ETN

Hi all, new member here. I came up with a new, simple solution to fix the common issue of the loose turn signal/cruise switches in our W203 cars, and the best part about it is it requires NO disassembly of the column or wheel to do!
I made a video of it, and posted it up on YouTube. Hopefully this will help someone else as well:

https://youtu.be/WRnJxdZ_aU0

AoxoMoxoA

Well done; Thanks!

slammer111

Pretty novel way to fix that problem, though you should've used a metric fastener.

Any interference issues with the steering wheel adjustment latch?

ETN

doesnt seem to be. I tried to locate it as far down the sleeve as possible to make sure I didn't hit anything

AoxoMoxoA

I'll have to implement this procedure on my son's w203, as his column is one of the affected ones.

To clarify; After you finished, your steering wheel has full range of motion, left & right, up & down, in & out?

ETN

Yup. I can take a video and post up.

jpman

Excellent solution, I agree on metric.

ETN

I confirmed column movement. No issues with factory adjustability.


i didn't use metric because the taps and bolts are 3x as expensive. Why pay more? It doesn't matter what the threads are.

AoxoMoxoA

Thanks for reporting back, and for providing this fix.

Horn still beeps?

I agree; If your using a phillips screw, what does it matter - SAE or Metric?

A couple questions:

Did you find, since the collar material does not have significant depth, that the tap fully threaded the drilled hole?

Also: In hindsight, would you have used a different length screw, or was the 1/2" long screw just about right?

I'd probably consider a little blue loctite as well...

ETN

The new tap I used cut completely through my column. The worn one I used on my parts car didn't have clean teeth left on the end so it didn't. I wouldn't go any longer than half an inch on the screw. That seems to thread in fine without hitting anything that's supposed to move.

AoxoMoxoA

Does the screw 'bottom out,' as would a set screw, or does it just serve as a mechanical link between the collar, 'pinning' it to whatever piece lies just beneath?

ETN

It doesn't really matter either way. The primary purpose is to "pin" the collar, as you described. The one on my parts car bottomed out before it went through because the tap I had was missing clean teeth at the end. the one in my daily driver with the new tap cutting clean threads through and it bottomed out against the head of the screw, so it seems it went all the way through.

kanbisk

Nice work and detailed video 👍

slammer111

This is more for consistency, as everything else in the car is metric.

You must be in USA. Come visit Canada, where the price for metric fasteners at the local Home Depot is pretty much identical to SAE. Our beer is better too.