Write-Up: Mulitfunction Switch / Stalk

1998 Riv wrote:

I don't know that you can get it besides the dealer, or get lucky on Ebay, or try gmpartsdirect.com or RockAuto.com They are very expensive, and a PITA from what I've read. I got lucky and got a new one on Ebay for $49. GM list is out of sight.

there are some on ebay for $75 plus S/H from Morad. I might grab one. Tired of my wipers not turning off after I turn them on!

try your local junkyard. i picked up 2, one for me and one for a buddy. the switch will work from 95-99 riv only i believe.

to take it all you have to remove the dash to get to the bolts that attach the piece that sits by your knees at the driver side. there is a write up on here about removing the dash. it's very very easy. if you have an aftermarket radio that you want to install you might want to put that in while you have the dash off. remove the black panel above the pedals and the panel at your knees. i believe the bolts for the one at your knees is a 10 mm(4 bolts in the 4 corners), and it's an 8mm for the panel above the(4 bolts in a str8 line). dont over tighten the 10mm bolts, you will crack the plastic. unscrew the floor light attached to the black panel. follow the wires from the multiswitch down to the firewall. there will be a 48 pin connector plug that is attach to those wires. you have to unbolt the connector the bolt size is a 6, 7, or 8mm bolt. there will be 2 white wires at he base of that connector, prolly about 2 inches goin back towards the multiswitch the wires will be cover by a black thin layer of hose. cut those 2 wires about 6 inch from the base of the connector. those wires are the ignition, by cutting them you can resoilder them to your ignition wires. now you have to remove the steering wheel cover, i dont remember the number of bolts but i do know you will need a deep 5, 5.5, or 6mm socket. to remove those bolts. if you push on the bottom cover while pulling up on the top cover it should pop right off. remember this old dry brittle plastic so be gentle. now you can see the actual switch itself, it is held to the steering wheel by 2 bolts. i kno you will need a short socket for this. the size i believe is 5mm. there is one bolt on top of the switch and the other bolt is on the front side of the switch. i used a swivel socket and extension to take the side bolt off. by the way its a good idea to use 6 point sockets and not 12 point sockets to do this, because 6 pt grab a lot better and will not round out the bolt like 12 pt. it will prolly take you a good hour to take off and the same to put on.

good luck lemme know if you need any help.

The mest up thing is my wipers still work when I hit the wash button, from that point back nothing else works to a point. I got by last winter by pressing that button alot. If I push the swtich hard it will turn on but only the slow mode works then it hard to turn off. I f### up when i got in my car and my shorts got caught on the end of the cruise control swtich and bent it just enough to were it won't work. .Can I get the swtich off a diffrent Buick all those GM swtiches look the same.We got lots GM in the junkyard but no Rivi.

You might luck out with a Park Ave but I'm not sure. Try car-part.com

Geez...

[small flame on]

if you look up the part on RockAuto.com or GMPartsDirect.com, and use the features on those web sites, you should be able to find the cross references to different cars. Also, many used parts dealers will use the Hollander interchange for this... but won't necessarily tell you. So please try to find the cross-references - I will leave that as an excercise for you, Riv Cali - because if it turns out to be too much to figure that out, it really might be you want to take the car to the dealer instead of asking the same question (what does the MF switch cross to) over and over - not a great use of time, and I suspect you noticed the answers are not getting any better each time you repeat asking.
[flame off]

I saw one '97 riv, some years back, that had a Pontiac 6000 MF switch installed. I feel for you - the original switches that were color-keyed to the Riv interiors were flimsy I am told.

I'd probably just buy the switch from Morad rather than burning the time up.

Albertj

Thanks

call the dealer and ask them if it's riv specific. they prolly wont come right out and tell you but if you ask them if they have one and how much it is and flip out at the $300+ price tag and ask them if it's riv specific. thats what i do all the time. we all know there is nothing cheap on our cars.

Do we have an actual write-up for replacing the MF switch on our cars on this site? I couldnt find it.

Also, what is the difference between the 95-96 switch and the 97-99 switch? From the looks of it, the earlier models are much more difficult to swap. And why wouldnt they be? Everything else is harder to fix on these older models!

I got my part in from morad, but replacement labor looks like a motherfu&*$r!

I haven't seen an actual write-up, but just in the past day or 2 someone here posted the steps for this job. Don't recall who... or what year Riv they meant.

I changed mine on my '95 several years ago, once again I'll see if I can get something posted.

what is it?

mf switch????????? please explain

ooooooooooooooooooooo multi function switch............ yah i posted that about a week back i think. here it goes again.

tools needed:
-a set of deep and short 5mm-10mm sockets(the smaller sizes will have to be 1/4 in sockets) and extensions
-wire cutters and strippers
-soldering iron and solder
-electric tape and/or heat shrink
-zip ties(small ones)

1.unplug the air bag fuse and wait an hour before doing anything else. if you dont then you have to replace the air bag!
2.remove the dash
3.remove both panels that sit under the steering column
4. follow the wires coming from the mf switch down to the connecter by the fire wall.
5. you will have to unbolt that connector from the plug(i think its an 8mm)
6. cut the zip ties that hold the wires to the steering column
7. you will have to remove the steering wheel cover( i think these are 5 mm)
8. remove the cover by pushing in on the bottom half while pulling up on the top half. be carefull its old plastic
9. there are 2 bolts that hold the mf switch on the steering wheel. one top of the mf and one on the front of the mf ( i think these are 5mm also. i used a swivel and a 9in extension to get it off. this when the sort sockets in the 1/4in size come in handy)
10. now there are 2 white wires at the base of the wire connector. mark those wires in relation to where they go into the ignition tumbler. cut these 2 wires about 6 in from the connector. these wires go into the ignition tumbler and are for the chip on our keys.
11. i soldered my wires together, because if they ever came apart i would never be able to start my car.
12. reverse this to install it
13. DON'T FORGET TO PLUG YOUR ABS FUSE BACK IN ONCE YOU ARE DONE!!!!!!!!!


good luck

'96reese wrote:

ooooooooooooooooooooo multi function switch............ yah i posted that about a week back i think. here it goes again.

tools needed:
-a set of deep and short 5mm-10mm sockets(the smaller sizes will have to be 1/4 in sockets) and extensions
-wire cutters and strippers
-soldering iron and solder
-electric tape and/or heat shrink
-zip ties(small ones)

1.unplug the air bag fuse and wait an hour before doing anything else. if you dont then you have to replace the air bag!
2.remove the dash
3.remove both panels that sit under the steering column
4. follow the wires coming from the mf switch down to the connecter by the fire wall.
5. you will have to unbolt that connector from the plug(i think its an 8mm)
6. cut the zip ties that hold the wires to the steering column
7. you will have to remove the steering wheel cover( i think these are 5 mm)
8. remove the cover by pushing in on the bottom half while pulling up on the top half. be carefull its old plastic
9. there are 2 bolts that hold the mf switch on the steering wheel. one top of the mf and one on the front of the mf ( i think these are 5mm also. i used a swivel and a 9in extension to get it off. this when the sort sockets in the 1/4in size come in handy)
10. now there are 2 white wires at the base of the wire connector. mark those wires in relation to where they go into the ignition tumbler. cut these 2 wires about 6 in from the connector. these wires go into the ignition tumbler and are for the chip on our keys.
11. i soldered my wires together, because if they ever came apart i would never be able to start my car.
12. reverse this to install it
13. DON'T FORGET TO PLUG YOUR ABS FUSE BACK IN ONCE YOU ARE DONE!!!!!!!!!


good luck

thanks reese. hopefully I can try to get around to this within the next few weeks.

Anyone have one of these for sale? Mine went out on me and I can't afford to pay $400 for one.

Try monsterpartsonline.com for GM or rockauto.com for aftermarket. Should not be $400.

A used one probably won't last much longer than your original, in other words it's most likely near it's end as well, and I'd have the same concern about a junkyard version.

The GM part number for the Multi-Function or Combination Switch is:
For 1997-99 = # 26052428 and is $329.21 from monsterpartsonline.com (GM OEM Part)
For 1995-96 = # 26062938
Rock Auto sells an aftermarket switch for $451.00 +

Derek is correct about installing a used one. It is a gamble as to how long it will last but if you can't afford a new one you might want to try Morads for a used one.
Don't know how much they get for used but at least you know what new will cost with the best discount I can find. Maybe there are other sources for new ones as well.

Start looking at EBay Motors as well as contacting Morads.
At least with Morads you know you can return it if there's something wrong with it and they will make good on it. Or try your local junkyards and see what they have.
I don't know if switches from another model car will work on ours. That's where the junkyards come in handy, they have cross reference books to tell you that.
If you find out another model car uses the same part # please post it here for others to reference in the future.

Well I got a refund check for college, and guess where it's going? Yup, towards repairing the Riviera. I've got an appointment the 23rd to put a new stalk in, fix my parasitic drain, and fix the one horn that isn't working. Then I have another appointment with my regular mechanic to put in a new AC clutch, new struts, and new wheel bearings, and balance new tires that I have on the way. I'm sure I'm looking at at least 2 grand when all is said and done. More than I paid for my first car, and half the value of the riviera, but at least I'll know what I have into it.

So anyway, I'm going to skip the used stalk, and just get the new one. I have a habit of driving my cars until something major either falls out or flies through from under the hood, or it goes boom, so I'm sure I'll be holding onto the Riviera until it gets well into the 200K mile range. If my last 3.8 buick is any indication it better make it to 300K or I'll be disappointed. Only reason I stopped driving that and am now driving the riviera is because something went boom and flew (a rod through the block), ironically driving home from a demolition derby I watched...

Just to let everyone know, I just received the new replacement stalk that I ordered. I ordered it via ac-direct.com through amazon marketplace. The total for it was $290. Cheapest I could find, and I got it within two days. I'd definitely recommend going this way as far as a replacement stalk goes. The only place I could find it even remotely close to this price was at autozone, but it was an aftermarket duralast brand and was out of stock at the time and went for 293.99 plus tax. Anyway, just wanted to pass this information along. AC-Direct.com seems like a pretty decently priced place for OEM replacement parts.

Also the replacement part number for the AC DELCO updated version directly from AC DELCO is D6237A

Here's the link: http://ac-direct1.amazonwebstore.com/D6237A/M/B000C9RU6Q.htm

deekster_caddy wrote:

Try monsterpartsonline.com for GM or rockauto.com for aftermarket. Should not be $400.

A used one probably won't last much longer than your original, in other words it's most likely near it's end as well, and I'd have the same concern about a junkyard version.

...the only 'caveat' here is that a good auto recycler can usually tell if hte part's been replaced before - thishelps because you'd pay 'used' prices for a part that is in pretty good shape. They also have the Hollander catalog to find substitutes. So a stalk that has obviously been replaced, or out of a (much) newer car might not be a bad bet at all.

Albertj

Mine just died. It has the exact same symptoms: Wipers will not work, but when I actuvate the windshield washer, they do cycle.

There is a couple of Rivieras in my local yard. How difficult is it to replace the switch?
Thanks,
Mikel

IDK, and '96Reese hasn't posted here since April 2008.
Maybe someone else knows the procedure.
I don't have the FSM's this week, I loaned them out to another Riv owner.

Rickw wrote:

IDK, and '96Reese hasn't posted here since April 2008.
Maybe someone else knows the procedure.
I don't have the FSM's this week, I loaned them out to another Riv owner.

o RLY?
Latest post : Sun Nov 22, 2009 3:25 pm

98riviera98 wrote:

Rickw wrote:

IDK, and '96Reese hasn't posted here since April 2008.
Maybe someone else knows the procedure.
I don't have the FSM's this week, I loaned them out to another Riv owner.

o RLY?
Latest post : Sun Nov 22, 2009 3:25 pm

What do you mean..?????
I Don't understand.?????

Rickw wrote:

98riviera98 wrote:

Rickw wrote:

IDK, and '96Reese hasn't posted here since April 2008.
Maybe someone else knows the procedure.
I don't have the FSM's this week, I loaned them out to another Riv owner.

o RLY?
Latest post : Sun Nov 22, 2009 3:25 pm

What do you mean..?????
I Don't understand.?????

ahhhh basically the way i read it... is you said '96 reese hasn't posted since april 08..

I thought you meant on the whole board... not just this one little section...