'78 280Z blows Hazard fuses - solved

[Johnny280]

Hello, 

just want to share my today's experience - maybe someone can benefit from it. I recently had a heat problem with my combo switch connector so I replaced it and also had a go at refurbishing my T/S and combo switch. Everything worked fine and I was able to use my headlights again (one day I will add some relays there).

Some weeks later I noticed that the voltmeter was behaving strangely. It was jumping up and down and then suddenly stopped doing anything. I checked the wiring diagram and saw that the hazards are also involved in that circuit and that the hazard fuse was blown. So I put a new one in and it immediatelly went up in smoke. After ripping apart half of the interior I came to the conclusion that there is a short and that it is somewhere around the "key in lock" switch. A close look revealed that the switch came apart and the metal part that should be in the slot in the plastic part was shorting out against the shell. In my case the garnish ring sits so tight in the black metal bezel that when you try to remove it to get the plastic covers of you remove the garnish ring aswell. I remember that I did that when removing the T/S and Combo switches but never noticed that the contact was not in his slot.