Just replace it. There are reproductions available although I found that I had to modify the plastic that goes into the hole in the console. It was too wide due to the raised logo on the side. Took a file to it and then it fit fine. Of course the color doesn't match the original window swithces as it's new.

There is also some NOS switches on eBay right now for $20. http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=del....c0.m270.l1313

Save yourself the headache and just order one. In the future, and you may have done this so I apologize if it's so, just remove the entire switch to clean around them insdead of just the switch cover.

Cheers.
Steve
#4456

[DavidProehl]

Save yourself the headache and just order one.

Dang it. I was afraid it would be more work that it was worth. Well, thanks for the tip and the ebay link.

[DavidProehl]

Steve, just to follow up - I bought one of those used switches off eBay. The face of the switch was rather sun damaged, but I was able to swap it with the one from my broken switch and now it works and looks great again. Thanks for the tip on the auction!

[mluder]

Glad to help. I also picked one up. I had purchased a new one from DMCNW awhile back but as I mentioned it stood out like a sore thumb being new. Unfortunately the one I just got from eBay was shipped with blue painters tape over the face and when I removed it, it took off part of the defrost marking.

I thought about swapping the face for my old one but I'm afraid the new ones internals will fall apart and then I'll be right back where I was.

Mmmmm...

Steve

[Ryan King]

Dang it. I was afraid it would be more work that it was worth. Well, thanks for the tip and the ebay link.

Don't buy one. I have a How-To on putting it back together. I have to dig it out of my DeLorean binder...I might be able to find it on the internet. Give me a few to find it.

Can't find it on the internet...soooooo...I'll have to dig it out of the garage. You better love me for this.

FOUND IT.
Luckily I had it printed out, so it had the web address on it. Enjoy
http://www.delorean.fr/forum/viewtopic.php?p=68486

[Jeremy Popp]

Another view of re-assembly:

[DavidProehl]

Thanks! Looks like I replaced it two days too soon. Well, at least now I know if it ever happens again.

[David T]

A lot of trouble to go through for all of the MANY times you will actually use it! Most of the time you will notice you accidentally turned it on only because you bumped it with your elbow. One way to prevent this is to flip it over.
David Teitelbaum

[Ryan S.]

Thanks for the postings and links. It was a little complicated in the beginning but I figured it out. I think the key was to get the brass pin into the plastic switch cover. Then it started clicking. So before you take it all a part, see if you can move the brass pin to off position and put the switch cover on. In my case, switch itself was fine. Somehow the previous owner may have pulled out the switch cover and didn't put it back on correctly. Could have been a simple 30 second job turned into a 30 min trial and errors.