Hazard Switch Removal

**ldarmoore** · 01-19-2009, 04:08 PM

My turn signals and hazard switch are no longer working. I assume that the relay for signals is in side the switch. Does anyone no how to remove the switch from the dash?

**sisith** · 01-19-2009, 04:20 PM

There is an access panel on the top of the dash, open that panel then you can push out the switch from inside the dash

**gabmwdrvr** · 01-19-2009, 04:55 PM

The access panel looks like a speaker cover on top of the dash above the hazard switch.

**ldarmoore** · 01-21-2009, 02:57 PM

My turn signals are not working, nor does the hazard lights. I can push the hazard switch in and it lights up but the signal lights do not flash. Is this a relay issue or is a hazard switch issue?

**kayoticwolf** · 01-21-2009, 04:21 PM

When I had a problem with the switch it was because it would not capture or it did make the proper contacts. My thinking would be that it is the switch... but are there any other lights that are not working?

**svanhatt** · 01-21-2009, 11:46 PM

I had the opposite problem. When the hazard lights were off, the radio and clock were on (still not quite sure why). Just make sure that all of the metal prongs, for lack of a better term, are the correct shape and are not contacting in the wrong places, and are contacting in the right places. In short, I deffinately agree with kayoticwolf; check the switch first.

**nowloadingrage** · 01-22-2009, 10:30 PM

Usually the hazard switch will have the button go bad. Won't stay in. Yet will still function. Sounds like the relay. The relay is attached to the steering column under the bottom cover.

**zbmwguy** · 01-23-2009, 01:10 AM

Search for "hazard switch".

There is a really cool post that has pictures for removing it and/or bypassing it.

**todor** · 01-23-2009, 01:25 AM

The switch has many terminals on the back. Make sure none of them are bent, etc. I had the usual problem of the switch popping out on its own, and after I "repaired" it, I put it back in and had weird problems similar to what you're describing. It turned out I had bent one of the terminals in the back during the reassembly and it was either short-circuiting something or not providing ground or something like that... so check those out, I bet your problem is right there.

**svanhatt** · 01-23-2009, 01:47 AM

Why are the hazard light switches in these cars such a pain in the neck. lol You can have a perfectly working beautifull E21, but still have a paper clip crammed in the haz. switch! It's just so stupid!

**Jester323** · 01-23-2009, 10:15 AM

Absolutely no reason to be driving around with a paperclip or a Bic pen cap or anything else stuck in there...

http://www.bmwe21.net/hazard.htm

here are a few pics to go along with this... I've been meaning to recreate this ever since Fred's site went out of commission... Sorry for the crappy pics, my goo camera just died...

Pop the center grill in the dash out, a smaller flat head screw driver seems to help, then push the hazard switch out from the back side.

Use a pocket knife and a srew driver to gently seperate the two halves.

seperate slowly & the inner spring will stay near by.

You can see here where the pin on the little metal arm slides in the groove on the opposite half.

This is the pin/arm closer up:

Use a pair of needle nose pliars and bend the arm in a tiny bit so that the pin/arm stay engaged with the corresponding groove.

Then reassemble the pieces and test. No more Bic pen caps stuck in there to keep it turned off...

**ldarmoore** · 02-01-2009, 04:54 PM

OK, I have tried a new hazard switch and it still does not work. When I push the hazard switch, it turns red but it does not flash. Is this normal or an indication of something else? What does the relay look like under the steering column? I found one the left side of the steering column that is metallic-silver in color. The number on this relay is 1/352/726. Is this the correct one? If so, where can I purchase one?

Originally Posted by nowloadingrage

Usually the hazard switch will have the button go bad. Won't stay in. Yet will still function. Sounds like the relay. The relay is attached to the steering column under the bottom cover.

**mystree** · 04-15-2009, 05:42 PM

hello- i own a 1984 318i bmw, and am hunting down an electrical leak. currently looking to get behind the hazard switch to check the wires--i have already pulled the switch out from the plug, but i need to get to the plug to check wires and it is still behind the console. can anyone help in figuring out how to get behind it? i have a chilton manuel and i am unable to find how to remove the console above the gear shift--the mid-console. they show the "center console", but again this is the one around the shifter.
i will try to remove the instrument panel behind the steering wheel and then try to reach the wiring from there. any help would be greatly appreciated!
thanks

**Jester323** · 04-15-2009, 05:52 PM

most commonly, things like electrical drains are due to stereo installs, alarms, power anteneas, gauges, foglights, etc. I doubt that you are going to find the drain by checking wiring behind the gauge cluster or hazard switch.

Try using a volt meter to ground and each fuse in the fuse box to see if you can isolate which circuit is causing the draw when the key is not in the ignition.

Are you sure that you have a drain and it's not a battery that will not hold a charge or an alternator that is not charging?

**undastan** · 04-15-2009, 05:55 PM

What leads you to belive you have an electrical leak? Is this for and E21?

**mystree** · 04-15-2009, 05:59 PM

jester-
thanks-let's see--i checked the fuses by process of elimination to find the turn signal fuse has the leak. when i pull it--the battery doesn't drain. the car has a monkey hook up in the wiring off of the fuse there as well, as one of the metal connectors inside the fuse-- #4-i think--is missing. this is highly suspicious too. however, just following the electrical schematics of the wiring leads me to suspect something in the hazard switch. i've replaced the flasher relay, which needed to be done, and unfortunately the turn signal switch, which did not need to be done.
the visible problem--besides the drain-- is that the left blinker flashes twice as fast as the right--which tells me there is some overheating going on somewhere? maybe something isn't grounded? does any of this help?

**Jester323** · 04-15-2009, 07:31 PM

Possibly, I'm assuming that you don't have turn signal bulbs out, you have the correct wattage bulbs in use... if not, look into that. then maybe a new hazard switch. But I'm still not sure what you mean about the monkey hook up on the fuse... but that sounds pretty suspect. got a pic?

**petrvan** · 04-16-2009, 10:12 AM

Originally Posted by Jester323

Absolutely no reason to be driving around with a paperclip or a Bic pen cap or anything else stuck in there...

http://www.bmwe21.net/hazard.htm

here are a few pics to go along with this... I've been meaning to recreate this ever since Fred's site went out of commission...

I copied all the pics, pdfs and pages I could before the lights went out completely on the site.

I dunno what you might be missing that I may have grabbed, if anything, but I'd happily donate any/all of what I have.

**Jester323** · 04-16-2009, 10:20 AM

post everything that you snagged from the Library! I know Fred's pics on this topic alone were much clearer than mine.

**mystree** · 04-17-2009, 03:34 PM

jester 323
thanks for the response. and you assumed correctly, no it's not the bulbs. the monkey hook up is hard to explain. there are two wires--one red and one green-- hooked up to fuse #4 and fuse #24 respectively (not sure if the colors correspond as i have written without looking at the fuse box--sorry--i don't have pics. i took off the wire hooked up to fuse #4--turn signal fuse--and everything works the same as if the wire was there. so, i'm not sure who added that wire or what it is there for or where it connects, nor the wire connected to fuse #24.
ignoring those wires, i finally figured out how to get to the hazard switch--i was able to pull the hazard switch out from the little compartment--but could not get to the plug after pulling the switch off--it was still inside, that was a drag. then eventually (after disassembling the center console to no avail) decided to try pulling out the tape deck-radio. that was difficult--and risky as i just had to yank it out! i could reach the hazard plug from there. currently am testing the plug with a multi-meter. however, i'm new to the volt meter thing so.........i hope i read it correctly. anyway, i hope to replace the hazard switch which also operates the flashers as well as the hazard lights. i'll let you know what happens. if it's not this--i'll be at ground zero, again. perseverance is key, eh? and--lots of $. also--it was not that easy getting a hazard switch for this car--parts geek did not show one on the site, and "my price" was more than the "retail price". not fun to see that.

**GDAus** · 04-17-2009, 10:39 PM

Originally Posted by undastan

What leads you to belive you have an electrical leak? Is this for and E21?

I must admit I am a bit curious too ... you say this is for a 1984 318i in your original post, so I thought you were talking about an e30 model ? ...

.... and now your saying you have extra wiring connected to fuse # 24 ???? umm ... e21's only have 18 fuses in their fuse box ! .... and fuse # 4 is not the turn signal fuse in an e21 as well

.... and as this part of the forum is for e21's ...... you may be in the wrong place ?

**M202002** · 04-18-2009, 12:26 AM

js delete it, thats what i did. Fuck the hazards

**mystree** · 04-22-2009, 10:47 AM

undastan-
the "monkey" hook up has an added clip onto fuse #4 and #24--with a wire coming off each respectively-- and into who knows where in the car. maybe it goes to the car phone that is passe at this juncture of technology--i don't know.
bad, sad news is...the hazard switch did not make one little difference--left blinker problem still exists. so....i get to go all the way back to start--which i did. and...well......i swapped--note--did not replace--just swapped out the blinker bulbs in the front, the left for the right and vice versa. VOILA, the blinkers are blinking just fine. the left is no longer going twice as fast. i'm going to leave the #4 fuse in (i've been disconnecting so i don't have to jump the car each time to work on it) and see if the battery drains. i'm hoping this was my electrical leak as well. at least it was my blinker problem. and yeah--sorry about being in the wrong beemer forum--thank you for pointing that out. at any rate, i thought i'd let you know what sup.

**g323** · 04-22-2009, 02:42 PM

How to jump the hazard switch(cross wire)

http://www.bmwe21.net/forum/viewtopi...913dfb0bb6969f

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...php?p=13603510

http://www.bmwe21.net/forum/viewtopi...55016e98fbe724

http://www.bmwe21.net/hazard.htm

**milotrain** · 04-22-2009, 03:33 PM

Does anyone have a wireing diagram for this switch? I was going to make one last night with my broke ass switch but I think i'm getting odd results.

I'd like to make a switch that doesn't have problems.

EDIT: Just found it Here

You might be able to replace the HAZ with this
http://www.opamp-electronics.com/cat...ch-p-1153.html

then you could even graft the old button housing onto it so it'd look factory, but not break.

Milo