Emergency flasher repair photos

[AriK]

@spider2081: THANKS!! I can't believe anybody can possibly know that spec.
@TX82FIAT: i would keep that one as a spare. I find it's an unreliable unit which probably won't outlast this car. High chance it will come handy sometime.

[wop]

Great fix!!!
Just did this yesterday...no problems even with 10 thumbs.
This forum is awesome!

[UpLateAgain]

Played hell getting the switch apart. After trying to pry the catches in for an hour without success, I gave up and drilled them out using a 1/8 inch bit. You have to be very careful to not push through and damage the copper tabs underneath them. Once drilled, it was fairly easy to pry the switch apart with my pocket knife. I then bent the pin back toward the center of the switch with needle-nosed pliers and reassembled the switch...... making sure the flat outsides of the outer casings aligned (necessary since the switch can now be reassembled incorrectly with the catches drilled-out if you don't take the precaution to check). Then I held the the two halves together with a couple of drops of model airplane glue and welding the halves together with a heated screwdriver in three places around the circumference.

The switch works perfectly. The downside is.... you can probably only make this repair once. But if your switch is like mine was, drilling the catches was the only way I was getting it apart without breaking it.

[TX82FIAT]

Unreal, the FIAT Gods are laughing at me. In 2009 I purchased a new hazard switch and repaired the old one to have a spare. I sold the repaired one for $59. My son drove the car this weekend and the hazard light (new 11 years ago) stayed on... No problem, I've fixed these before. I take the switch apart and re-align the pin. No good. The newer switch has a slightly different guide arm/pin set up and no matter how I position it, it will not catch for the off position. So, I ordered a new hazard switch now for $99. I think I will look into modifying the switch I just took out. Perhaps a toggle that will never break again.

[Anbele]

Great post on this one! My switch just went caput this afternoon and I was just able to bring it back to life…just make sure you have two small flat screwdrivers handy: one for wedging it once you’ve lifted the tabs with the other one…use a hairdryer to warm up the plastic so it’s more maleable…once you’ve freed 2-3 tabs it’ll become much easier to separate the halves. Worth the try to save a hundred bucks!

[donm]

I'm bumping up this post because I just made this repair and I think the reason these switches fail so often is because in time the silver arm bends out of position due to a too-strong spring. So I cut off three coils before I put it all back together. Works great now and should last longer, in theory, anyway.

[Nicketts]

Great and useful post from 2012! The pics help. Just did mine (82). It was a bear to remove and get back in, but a hot day so no broken plastic. Hope it lasts. Oh, when flashers came on I was traveling. In the garage, it drained my battery. Took a couple hours of careful fiddling. Thanks all!

[Rweiss6]

thanks to all who have contributed to this invaluable forum.
My '81 Spider flasher switch popped up and wont stay off, I used couple toothpicks to keep it off.
I don't see the screws on either side of upper console to remove it, in order to reach the switch.
Is there some other way it is attached ? Mine seems attached to lower console,

[Anbele]

You’ll have to remove the lower console part to get to it…you’ll find that is attach by two screws on each side…with these out of the way and some wiggling—especially under the dash section, you should be able to remove it. Now, I don’t have a radio on mine so “your application may vary”. Good luck!

[Anbele]

One more thing, you might want to find “Eldest Builds” on YouTube. He did a complete restoration of a ‘79 couple of years ago and his videos were instrumental when I restored mine.

[spider2081]

Mine seems attached to lower console,

the consoles that are vinyl are 2 piece held together by 2 screws on each side of the car. If the center console is upholstered then they are one piece and have to be removed as a unit. Its a fairly difficult job to get the one piece units out of the car to access the Hazard switch nut. Sometimes turning the red lens in the light a sweet spot can be found wher it will stay in the turn signal position.

[nick2110]

Late to the game but attempted this fix on my fiat tonight, was too aggressive with the little arm and broke it right off
My solution was to put a rubber washer (3/8 ID, 2' OD, 1/16 thick) inside to keep it from extending to the flasher setting but to keep the turn signals working. The washer stretched around the red portion which lights up.