One-hour Workshop

Disassemble, service, repair and revive dodgy electrical switches

How to fix a classic’s switches.

Clean contacts

Degrease contacts with a solvent, such as meths or petrol. Use a soft cloth or a cotton wool bud. Lightly reface burned contacts with fine wetand-dry paper.

Melted?

If plastic parts of the switch have melted, discard it. Distortion prevents sound contact, which will generate more heat and could lead to a meltdown.

Sproing!

Ignition switches can jam if the return spring for the starter contacts breaks. You can simply remove this as a temporary measure, returning the key by hand when the car starts.

Eliminate friction

Lubricate moving parts. Silicone grease or petroleum jelly are ideal.

Bent?

If metal contacts are not touching properly, you can bend them back into alignment. Look for an underlying cause, though. Are they coming loose or has the base distorted?

Use small tools

Switches are often simply clipped together. Pry carefully with a small screwdriver. Drill out rivets and replace with small screws and nuts. BA sizes are ideal.