Question Hazard switch

[CorvetteLola]

I replaced my 2001 C5 corvette hazard switch with an aftermarket switch about 5 months ago. It has already failed. Unfortunately GM is no longer selling this type of switch any longer so I need to buy another one. Can someone please tell me which aftermarket switch would be the best one to buy? I am not wanting to have to continue to replace it every 5 months.

 

[Murray20c8]

I replaced my 2001 C5 corvette hazard switch with an aftermarket switch about 5 months ago. It has already failed. Unfortunately GM is no longer selling this type of switch any longer so I need to buy another one. Can someone please tell me which aftermarket switch would be the best one to buy? I am not wanting to have to continue to replace it every 5 months.

Why? Do you actually use the hazards?

 

[CorvetteLola]

I am getting power from the battery but it stops at the hazard switch. As a result I am not getting any power to the back of the car. This means I do not have brake lights or turn signals.

 

[rfh928]

I replaced my 2001 C5 corvette hazard switch with an aftermarket switch about 5 months ago. It has already failed. Unfortunately GM is no longer selling this type of switch any longer so I need to buy another one. Can someone please tell me which aftermarket switch would be the best one to buy? I am not wanting to have to continue to replace it every 5 months.

Back when I had my C5 I also needed a part that GM had discontinued...fuel line in my case. I wound up checking a couple of Corvette focused wreckers in the US and found a good used one for a reasonable price. Might be worth checking out.

 

[CorvetteLola]

Thank you.

 

[CorvetteLola]

I fund this on a Corvette discussion on the web. Has anyone in this forum done this? It sounds like a better solution. Thoughts? Please read below.

Hey Widetrack, you've actually figured out what is wrong with your car without knowing it. The Punisher has given you one option to fix the problem and here is why that will solve the issue.

The turn signals are wired through the hazard switch. Your hazard switch's contacts have become dirty and thus when you use the turn signals, sometimes they don't work. By pressing the hazard switch, you temporarily clean the contacts on the hazard switch and complete the turn signal circuit which causes them to work for a bit. Of course they will soon stop working and you'll have to repeat the process over. This is a well documented problem with the C5.

Replacing the hazard switch is a little bit of work and the hazard switch contacts will eventually get dirty again one day. A more permanent fix is to purchase the hyperflash or bypass cable. This will bypass the hazard switch in the turn signal circuit and solve the problem for good. If you ever decide to change your tail lights to LED's, this cable will also be needed because LED's do not produce the wattage of stock lights and confuse the computer into thinking that there is a blown bulb which makes the tail lights hyperflash (flash at a very rapid pace). Thus, this cable is insurance for the future and will solve your issue at hand.

 

[Murray20c8]

I fund this on a Corvette discussion on the web. Has anyone in this forum done this? It sounds like a better solution. Thoughts? Please read below.

Hey Widetrack, you've actually figured out what is wrong with your car without knowing it. The Punisher has given you one option to fix the problem and here is why that will solve the issue.

The turn signals are wired through the hazard switch. Your hazard switch's contacts have become dirty and thus when you use the turn signals, sometimes they don't work. By pressing the hazard switch, you temporarily clean the contacts on the hazard switch and complete the turn signal circuit which causes them to work for a bit. Of course they will soon stop working and you'll have to repeat the process over. This is a well documented problem with the C5.

Replacing the hazard switch is a little bit of work and the hazard switch contacts will eventually get dirty again one day. A more permanent fix is to purchase the hyperflash or bypass cable. This will bypass the hazard switch in the turn signal circuit and solve the problem for good. If you ever decide to change your tail lights to LED's, this cable will also be needed because LED's do not produce the wattage of stock lights and confuse the computer into thinking that there is a blown bulb which makes the tail lights hyperflash (flash at a very rapid pace). Thus, this cable is insurance for the future and will solve your issue at hand.

I am no C5 expert, but that sounds like the right thing to do.

Just a note if you are thinking of using LED's:
LED's don't have the same internal resistance as tungsten bulbs and will mess with the computer. I tried on my Camaro and found they didn't even work with the brake lights without messing up my cruise control. The fix was adding resistors in line, but they got extremely hot so I didn't use them.

 

[CorvetteLola]

Thank you. Good to know.