924Board.org

[turbobob9242]

The horn does not work. Ground button to steering wheel broke.

The high beam switch does not work.

The turn signals don't work consistantly.

I have determined that the whole ignition switch with all the integrated stuff needs to be replaced! Easier to replace the whole thing than mess with just the headligh lever or windshield wider lever. I found a VW rabbit piece but it is slightly different. the 924 turbo unit has 4 skinny bolts that hold the subassembly to the switch housing. THe rabbit piece has 3 bolts. The wiring seems a little different too.

Does anybody have any experience with these damn things??
Getting replacemnt parts is nearly impossible and super expensive!
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Bob Ward
80 9214 turbo, w 5.3 LS V8

[garthfan]

eBay!!!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7910595797&category=50459

I believe the unit is the same for the 924/931...Someone correct me if I'm wrong, please.

There are others there besides this one, too.
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1987 924S - Was a daily driver...now it's GONE! *sniff*
1986 944 N/A Guards Red
1996 VW Jetta Grocery-Getter
1995 Saab 900S Winter-Driving-Feeling-of-Security-Vehicle

[Smoothie]

Actually, Porsche changed from the 4 screw switch assembly to a 3 screw switch assembly sometime between the time your '80 931 was made and when my '82 931 was made. 924, 931, 924S from '81-'88 and early 944s got the same 3 screw assembly. Since the one in the eBay link says it's good for early 944s, it's probably safe to assume that it's a 3 screw assembly for sale there. To use the 3 screw assembly, you'd at least have to change the cast metal steering wheel lock/ignition switch holder piece. Sorry, I don't know if the connectors are different too or what else might need changing.

Grounding problems commonly cause the horn and wipers to malfunction while the switches are really ok. If there's a metal plate there at the top of the switch assembly where the screws go through (as there is on the 3 screw assembly), you probably have some oxidation built up between the screw heads and that plate. Remove a screw at a time, scrape the small area of the plate where the screw contacts it with something like a small sharp screwdriver, replace each screw and work your way around. In addition to this, some people put a small star washer (toothed washer) on each screw to give them some bite and improve the ground. I did this fix to my own car to fix a windshield wiper problem. The same fix could fix your turn signals as well. I also had a horn problem which was fixed once I restored the ground between the steering shaft and the rest of the car. The by-the-book way of doing this is to replace the upper steering shaft bearing, but I just added a wire from the bottom of the steering shaft to a chassis ground.

I happen to have yet another electrical problem with the wipers, but again not with the switch itself - the connector on the back of the fuse/relay panel that powers the wipers is finicky and sometimes needs a wiggling to get the wipers moving.

Here's my low-cost steering shaft ground fix -
I have a better picture somewhere, but this will have to do for now.. Where you see the hose clamp near the bottom of the steering shaft, I scratched some paint off the shaft at that point, stripped the end of the blue wire and have the hose clamp holding the stripped wire to the bare spot on the shaft. The white wire-tie an inch further down is holding the wire so back-and-forth motion doesn't break the stripped end of the wire off, then the blue wire is just wrapped several times and loosely around the shaft so there's plently of slack in it for turning the steering. The other end of the blue wire just goes up and attaches to a good ground point under the dashboard. Link to pic -
http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/smoothies931pics/detail?.dir=/a174&.dnm=bb02.jpg
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"..it's made in Germany. You know the Germans always make good stuff."


'82 924T, US version, dark green metallic, 5 speed Audi 016G gearbox

[gohim]

Early and late Series I 924 and 931 cars use different turnsignal and wiper switches.

Up through the 1980 model year, the switches levers should be more flat shaped paddles, while the 81 and later cars have box section switch levers.

Since you have an 80, you should need the earlier type flat shaped switch levers.

All of the 924 and 931 (both early and late) are standard VW parts, and you should be able to remove yours, and find something that will work in a VW Parts store, or the VW section of your local self serve salvage yard (if it does not have a 924 or two with the right parts available).

[D Hook]

Bob: I've got a brown colored box type you can have for the cost of shipping. I bought it for my '80 n/a and needed the flat paddle type, which I found a new one later on ebay. So this box one is only going to gather dust. It's used and I don't know the condition. I'll pull it out and email a pic, if you need it.

Lemme know.

[Lizard]

I have a 4 screw design that is in good condition, pm me but it wouldnt be till next week till I could ship it as I am moving this weekend
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3 928s,

[turbobob9242]

Thanks everyone for the information!

Misery loves company.

Lizard and Dhook you have email!
_________________
Bob Ward
80 9214 turbo, w 5.3 LS V8

[Lizard]

[leadfoot]

What's the steering wheel ground point supposed to look like, I have an L shaped piece of metal grinding into the outer casing, surely these cars should have some kind of bushing arrangement?? can someone post a picture please...
Leadfoot