C5 Turn Signal Flasher Replacement

[MidNiteFury01]

Not sure why GM put the flasher up in the dash where they did. Any way, I've dreaded for what is less than a 1-HR job for more than two years...

 

1) Disconnect battery

2) Gently pull using a small screw flat blade screw driver the traction control console and carefully pull the connectors. The little light connector is a tough one, be patient. 

3) Pop the tabs covering the four 10mm nuts for the rear center console and loosen them.

4) Pull the ashtray, and unscrew the T15 screws behind the ashtray and next to the lighter (isn't it cool our C5 still have those?)

5) Pull the interior HVAC vent cover left of the ignition switch off & remove the little screw in there too. 

6) Shift to neutral for manual (not sure for auto as I don't have one) and push in the leather boot so it slides down. 

7) Remove the center console and be careful when pulling the wires and dont forget about the fuel door release button wires in the rear center console. 

😎 Pull the HVAC, Radio, console, you may have to wiggle the shifter a bit and pull the parking brake handle up, then back down. 

9) There are two 7mm bolts holding the radio in, remove and use a small screw driver to pry it forward on the radio. 

10) Using a small flatblade screwdriver, remove the hazard button, its just a press fit.

11) Gently pull the radio, it may take a little effort to move the wires and pull, then repeat until the wires are accessible. 

12) The radio wires are typical GM connectors. The antenna looks like a coaxial cable.

---- The antenna may be tough to pull, I used needle nose pliers and gently pulled on the wires. 

13) Look up in to the radio void and you'll see the bright green switch. There is a little tab (you'll see in attached photo). Using a long blade small screwdriver, push up and back. The switch will tilt upward, but the switch will not come out. 

---- Now I opted not to pound on the blue side of the switch like others have posted using a larger flat blade screwdriver. I created a small gap between the plastic part in the dash and top of the switch. Using a straight pick (a round pick, with a tip that comes to a conical point) gently push into the gap. If you hit it right, the switch will pop backwards and be loose. 

 

15) Reach up to the left of the metal radio & HVAC bracket and pull the switch down so you can pull it into the radio area (its a tight fit between the knee bolster and the metal frame, so I had to take my watch off).

16) Disconnect the old switch and connect the new switch. 

17) Route the wire loom and new switch back through the radio frame and up into its spot. The wires will fight against you and will want to twist & pull the switch making it difficult. It took me a few try's to get it lined up right.

18) Once you've lined it up; with some force, push the switch toward you. It pops in a lot easier than it does when it comes out. 

19) Reconnect the radio wires and antenna. 

20) Reinstall the hazard button switch, the radio/HVAC console cover, center cover, and connect all the wires, then connect the battery cable. 

[Desertdawg]

I thought owning a C5 meant you had to remove the center console at least

twice a year anyway. Everything is under there. 

Did you add some heat barrier while you were in there? 

 

Just before we traded off our C5 I redid the brakes by removing the center console. 

 

[SixAddict]

Are the body parts sacrificial for this job? Or is this how much labor would have been..."an arm and a leg".? 

 

It is a great write though,. Glad ya gotter done.

 

[MidNiteFury01]

1 hour ago, Desertdawg said:

I thought owning a C5 meant you had to remove the center console at least

twice a year anyway. Everything is under there. 

Did you add some heat barrier while you were in there? 

 

Just before we traded off our C5 I redid the brakes by removing the center console. 

 

 

I try not get into that console anymore than I have too, AZ heat is awful on plastic products and stuff tends to break. As for insulation, that's the plan while I have everything off. Thinking of using the Home Depot double sided. 

[MidNiteFury01]

1 hour ago, SixAddict said:

Are the body parts sacrificial for this job? Or is this how much labor would have been..."an arm and a leg".? 

 

It is a great write though,. Glad ya gotter done.

 

No sacrificial body parts in this job, just need to be a contortionist 😀. I believe the GM write up entails pulling off the dash so yes, the cost would have been... "an arm and a leg."

 

I'm glad too! I was tired of massaging the switch and/or beating the dash to get the turn signals to work or pushing the button a million times. 

[TheCMSH]

excellent write up! 

 

[Grape Ape]

Nice write up. Thanks for posting it. I had the pleasure of changing mine but it was for preventative maintenance more then anything else. I had my dash cover off and decided I better do it since it was like right there anyway.