Turn Signal Switch Replacement, Beetle 62-67, Karmann Ghia 62-67Turn Signal Switch Replacement, Beetle 62-67, Karmann Ghia 62-67
By Jim Thompson
Question from Customer: What’s involved in replacing my Turn Signal Switch on my early 60s Bug? Does the Steering Wheel have to come off?
Answer: This requires the removal of the Steering Wheel to replace the Turn Signal Switch.
Disconnect the Battery Ground Strap. Always do this when servicing or making repairs to electrical items on your vehicle.
Remove the Horn Button and disconnect the Brown Horn grounding wire from the Horn Ring..
Using a 27mm socket, remove the nut and washer holding your Steering Wheel on the Steering Shaft. Take a bottle of White-out and dab a spot on the shaft and an aligning spot on the wheel. This makes sure that your wheel will be straight when going down the road afterwards.
Inside the Front Luggage Compartment, remove the Wiring Protective Cover. Note the harness coming through the bottom of the dash. Note the individual colors of the wires in the harness and where they go. In the old days, it was wise to "tag" each wire on each side of their slip-on connection points so that the wires could be easily and properly re-connected. Take particular note of the wire that connected to the Flasher Relay. This is a Black with Green and White striped wire. If you can’t "tag" the wires, draw a diagram noting the wires, their colors and where they connect. Disconnect each wire.
Note for 66-67 models: There is a Brown and Brown with White striped wire on the harness. This operates your Headlight Dimmer Relay. The Brown with White striped wire connects to Terminal "S" on the relay. The Brown wire connects to chassis ground.
After disconnecting the wires, push the harness through the grommetized hole in the bottom of the dash.
Loosen the switch securing screw and pull the switch assembly off the Steering Column Tube.
Place the new switch assembly on the Steering Column Tube against the column stop in the same location as your old assembly with the stalk lever facing left and tighten the retaining screw. Make sure the switch is in the OFF position.
Feed the cable harness through the grommetized hole in the bottom of the dash into the Front Luggage Compartment.
Carefully re-connect each wire, double checking that the color coded wires are connected properly. Below is a chart of what each wire does:
Black w/Green & White stripe - Connects to Terminal "49a" on Flasher Relay.
Black w/Green stripe - Connects to the Right side Turn Signals
Black w/White Stripe - Connects to the Left side Turn Signals
Brown w/White Stripe - Connects to Terminal "S" on the Headlight Dimmer Relay.
Brown Wire - Connects to Chassis Ground.
Triple check each and every connection before re-installing the Wire Protective Cover.
Reinstall the Steering Wheel, aligning the white spots you made earlier, making sure the Canceling Ring does not damage the "cancel cams" in the switch assembly - again be sure the switch is in the OFF position to prevent damage.
Reinstall the 27mm hex nut and spring washer and torque the nut 35 to 42 pounds.
Reconnect the Horn ground wire.
With the Steering Wheel installed and the switch properly secured, adjust the clearance between the switch and the wheel hub by moving the Steering Column up or down. The clearance should be approximately a 2mm gap between the wheel hub and the switch.
Check that the switch mechanically works and cancels properly by moving the Steering Wheel back and forth with the switch in the Left Turn or Right Turn position.
Making sure all electrical connections are correct, re-connect the Battery Ground Strap.
Check the electrical operation of the Turn Signals and on 66-67 models, the Headlight Dimmer function by momentarily pressing the button at the end of the stalk lever with the Headlights ON.
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