So I have discovered that the black tab on the cancel ring has zero bearing on turn signal cancellation. How the hell is that?

I have been troubleshooting the fact that left turn signals cancel, and right turn signals will not. So I discovered that I have this problem regardless of how the ring is installed. The black tab can sit at 12, 3, 6 or 9 o'clock, and right turn signals will not cancel, while left will.

arghhh

Are you referring to the ring on the steering wheel?

Yes, the ring with the large black tab that protrudes at 90 degrees from the ring itself.

The tab on the ring on the steering wheel can wear out. I bought a new one (VW part). I had another one and I think I sold it at a swap meet. Auto Atlanta sell them for $39. Sierra Madre has one for $120. ???? I actually modified this one for a reason I can't remember. Maybe because of the quick disconnect for my steering wheel. (the memory is going fast). I think I had to file the tab down a bit. It works fine though.

This one might work. https://www.ebay.com/itm/EXCELLENT-USED-ORI...emL&vxp=mtr

Jack up the front of your car so both wheels are off the ground, only use the ring and hub without the steering wheel and see why it doesn't cancel.

The mechanics are easy, you should be able to spot the problem without much trouble.

Not only can the tab on the ring wear, but also the tab on the turn signal lever that is being pushed.

You need to look at the actual assembly mounted to the column. The white plastic pieces at the 3&9 o'clock position. Is there anything missing on the right one?

This is with the new turn signal switch you posted about before? You got that installed, or the problem is with the old switch, or both?

all my tabs (black on the cancel ring and white on the turn signal stalk) are brand new. This is a real head-shaker.

problem is with both, actually--meaning the new switch did not solve the problem

The 4 long screws that hold the switch to the column can cause all sorts of problems if they are too tight.

thank you for that. Let's assume that I loosen them slightly and they are just right. Then at what location on a clock dial should the black tab on the cancel ring be located on the hub? Seems to me it should rest at 9 o'clock since the white tab is at 3 o'clock, but I don't really know.

It only works in one location. Unfortunately, I can't tell you which one is correct.

Hold everything! I just noticed from your picture you have an aftermarket steering wheel. I had to move mine and drill new holes when I installed a new wheel.

Just slip the cancel ring on the shaft, engage the signal, and see where the tab cancels both.

Actually those pics were mine. And yes, it's an aftermarket wheel.

Lol. I guess I should look to see who went with that picture.

That's what i've been trying to tell him, just try it, it's pretty obvious and easy to test ...

The tab on the steering wheel should be oriented so that it is directly opposite the turn signal lever when the front wheels are pointing straight ahead. If you have the wheel upside down on the workbench the tab would be at 9 o'clock.

Something is obviously not lining up to allow the R hand cancellation.

If you pull the wheel and watch the little white tab on the switch as you flip it L-R, you'll see that the white tab doesn't extend in the same place. On my (new) switch, it flips out and a little bit up for a L hand activation. With a R hand activation it extends down and not quite as far out.

L hand activation:
Click to view attachment

R hand activation:
Click to view attachment

I had the same problem with some turns not cancelling after installing the new turn signal switch. What worked for me was to use some loctite-brand plastic epoxy putty to "build up" the outside of the black semicircle on the steering wheel a few mm. That helped that plastic ring make contact with the white tab. Now it cancels fine all the time.

The other respondents are right that you'll need to fiddle with it and isolate the problem to figure out what's wrong with your setup.

FWIW - I have my black plastic ring installed at 3 o'clock. Maybe I should try reinstalling at 9 o'clock to see how that works....

I guess I wasn't clear enough, when the wheel is on the car the tab is at 3 o'clock, when it's upside down in your lap and you are attaching the ring it's 9 o'clock. Does that make sense?

Yup, guess I have it right after all. Appreciate the clarification.

okay. I'm certain that in my original post I explained that I am an idiot. If I were inclined I would have explained how I always spend twice the time and twice the money that anyone would who is NOT an idiot. I learn all my lessons the hard and expensive way, it seems.

Anyway, my right signal would not cancel. My parts were old, and I decided to buy new washer arm and new turn signal stalk.

So I dick around with the wiper arm and end up breaking plastic pieces on it as I attempt to adapt it to my car (it was not identical to the one pulled off my car). So I decide to marry the new turn signal arm to the old wiper arm.

I hook it up. Horn doesn't work. It worked before. Signal still does not cancel. Furthermore, my wife calls me at work and she says she thinks the right rear brake light is on on my 914. I rush out of the office, get home and disconnect the wiring harness to the two stalks and the light goes out. Hook a trickle charger to the battery just in case, and I return to work.

Tonight I decide to ditch the new part and re-install the old parts.

Everything works. Turn signals cancel. Problem solved. No net changes (except perhaps the location of the cancelling tab on the wheel). $130 spent and probably 4 hours of my time. And I have essentially ruined $70 of the parts I acquired.

sigh.

sigh again.

I am grateful to the forum for all the input. It was helpful, and inspirational. People like me need inspiration.

I'm extremely pleased that you got it fixed, and even more pleased you published the end result. However, that does beg the question. In case I missed it before, why did you change the assembly to begin with?

You mean besides the idiot part?

I had the car blasted, metal work done, painted, engine and tranny rebuilt, and much of the interior replaced. The signal would not cancel, and my parts looked old. I had the wheel refurbished--it looks brand new, and the stalks just looked old. So I used the fact that the signal would not cancel on right turns as an excuse to light fire to money, something I have down to a science.

All that crap happened, or really I made all that crap happen, and here I am.

Usually when I "fix" something, I'm left wondering how it happened that I "fixed" it. This is one of those times, except I believe it was probably a poorly positioned cancel tab on the wheel hub. One of the posters here believed it needed to rest at 3 o'clock, and that was a position I don't think i had tried because that placed it right over the white signal tab. Alas, it must have worked.

I would prefer new parts, but now I'm afraid to try again, and the replacement parts are not identical to the originals. I am not good enough to make the proper alterations, I guess.

On my car, if I put turn signal switch in the "on" position with the key out, that side's lights (front & rear) stay on. It's very common on cars in Germany - & probably other countries - to have street-side-only parking lights on narrow side streets.

Yes. It’s on all 914’s.

Fixed is fixed.

Put the new parts aside in case you have to go revisit in the future.

This is good information, and it supports my idiot theory. Just so you know, you guys cannot make me feel more inept. This is a great forum!

Do that for a few more years, then decide that everyone else can benefit from your opinions and experiences, and you can be a bona-fide 914 Expert!

... Welcome to the club, Domer.

--DD

As it turns out, this is actually NOT the case on my car. No idea what makes the difference, of course.

Occasionally one of these NOS OEM turn signal assemblies pops up in the classifieds here. Usually about 100-135 a pop. Keep an eye out and grab one when one when it becomes available. FWIW, I believe everyone here has been made to feel an idiot, one time or another, by their 914.

Occasionally one of these NOS OEM turn signal assemblies pops up in the classifieds here. Usually about 100-135 a pop. Keep an eye out and grab one when one when it becomes available. FWIW, I believe everyone here has been made to feel an idiot, one time or another, by their 914.

If it works and you don't really know how you it got fixed, go burn sage at your 914 altar and say three "Hail Ferrys."

What? You don't have a 914 altar?

That may be the problem.......

I think a 914 altar is the same as my wife's checkbook. At least that's what it FEELS like.