Ribbon to light switch.
Ribbon to light switch.
Author
Discussion

RUSSELLM

Original Poster:

6,002 posts

276 months

Thursday 3rd November 2005
quotequote all
Apparently the ribbon that connects to my light switch is knackered, resulting in my lights flickering on & off as I drive or, if I've got the headlights on, they flicker between headlights & side lights.

I can have a fumble about under the steering column & they start working again, until I hit another bump.

Is it a dealer part or is there anywhere else I can purchase it (6 months quicker )

spartacus

2,878 posts

299 months

Thursday 3rd November 2005
quotequote all
RUSSELLM said:
Apparently the ribbon that connects to my light switch is knackered, resulting in my lights flickering on & off as I drive or, if I've got the headlights on, they flicker between headlights & side lights.

I can have a fumble about under the steering column & they start working again, until I hit another bump.

Is it a dealer part or is there anywhere else I can purchase it (6 months quicker )


Have you tried Maplins or RS Components?

www.maplin.co.uk/Home.aspx?AID=10297371&PID=409138&SID=Gmaplin

http://rswww.com/cgi-bin/bv/rswww/searchAct

trackcar

6,453 posts

255 months

Thursday 3rd November 2005
quotequote all
have you tried just using sticky tape to hold it in the position needed for it to work? that's quicker and cheaper

Julian64

14,325 posts

283 months

Thursday 3rd November 2005
quotequote all
Nope maplins and RS don't have it, or at least didn't when I tried. The clips on the end are the difficult thing.

However when you take the cable out there is a word on the side of the cable which is the company. I called them and the charge for the cable was £22.

The cable almost always goes in the same place which is the place at the steeringwheel entry where it curves round a 90 deg bend. Its then fed like toilet paper about ten times round the steering column.

On the basis that I didn't think even my wackiest handbrake turn was gonna need ten revolutions of the steering wheel I chopped the cable an inch shorter, carefully undid the press fit connector and fed the new cable in again. Job done for nuppence.

I guarantee your cable will have gone in the same place.

simonsparrow

1,599 posts

291 months

Thursday 3rd November 2005
quotequote all
Nice one!

Stealth69

85 posts

282 months

Wednesday 9th November 2005
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Can I ask a question..... does your horn work ? ? or the wipers ?

my buttons have stopped working.... well all but the Horn button LOL useful eh ?

RUSSELLM

Original Poster:

6,002 posts

276 months

Thursday 10th November 2005
quotequote all
Yes. Horn & wipers are fine

You can put your hand under the column & feel the ribbon coming off the light switch, I've got it in a position where it works now, but I'm having a new ribbon fitted on Tuesday.

My horn stopped working once & I found it to be bad solder on the back of the horn button.

Those four buttons are mounted on two pads, that can be removed via a screw behind the pads. Each button has two wires to it, with absolutely no slack on them at all. It's very easy for them to get pulled off the buttons. There's no room behind to get a connector block on them, so I've extended mine using solder & some heat shrink.

edited to add, It's unlikely that you've pulled wires out to more than one button, It's more likely to be the ribbon.

>> Edited by RUSSELLM on Thursday 10th November 10:38

spartacus

2,878 posts

299 months

Thursday 10th November 2005
quotequote all
RUSSELLM said:
Yes. Horn & wipers are fine

You can put your hand under the column & feel the ribbon coming off the light switch, I've got it in a position where it works now, but I'm having a new ribbon fitted on Tuesday.

My horn stopped working once & I found it to be bad solder on the back of the horn button.

Those four buttons are mounted on two pads, that can be removed via a screw behind the pads. Each button has two wires to it, with absolutely no slack on them at all. It's very easy for them to get pulled off the buttons. There's no room behind to get a connector block on them, so I've extended mine using solder & some heat shrink.

edited to add, It's unlikely that you've pulled wires out to more than one button, It's more likely to be the ribbon.

>> Edited by RUSSELLM on Thursday 10th November 10:38


BTW, has anyone ever managed to source any new steering wheel buttons?

My horn button is currently showing signs of bad/intermittent contacts. Have scoured the internet, RS Components, Maplins etc but unable to find anything even close to it!

There was some talk of trying to find some back lit ones, they would be cool, but doubt anyone has had any luck.

RUSSELLM

Original Poster:

6,002 posts

276 months

Thursday 10th November 2005
quotequote all
Have you ever removed those pads that hold the buttons in ?

They look like some old pieces of cork that were knocking about in the factory, somebody's cut them to shape with a stanley knife & glued some leather on to them. Class....

Stealth69

85 posts

282 months

Thursday 10th November 2005
quotequote all
There has been alot of talk about getting backlit buttons, but you are right, I don't think anyone has managed to get/make them yet.

Does anyone know what the pins on the end of the Ribbon Cable are called ? ? ? I have ordered a new cable at the cost of £30 bloody quid because maplins just looked at tme blankly when I went in and asked for a new one, he seemed to be more interested in his Gameboy!!!

I want to get some new connectors and try and re-crimp the old one after chopping the broken section off.

Ta muchly