How To: Multifunction Switch Remove/Clean/Install
 

How to remove your multifunction switch. It's easy, just take your time and don't break plastic parts and you'll be fine.

Pictures have different link... go here for pics https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...4/#post3292125

1. Grab your tools. Here s what you need:

• Phillips screwdriver
• T-20 Driver
• Small electronics flat head
• T-8

http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/3504/mfs1c.jpg


2. Go to your truck and tilt the steering wheel all the way up to expose these three screws. You will use the T-20 driver. ATTENTION: the hole on the very right (I think that was it) will not yield a screw. It only loosens a very long screw that hold the upper steering column cover on. So don't freak out when it doesn't fall out. Set aside your 2 screws.

http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/1469/mfs2.jpg


3. Tilt the steering wheel all the way down to pull out the top bezel, then tilt the wheel up again. Unscrew the screw (T20) on the wheel tilt handle and remove. You might need to tilt the wheel to center but the bezel will come out now.

http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/962/mfs3.jpg


4. With the plastic covers out of the way youcan now unplug the MFS harness. GENTLY slide the red tab towards the front of the truck. Now GENTLY press the end of the red tab and GENTLY pull the harness to release it from the MFS. DON'T BREAK THE TAB!

http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/1889/mfs4.jpg


5. Next remove the two screws (phillips). You will need to turn the wheel to the left enough that your screwdriver has clearance. Set the screws aside and don't lose them.

http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/3857/mfs5.jpg


6. With that done you are ready to remove the MFS. First this note. Look at the tabs circled in red. You see how the little pin can only escape if the MFS is pulled towards the driver's door? Ok. Comprende? Comprende! That's the way it slides. Not up. Not Back. Not angled. Towards the drivers door.

http://img855.imageshack.us/img855/903/mfs7.jpg


7. I have girl medium hands and I was able to place my fingers in the little nook of the MFS and pull straight out towards the driver's door. It takes a little force. Think wrist tight force when you install spark plus. You do kinda remember spark plugs, right? Be ready for it to pop out. When I did this it fell on the driveway. I am excellent.

http://img713.imageshack.us/img713/8044/mfs6.jpg


8. Now that you have the MFS pulled out take it to your workbench. It looks like this. DO NOT REMOVE THE GRAY COVER! You don't need to and it is a pain in the rear to put back together. Ask me how I know. Just don't. But if you need to, don't come crying to me on how to put to back together. I got lucky.

http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/151/mfs8.jpg


9. Flip the MFS to the back and you will see three(3) small torx screws (circled in red). Mine are T-8 and not security. (I have read other threads that say they had security torx. I don't know why mine are different). Unscrew those three screws and set them aside in a safe place.

Now you take your small flathead and GENTLY lift the tabs (circled in blue) around the cover and GENTLY pry the cover up and off. BUT WAIT! Before you lift off the cover be certain that the switch is in the appropriate position or you'll spill all the little sliders out. The blinker stalk goes on the bottom. The torx screw cover is on top. Just like in the picture. Now gently lift the cover up.

http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/9624/mfs9.jpg

10. This is what you see

http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/1806/mfs10.jpg


11. Dirty circuit board. The entire board was covered in a uniform layer of di-eletric grease. You can see the dark discolored grease from use. Clean the surface with rubbing alcohol and a qtip or soft napkin. I went to squeaky clean.

http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/1056/mfs11.jpg


12. Next is the stalk slider doohickey. Clean these little prongs with a qtip and rubbing alcohol. Also for your consideration, consider adjusting the tension on these by GENTLY pulling them up a little so to create better contact with the circuit board. I did some trouble shooting on my intermittent wiper speeds and saw the prongs weren't even making consistent contact! No wonder the speed settings never worked when I really needed them

http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/4002/mfs12o.jpg


13. The two pieces are now all clean. I LIGHTLY retouched the prongs and the copper contacts with fresh di-electric grease. It is hot here and I figured less will be more in this case considering what I just cleaned off. Now you may put the cover back together. DO NOT INSTALL THE SCREWS YET. You're going to test the switch in place on the truck. Slide the MFS in position and hook up the harness. Turn the key on (engine running not necessary) and go through each and every function on the MFS. Be certain that all functions work as they should. If something does not come on, pull the switch out, open it up again and set the sliders. If you applied a little grease you should be able to tell the contact points and adjust accordingly.

http://img543.imageshack.us/img543/3392/mfs13.jpg

Notice the numbers.

1. The intermittent wiper speed slider and contact. Have a look at yours and see if yours is making good contact. If not, it might be why your speeds don't work. Adjust the tension on the prongs. Also, the slider is all the way in the down position of the slot when the wiper stalk is on OFF. So, get it in the right position or you'll pull it off and open it up a few times before you get it right.

2. Blinkers. The slider goes in the middle of the slot. If the slider isto the right or to the left when the stalk is at neutral the blinkers will not work. Again, ask me how I know.

The remaining sliders are your brights, windshield squirter and emergency flashers.


14. Now that you've function tested the switch and are satisfied install the switch take it back to the table and install the three torx screws. Take it back to the truck and slide it into place. Hook up the harness and slide the tab back in. Install the two phillips screws. Now get your top and bottom covers on. Takes some thinking on this, like a puzzle to get the pieces in just right and tilting the wheel and yaddayaddayadda. Hopefully you don't have any screws left. You got this far, I believe in you.

Now, go enjoy a fresh MFS. If it craps out now you know how to replace it.

OOps, sorry Mods this was suppose to go to Non Drivetrain. Can someone move it please?

It would be My pleasure young lady :)

Nice write up! :)

Great write up Shorts! Exactly why you are such a valued member here.

Thanks! :cheers:

Muchos Gracias Tim :)

I thought it was because she can draw and put 8 out of 10 in the 10 ring in less than 3 seconds :cowboy:

Got to be ten out of ten Top.. [laugh]

[laugh]

Yall are awesome

Hey guys... dunno if this is allowed here or not, great write up btw..

This multi-function switch has an extended warranty due to a recall. I assume your doing this because when you signal one way, it selects the other... when you 4 way, it signals another way, etc.. ?


I had the recall done on my truck 3 years ago...

The NHSTA or whatever you guys call them did an investigation on the issue and closed it as 'dealers to replace part if a user complains'.. I was in the middle of a vacation including a 5500km round trip down to Portland and back when it decided to act up on the I5 in rush hour while towing my travel trailer.


http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/pr...h&summary=true

They must have had enough people complain about it to do the right thing and do a full out recall.. I'm happy with that as this could be a very bad thing in the wrong situation.

Super nice pics and write-up!!!!

ALSO, for reference--

The TSB for the multi-function switch recall/warranty on 2006 trucks is TSB#08-002-12.

Also important, the replacement switch, due to the recall, is part# CNH3X200AA and retails for only $34.95, NOT the $100 or so that dealers want for the oem part#56049823AB. They are the EXACT same part, just different part#'s due to the recall/warranty.

Of course, with the great write-up that Shorts did, you likely won't need to buy one!! lol

Yes, recall/warranty letters went out. I got mine back in January but haven't gone in. I wanted to do this MFS cleaning and see how that worked. I was hesitant to replace with a part that I thought would suffer the same problems.

Just for reference the part number on my MFS pictured is #56045515AA. I googled it and came up with these alternate stock codes for the same part:

56045165AB
56045515AA
56049823AA

Incidentally, the category this(these) part number(s) comes up in is the Ram 1500 section.

Seafish, thanks for the new part number. On my letter it didn't list the new part.

Anyone getting into their MFS, there are some part numbers you can look at to tell which version of the MFS your truck has.

Would someone please point me to the link where the pic of the switch are at..Thanks

You're in the thread man. Scroll up! [duhhh][laugh]

Hi Shorts..I must not have something enabled in my profile b/c I dont see any pics...Thanks