I was dong the key-turning thing, too. But now the car is also shtting off while driving!

I don't now how to test the switch. "Cleaning" it is just something I learned about.

As a last resort, I opened mine last night. Lots of goo inside. Don't now if it is supposed to be there or not. Maybe a lube or waterproofer.

The cover is held on by several bends of its edge around the perimiter. Using a thin screwdriver, carefully pry each one out, then pry the cover loose.

Note the otientation of the switch movement. It is slipped down over a thin plastic spindle which is what the tip of the key turns where the key enters a rectangular 'keyhole" on the center of the switch cover.

This movement rotates inside a Stonehenge-looking array of copper contacts which look like the distributor points of old. When you turn the switch with the key (when it is in place in the car), the plastic cams on the switch movement rotate away from these vertical contacts, thus closing them as designed, distributing power to selected output pins.

I opened each one manually (after taking out the movement, which I don't recommend) to inspect for pittng or burning as a likely source of failure. All looked fine -- evenly worn and clean.

Underneath the movement is a spring-loaded ball bearing. It stays on the movement when you remove the piece. It travels along a ring just inside the semi-circle of vertical copper contacts. What you feel with the key as it clicks to each position, is this ballbearing pressig into one of three divots in this ring it travels along. Curiously, one of these is elongated. That is the "start" positionyou know how your turn the key all the way to the right and it sptrings back to the left? That's this ball bearing moving in this elongated slot. I did not see what makes it spring back, however.

(Mine does not spring back now.)

Probably best if you just hold the thing still in its place while you spray out the jelly with electrical contacts cleaner.

I applied a lot less "jelly" to replace what I cleaned out. Just t the ball bearing, using dielectric grease. I don't know how much to lube, not where to apply. It is just that I had everything apart and nothing to loose.

To reassemble, you need to use something to press the cover completely onto the mechanism. It feels spring loaded, or something. I used a large C-clamp to snug it flush with the lip of the bast of the switch while squeezing each edge of the cover into the notches to clampt tight. Used an adjustable pliers, withthe top jaw in notch.

The only wear I noticed was a shallow groove along the path the ball bearing travels between each "divot". As I said, the contacts themselves looked straight, not pitted, and tight.

Switch has 205,000 miles on it.

I'll just get one off a junker. New ones are $17-$55