How much of a stinker is it to replace the ignition switch on the column of a '96 Blazer? I knew I had an electrical drain but was working on other stuff. When I hooked the battery back up to start it and back it into its parking place, I got a larger spark than I should have. Pulled the cable again, cycled the key switch a few times and reconnected it. No spark this time.

I've replaced many switches through the years. Never on an S-10 type vehicle though. I'm not thrilled about having to pull the air bag, I just don't trust them, but I have the tools. In the past I've changed switches that you just dropped a panel and others where you had to do major surgery. Any tips?

 

Piece of cake. Gotta pull the knee bolster and both upper column covers. Be careful of the 4 way switch

 

It eounds like some others I've replaced. I'm actually more concerned with the $$%^^$%^$# air bag. I don't trust those puppies. I remember the first car I ever worked on with an air bag. It was an '88 LeBaron convertible. I was whacking away with a pair of channel lock pliers trying to get what I THOUGHT was the radio amplifier. I finally got it loose from the undercoating and when I turned it over it said "air bag sensor, handle gently". I set it down and unhooked the battery. My head had been right next to the steering wheel. That was many years and cars with air bags ago, but I still don't trust them. Especially when one little snot tried to hide one under a cushion and set it off when I was sitting on it. He hadn't wired it up right and when I left the room, he tried to rewire it. Alas for him, just when he got it rewired, his 4 year old touched the wire to that 9 volt battery. It went off in his hands.

 

When you get the panels off, you'll see the yellow wires and connectors. You'll be near them, but you don't need to disconnect them. If you're concerned about the air bag cramping your style, disconnect the battery.

 

Anytime I'm working on the electrical system, I disconnect the battery from the circuit. I'll even pull the fuse for the air bags. It's not that I wont work on air bags, I just don't trust them.

 

Well, I've found some of the problems with my electrical system. Yes, my switch is worn and sometimes doesn't shut off. However, even when I cycle it, it tends to drain the battery. I pulled the dash apart and I've found 5 heavy wires that were snipped and didn't even have tape over the end. One seems to be a ground but the others look like power supply wvres for an audio system. Nothing like following someone who didn't know what they were doing.

 

Don't ya just hate rookies? They're just like managers and politicians.... they go in there, make a mess, and leave. May have been for a remote start, who knows.

 

Yeah, my job at work is to get things done when management thinks them up. We HAD one guy who was a real winner. I just flat told him several times his plans wouldn't work. He complained to one of the guys up the chain we both answer to. It was explained that I've been with the company nearly 40 years and 30 of those in my department. He had been with the company 6 months. He was then asked who was more valuable to the company. I think he still is at the plant but I never see him.

I suspect the wires are from an audio system or trailer brake system. I'll trace them if I can but I'll at least clean them up and tape off the bare wire ends.

 

Well, I've fixed about 6 electrical drains so far. I found some wires that seem to have been for a cell phone, probably when it was new as you don't use antennas on cars anymore. I also found about 10 feet of coaxial cable that was wrapped into a coil near a controller of some sort. Very bad mojo that. Every time it transmitted, it turned into an electromagnet.

Anyway, the biggest drain was the vanity light on the drivers side sun visor. The plastic cover is broken off so the light stays on. I took a piece of gasket material and used duct tape to hold the button down. Ugly but it worked.

GM really wanted the dash to stay together. I can't remember taking this much stuff off just to access under the dash. I have one problem though.

Where is the screw holding the top of the steering column cover on? The bottom came off okay. My bad back and neck make it hard to twist around to see under there. Everything else is apart to the point I can replace the ignition switch assembly. I just can't get the top off. Well, I could, but I'd like to put it back together again.

 

All of the screws go up from the bottom, and the column tilt lever pulls straight out to remove it. If you've got the bottom half off, seems like the top just pulls off. I feel your back pain