Light switch came off in my hands!

[macfly]

This isn't a common issue as I've never heard of it happening before, but my light switch came off in my hands on a short drive this evening!

It seems that the plastic clip flange has just given way under the pressure of the metal collar that locks it in place, all the bits are shown below.

[gutMD]

Was it a beautiful evening?

If so, may be a simple case of an overly eager driver dying to get out.

On a more serious note, I hope that the switch can be replaced without removing the dash.

[jdillane]

As I recall, my fan switch is not particularly secure. I use it gingerly.

[FWK-Z8]

The panel that contains the switch can be easily pried out using a table knife. Insert the blade in the lower gap with the blade more or less parallel to the dash and twist the top of the blade towards you. I prefer to use a table knife to a flat bladed screwdriver so as not to mar the surface.

You may want to try super glue on the broken pieces. Use it sparingly and let it dry before putting the knob back on the shaft - you don't want to glue the knob to the shaft. It looks to be a brittle break, and these respond well to super glue (cyano acrylate).

[Sawbones]

Try some 5 minute epoxy - that will do the trick. Not as messy as crazy glue.

[macfly]

It is $127 for the replacement, and there aren't any in the country!

[FWK-Z8]

I hope that's for the whole switch, and not just the knob! I guess when BMW said they were going to support the Z8 for 50 years they had the idea that it was going to be a profit center for them for that period of time.

[Norcal]

If anyone ever totals a car, we should part-it-out here on this site. I can only imagine what it would add up to. Just the switch knobs could be worth a few thousand!

[macfly]

I'll try the superglue method as there is nothing to loose trying it, but I'm worried the other one also looks similarly 'stressed'. If the glue works I may try putting it back without the collar because it looks like the constant pressure from it might be actually be the cause of the fractures, and before there are any more comments about my being too forceful with the switches, I can assure you photographers are very delicate machine operators, as we spend our lives operating very delicate machines!

[FWK-Z8]

Andrew,

You might want to try a local hobby shop that specializes in model trains -- the may carry aluminum or brass tubing that is similar in size to the outside perimeter of the projections that engage the shaft, and epoxy a small segment of the tubing to the periphery to reinforce the projections.

[macfly]

I was thinking of a bit of thin rubber hose to slip over the mend instead of the metal clip, as I suspect it's contraction & expansion maybe what caused the fracture in the first place.