replacing turn signal switch 2000 gmc sierra 1500

[SMOKEY]

I have a 2000 gmc 1500 sierra with a turn signal flasher that once in a while will click away for a short time then stop. There is no pattern to this activity, but when this event happens the turn signal lever in not being used, left or right turn activation,and during the clicking no rear or front lights come on. I know it's the flasher module because when I do pull lever down for left or up for right ,I have my hand on it and can fell the clicking,and after I shut the signals off, lever in center position, an occasional clicking will occur which I can feel. The signals all work as they normially would during activation and cancell off after turn is completed as well as the hazard lights , all exhibiting a normal clicking pattern during activation. It's just this occasional clicking, nothing else. Iv'e read a posting on this site that a worn contacts in the turn signal switch could cause this and to disassemble and grease contacts with dielectric grease. The truck has 269000 miles on it and I rather replace the unit with a new on.
After reading the Haynes manual on how to replace the switch and to pull the fuse on the column air bag to prevent activation,I was wondering if any members have done this procedure and any other precautions I should take.The manual shows one picture with the steering wheel off, is this a generic photo or does the steering wheel really need to come off? Unless I misread,It doesent say to remove steering wheel. Basically just upper and lower column covers, lower dash cover under column, and diconnected wire looms to switch. I just want to be carefull not to activate column airbag during installation and do something wrong that later on activates air bag while driving. I getting punched enough by gas prices !
Any help or advice will be greately appreciated.

I forgot to mention that the switch also has wiper/washer,headlight high beam and cruse control and the part # delco D6257C as indicated at rock auto. All these features work normally.

THANKS AGAIN TO ALL MEMBERS.

SMOKEY

 

[SMOKEY]

Smokey here, I decided to go ahead and replace the turn signal switch,read the haynes manual again, found some misprints,so heres what I did.

1.Front wheels straight,ignition key out,this is probibly done to help with switch installation to avoid interfearance with signal cancellation mechanism.

2.Remove air bag fuse located in panel on drivers side panel.

3. Wait 5 minutes to depower reserve power stored in air bag control unit,book says 2 minutes, I waited 5.

4.Disconnect negative battery terminal.

5.I clamped a wire to frame and grounded to driveway to discharge any static electricty stored from driving,I read somewhere to do this to avoid accidential discharge to exposed wiring/termonals. Just a precaution.

6.Turn passenger air bag key off,I did this instead of seperating connector behind glove box. Since allpower is disconnected , the manual indicated to disconnect driver and passenger air bags so this is the way I disconnected the passenger side.

7.Remove dash front cover, pulls off,has spring expanding clips .

8.Remove lower knee panel,has 2 screws at bottom.

9.Remove 2 torx screws at column lower cover, slide back slightly and lower cover, has 2 plastic hook type clamps as part of lower cover.

10. Top half of cover has a screw holding it in place right behind steering wheel.If you look up into column you willl see it on the right side, remove completely,lift off cover. My haynes manual did not indicate that this screw exhisted, you must remove screw or you will break the plastic cover.

11. Cut wire loom nylon ties and remove protection black sock from loom.

12.Unplug column air bag connector which is adjacent to looms from turn signal switch, it will have a yellow jacket cover.

13.Turn sigal switch assembly has 2 wire looms and 2 single wires that connect to seperate switches located in the dash area,trace these to thier connectors and remove,they cannot be mixed up since they are made to fit thier own connectors only.
The switch wire looms are connected to a main connector which has a small bolt holding the connector assembly together. You must unscrew the bolt all the way to disassemble the 2 wire loom connectors.After removing bolt,pull connector apart. there will be 1 connector per wire loom on each side, slide down and out to remove,and reverse to install. Again each connector is made to fit per side,they will go in easily,carefully engage connector to main connector,connection pins should align,be sure they do, and bolt back together. The manual did not mention this unbolting of the connector,I'm glad I studied it, prying apart would have destroyed it.

14.The 2 torx screws to remove the turn signal switch assembly are located one on top and one behind the steering on the lower left side. You can use a torx head with a small wrench to remove this one.You do not have to remove the steering wheel.
In my haynes manual,the picture shows 2 arrows pointing to screws to remove ,to remove the assembly. These are not the ones.These screws hold the switch assembly together, not secure it to the column assembly.

15.Remove the switch unit,check for any needed lubrication on column moving parts since these are exposed,I use silicone grease. Also check your tow/haul mode cable coming from gear selector lever.they are known to break the wire where the cable is attached to the column resulting in a open circuit,mine had this condition.

16. Reverse the steps to asemble, use tie straps to assemble looms and protective insulating black sock at lower looms to prevent wire insulation rubbing on any metal,replace flasher if neccessary since you easy access ,reconnect air bag connector, turn pass air bag switch on,double check all wire connections,assemble dash covers,replace air bag fuse,reconnect negative battery cable.

17.This is the basic procedure I used on a 2000gmc sierra 1500 with cruse control.After starting engine,I checked all signals, warning flaser lights,windshield washer and wiper speeds,drove truck and checked cruse control,turn signals and cancelling of signals,all worked perfect,and I solved the annoying random ticking of the turn signal flasher.For the record,Idid change the flasher first to see if the random ticking would stop,it didnt.Changing the turn signal switch unit solved the problem.
This outline from memory worked for me,but I dont know how many other truck models this may apply to,so read the manual,double check the information,every manual occasionaly will have a typo,Ifind the haynes manual a good souce of tech information,and take the time neccessary.Since I did take my time to avoid any mistakes,it work out good for me.The decision to take on this project is yours,you may want to have a dealer or local garage do the repair since it did take the whole day for me to do this.Just be careful around air bags.

HOPE THIS HELPS

SMOKEY

 

[SMOKEY]

Smokey here again. I forgot to mention that I bought the replacement turn switch assembly from auto zone for $220.00,dealer wanted $450.00. It's a WELLS product with a lifetime guarantee. I hope I am not violating any TRUCK/STOP rules by posting this information.

SMOKEY