garrett376

Ok guys, reading the heated post on window switches and high prices, I decided to see what all the fuss is about! Thankfully, I happened to have a buggy switch on my C4 coupe...

So read along, and find out an easy way to fix your own window switch in a way that ought to last a heck of a long time...

So, the problem first - you see how I have (had) automatic opening windows because the switch sticks!

garrett376

here's the armamentarium - common tools and either a paper clip, or similar piece of wire (I had some stronger stuff in the "junk drawer" of the tool box I used):

garrett376

Ok, so here is what the innerds look like.

To get there, take a flat head screw driver and you want to pry between the switch base and the rocker to make it "wide" so you can slide up and out the rocker portion of the switch - it needs to be wide enough to permit the little stubs (one of which broke which is why we're doing this exercise) to come out. That will reveal the little white things suspended by springs, and then the two metal contact parts that perform the electrical switching.

garrett376

now for the repair portion...

With a drill matched to your paper clip diameter, drill about 4mm into the switch - no need to go all the way through. If you have two "stubs" broken, I think it would be easiest to NOT drill all the way through, but do this procedure twice - it will be more difficult to line up the new "stubs" when you're drilling one hole all the way through. It is easier to get it in the right spot doing it separately.

So, drill into the rocker, then insert your paper clip, and cut off the excess so about 1.5-2mm is sticking out of the rocker. No glue necessary... this thing has nowhere to go...

garrett376

So that's it! Now for reassembly. You will notice that the rocker and its little contacts are offset - you just need to look into the switch base and you will see that one of the metal contact fulcrums is offset as well - just line it up so the switch rocks properly.

To get it back together, it's back to the flat-head screwdriver - just pry it in between the rocker and the switch base so it gets "wider" and you can slide the switch rocker "stubs" back into place.

garrett376

and final installation - plug it in and press it back into the door! Mission accomplished... and it honestly took 10 minutes in the garage... my wife was timing me!! If you go slower you might not scuff the switch with your screwdriver like I did...

Moral to the story - no need for new switches! Go get'em!

Kahdmus

Garrett, maybe its just to early and I'm missing something, but the problem I've had (with around 5 or 6 different switches) has been that the black plastic columns that support the springs have cracked and bust...every time!!! This is the exact same failure I've read others having! I'm not clear how this will prevent that failure? The pivot stub things fixed here have never, ever broken on my switches. Find a way to reinforce those and we're in business!

Cheers,

garrett376

Hi Howard, intersting note! My friend in plastic repair has always been the syringe of 15-minute epoxy (even though it takes like 5 hours to be strong enough for reassembly!). Based on what those colums look like, and the fact that there is plenty of space "inside" of the switch, putting on a nice glob of the epoxy around each of the columns should support and rehabilitate the switch rocker very well. Epoxy does a great job for things like that - and thank goodness there is space in the switch to permit over-bulking the columns for support.