Indicator Problem

[Hembrowr]

Can anyone help me,
I have a VW Polo 1.3 CL J Reg (1991), full service history and its currently done 126K and counting and still going strong (touch wood!) and its my pride and joy. However a slight annoying problem has occurred as when wanting to indicate left. The indicator does not come on unless I push down hard on the indicator stalk. When not pushing hard down on the stalk it sounds like it an electrical problem as it makes an arching noise as if something is not connecting. I’ve had the underside of the steering wheel off and the indicator mechanism looks very complicated an expensive! Any advice as I fear this is might not be cost effective to fix considering the car is only worth 300quid. Please help as it’s a nightmare to parallel park without an assistant to hold the switch down!
Many thanks in advance

[nick182]

try and spray sum WD40 down into the stalk might just work

[onzarob]

try and spray sum WD40 down into the stalk might just work

DON'T spray wd40 on it. get some switch cleaner from halfords only about £4 a tin, it will etch the contacts clean, WD40 will work but make a mess. and enventully make the problem worst.

[Hembrowr]

Thanks chaps will pop into Halfords tomorrow on my lunch break and tell if it solves the problem. Many Thanks for your advice!

[Hembrowr]

Tried the switch cleaner fluid and still paying up however the crackling noise has stopped. I have read some of the other threads and might be a relay, any sugestions?

[Flash2]

No, if the relay was at fault it would show up on the right hand side and the hazard lights too. Sounds more like a faulty switch to me.

Regards - Jim.

[kbjin]

Hi I am having similar problem on my MK3 Golf two, I though the problem was cause by the indicating mechanism under the steering wheel, but by accident,i found the problem was caused by something else. Don't know if this happend to you as well.

It works perfectly under normal circumstance, except when the foot break was pressed and then signal, the left indicator wouldn't come on until the break was released. I have tried it many time and this happened again and again. So I concluded the problem was related to the foot break. But no idea why. Anybody can think of a reason for it? I am going to try to replace the relay and see.

[Hembrowr]

Just to update readers of the cure to this problem.

It was the indicator switch under the steering wheel. Went to a scrap yard and a replacement cost 25 quid and easy to replace.

Just took off the central horn button then steering wheel (one nut) and indicator mech just pulled out. Inserted replacement and put everything back as was, very easy.

Electrical cleaner spray worked a bit but the if you have the same problem just replace the unit itself.

Hope the info helps