The mood in Scotland has just “switched”

theclarks

theclarks

Member
Hey super knowledgable people.

Looks like my car was partying in the driveway last night post football - 2nd problem of the year where it seems to have broken all by itself whilst stationary and nobody near it. I’m guessing that shutting the drivers door was enough to make the otherwise non-faulty fuel filler switch fall out, and that it wasn’t ghosties ?

Found these bits waiting for me in the car this morning. Can’t quite work out if they can possibly go back together or if you just have to source an entirely new switch? If so how easy are they to replace? I know it’s common enough but mine gets so little use I’d have never expected this. Thanks ?
 

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theclarks said:
Hey super knowledgable people.

Looks like my car was partying in the driveway last night post football - 2nd problem of the year where it seems to have broken all by itself whilst stationary and nobody near it. I’m guessing that shutting the drivers door was enough to make the otherwise non-faulty fuel filler switch fall out, and that it wasn’t ghosties ?

Found these bits waiting for me in the car this morning. Can’t quite work out if they can possibly go back together or if you just have to source an entirely new switch? If so how easy are they to replace? I know it’s common enough but mine gets so little use I’d have never expected this. Thanks ?
Click to expand...
Morning. Yes, you can put it back together. I did it on my dolphin one about 18 months ago and it’s still fine ?
 
Erlingtheyounger said:
Morning. Yes, you can put it back together. I did it on my dolphin one about 18 months ago and it’s still fine ?
Click to expand...
Thanks. Found a picture and tried to reassemble but plastic tabs on press switch seem to have sheared / bent so it rattles about and will just fall out again as soon as I drive anywhere. Have employed some inelegant sellotape meantime to hold it in, and it still works, but not a long term solution I’m happy with.
 
I have one of these on my desk at the moment for a similar reason.

The button part is held in place by 2 small plastic tabs which locate in holes in the outer housing. (NOTE: the holes are conveniently located under the metal spring clips which hold the whole switch assembly into the B-post trim so you need to pull the metal clips to release the button).

My guess is that like mine, your small 20 year old plastic tabs have snapped off the button and so the spring simply fires the button out.

I have looked at 3D printing a repair piece but these is not enough room since the button slides between the inner and outer shells when it is pressed. I have therefore been experimenting with clear plastic and aluminium repair pieces which can be glued on the inside of the button. The flat repair piece looks like this before being bent to shape (the hole is required in the aluminium version for button illumination) : -

Button Repair.PNG

Below on the left you can see on the left is the button with both tabs snapped off and replaced by the above repair piece made from this plastic (food container or thicker drinks bottle) and on the right is an aluminium version (soda can) which I am starting to bend to shape, but without the hole for illumination.

Button Repair Pieces.PNG

Both work but both are quite fragile after bending so I plan to add epoxy inside the bend tabs to strengthen them however both really need to be a tad thicker so I need to find a good source of strong but thin plastic/steel/aluminium) sheet. A friend might be able to laser cut the plastic for me but steel & aluminium are going to have to be made by hand I fear.

Hope that helps
Simon
 
theclarks said:
Thanks. Found a picture and tried to reassemble but plastic tabs on press switch seem to have sheared / bent so it rattles about and will just fall out again as soon as I drive anywhere. Have employed some inelegant sellotape meantime to hold it in, and it still works, but not a long term solution I’m happy with.
Click to expand...
Try fitting without the spring. It’ll still work
 
Carefully build up the area where the little lugs have broken off using super glue and baking soda. Do this very slowly and only tiny amounts at a time. You only need just enough so that it catches again. This will set like concrete so just go for the minimum amount. Best to practice on something else to gauge how much to use and how to gradually apply it. Do not get any where it is not needed, tape up but be careful of the front face as masking and superglue could both damage it.

If you prefer the metal route I have come across one in the past that someone had bent a staple and cut it down before superglueing it on.
 
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theclarks said:
switch? If so how easy are they to replace?
Click to expand...
dead easy - you need a flat-bladed screwdriver. This is used to lever beneath the edge of the switch and the doorframe moulding to draw the switch out. The switch is held in place by a leaf-spring - you compress this slightly as the switch is pulled out of the moulding and it releases. Then there is a connector to the wiring loom which you release with the same screwdriver. Replacing is the opposite of removal.

this exact disintegration happened on two of mine, and the third one feels like it needs to be replaced as it is no longer a clean click to release the fuel flap (I have a replacement in the parts box).
 
I assume protocol is that the OP should have first dibs on that but I will buy it if he doesn't.

Cheers
Simon
 
Thanks for all this brilliant ideas. Sorry for the delay in responding - I got distracted with family visitors and didn’t get back to all the messages until now. Looking at all the options / ideas I’ll definitely take that one on offer, so that once I’ve broken it properly I can get it done right! Thanks everyone.
 
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