Totally random! My turn signal switch works completely fine. However, like 2 years ago, the end of the wiper switch side popped off and a little spring (or similar part) flew out. This little spring was in there to trigger the washer fluid spray button (to spray cleaner on the windshield). Without this missing piece the spray-er is not working when I push it in. I've called around and can't find just the spring or whatever it is partly because I don't even know what it looked like and partly because no one wants to part those switches out. Could some super kind person that knows what was in there, assuming it was a little spring thing, tell me what it looks like? and maybe a measurement? I'm not buying the whole damn signal switch for a spring, but it would be nice to clear the dirt off the windshield while driving again. It's the little things...
FYI I edited this to say DON'T take your switch apart as Jim stated that could result in someone else breaking their switch. don't want that!

 

I highly recommend no one does that. They'd most likely break their own switch. Those were hard to take apart without ruining even back when the plastic wasn't brittle.
It's not a very tight spring, the coils sit fairly far apart. Not a stiff spring, either. Not much resistance if you squeeze together.
Having that cap fly off was one of the more common failures of the switch. The only permanent solution we had was to put a new arm on.
You could probably make a decent spring by wrapping wire around something close in diameter, but whether you get the cap to stay on will be the hard part

 

Ok Jim. Good point! I don't want anyone else breaking their switch. I edited the post so as not to encourage disassembly. If you know what this spring looks like... do you know about how tall it is supposed to be? My cap is staying on perfectly fine currently. Are you saying you replaced your entire switch for this missing spring reason?

 

No, I don't remember exact specifics on the spring, other than it be loosely wound. a bit like the spring you find at the bottom of a flashlight, just not as stiff.
Your cap(button) is probably staying in place at the moment because there's nothing pushing out. I imagine once you find a spring that works and install it you'll see the reason it all flew apart in the first place. I suspect whatever tabs on the cap that kept in the end of the stalk housing are either worn or broken.
When i was in the Parts Dept I futzed with a few of these, thinking it was a drag to go to all the effort to disassemble the turn signal switch assembly and take the connector pins out of the harness to install a T.S. new stalk. I'm more creative these days and maybe there is a solution I missed, but dealing with old plastic that's significantly more brittle than 30 years ago is tough.

 

If anyone wants to know. I found the spring that goes in the end of the turn signal for the washer fluid. It's a gold colored spring about .5-.75" high and is slightly tapered top to bottom. The wider portion just about fits the width of the 'stopper' plug/button. The top part (wider end) has a wire that spirals into towards the center. That wire is what makes contact with the button thing inside the end of the switch when you push it down to trigger the washer fluid. I put the spring in and so far so good! Fingers crossed.

 

Worst comes to worse just install a micro push button momentary switch into the stalk end. Use some epoxy putty to hold it in and fill the gap. Like this one. https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/5Pcs-M8-...h/273206376334

 

​or how hard is it to remove a stalk assembly that hasn't been taken apart? Never done it to a Toyota but if it can be done on a discovery 2 in less than 30 min it can't be that hard.

 

I removed mine to clean and lube it. Have to remove the steering wheel 1st. Screw at the horn pad base and a nut on the shaft. I used a puller the 1st time, then applied a thin coat of anti-seize on the shaft splines for easy hand removal. No need to apply too much torque as it stays secure. Needed that to clean the horn contact ring from time to time.

There are 4 sheet metal screws on front of the stalk assembly. Mine were lose so I used a slightly bigger diameter screw to reinstall the assy. It's an aluminum base, so they create new threads for a very tight fit. Then the whole assembly slips off. Only difficult part is the wiring harness has very little excess length/play so you have to gently pull on it to get the harness off the shaft. Check the small screws on the assy parts as they can loosen up.

It's also a good time to clean the horn rim with green pot scrubber and to buy some electronic cleaner/lube to spray all the stalk electrical switches and put some silicone paste lube on the pivots and indents.

I'm OCD so I clean, lube, and tighten everything within a repair area for better reliability.

 

I've never used a puller on a steering wheel.


I'm tall so I put my knees behind the wheel and push towards me.

With the nut sitting flush with the stud on the column I given it a good wack with a brass mallet.

Same as removing a Briggs flywheel. The trick is a flat smack

 

I remove the horn pad, then loosen the nut holding the wheel on, backing it off until it's on the last 2-3 threads. Then I just grab the wheel at both sides and pull(while pushing against the floor with my feet), rocking gently back and forth. It'll break loose pretty easily. You leave the nut on so you don't smash yourself in the face with the steering wheel. Make sure to scribe the wheel and shaft so you get it splined right when you reassemble.
I took my turn signal switch assembly all the way out and removed all the old grease and applied new. I was afraid the original grease had thickened with age, and I wanted to reduce any resistance on the various moving parts inside.
Removing the stalk from the T.S assy is easy at this point. You're supposed to remove the wire pins at the connector so that takes the most time.

 

Didn't want to chance cracking the old rubber or that plastic in the base. Now with the anti-seize and a just tight enough nut it's an easy hand removal for horn ring cleaning once a year.