Turn Signal

[capriceman]

today is was driving in my 90 Caprice (the older boxy style) and i noticed that when i make a right turn, and properly signal, that once I complete the turn the turn signal doesn't return. but perfectly works when I turn left. Is there a switch or somthing in the steering column that sense the turn and is it easy to fix or should i just manually return it for the rest of this fine automobiles life.

[Buickfosure]

Well your problem is the trun signal cancel cam and or cancel spring which isn't the easiest thing to replace its only costs like 5.99 for the cam and 1.99 for the spring but it is laborous and you will have to take apart your steering column so if I were you I would just not worry bout it just manually return it. Unless you want to remove your steering wheel which I don't even think I would. If you really want to get it fixed take it up to a good mechanic but you will be paying the labor though. Edited January 3, 2006 by reeferman

[cmattson]

If you decide to fix it, at a minimum you'll be looking to purchase a couple of tools: the first is a steering wheel compressor -- the second being a snap ring removal tool. Your steering wheel sits on a shaft, and a heavy spring is pushing the steerning wheel outwards (towards you). A C-ring (snap-ring) fits into a groove and is keeping the wheel from being pushed off of the column. Pull of the middle horn assembly from your steering wheel. Screw on the compressor and ratchet away on the compressor-bolt. It applies tension onto the steering wheel and pushes the steering wheel further down it's shaft. You can use a snap ring removal tool to pull off the snap ring. After the snap ring has been removed, you can now reverse your ratchet direction and loosen the wheel. Eventually you can pull the steering wheel off of the column completely. Just underneath the wheel is the cam and spring assembly. I'm guessing a shop would ding you an hour for the work -- it's fairly easy work if you have the tools & ambition. Cost of tools will probably be a push when measured against mechanic's labor cost. A snap-ring removal tool can be handy to have around; there are multiple places where snap-rings are used. The steering wheel compressor? It's a single-purpose device. I purchased mine about a dozen years ago, used it the one time I needed it & haven't touched it since then. Matter of fact, I think it's still at my old man's house -- I don't think I grabbed it when I moved out. Footnote: If you have these items, the next thing you'd want, steering-column wise is a "pivot-pin removal tool". If you've got one of these, you can take your steering column apart, all the way down to the dash. I needed to tighted the four bolts that hold your steering column in place -- I had a wiggle/looseness in my column. It's fairly typical of cars when they get their miles up on them. You usually have to take the whole damn column apart to take out the four bolts, spray them with loc-tite, and ratchet them back into place -- all to put the whole assembly back together. In a pinch, a dent-remover slide-hammer can work in place of the pivot-pin removal tool.