ignition switch failure?

[ChrisV]

While driving tonight.. I engage turn signal and hear a quick twitching noise then lose electricity to everything. It happened suddenly.

My first thought was a relay acting up (the twitching noise), but only the ignition switch could cause loss of all electrical components given a working battery situation. Right?


Will go through a checklist when I have daytime to spend on it. Any tips or opinions are appreciated.

[jmartini]

The turn signals all go through the blue box up under the hood, as well as the emergency signals. When the units go bad they make some strange clicking noise and I had a bad blue box but it didn't cause any other issues other than the signals didn't work. I'm not sure it could cause the type of electrical failure that you describe unless the unit shorted out. You will probably want to look at your fuses first, then check all your connections.

Others forum members will probably have better insight for you.

[ChrisV]

It turned out to be a dirty spade connection to ignition switch. Probably caused by the cold weather and vibration.. Nothing two minutes and contact cleaner can't cure.

I'm learning that we really gotta make some sturdy electrical connections in these old bugs. Vibration can literally beat wires to death.

[jmartini]

Crimp the connectors good - they have a way of working off if they are not tight.

[ChrisV]

I went ahead and replaced the connectors after cleaning the wires ends. Crimped very tight and sprayed with anti-corrosive


Should be good to go now. I can't complain since she left me stranded only this once and a block from home at that.


The twitching noise could have been the bad contact sparking? Nothing seems burnt so i'm happy.

[jmartini]

Coould have been! Glad you are up and running again!