Starter switch failure

[Ken/SC]

I went to start up the A on Sunday and noticed the starter did not work
when I put my foot on the button. Heard some frying and smelled smoke. Opened the hood and saw sparks and smoke. The starter switch was red hot. Lucky I have a power cutoff switch right beside the starter. I could see the $$$.

After investigating I found several drops of condensation inside the housing of the starter switch. It fried the inside of it black. I removed the starter and looked inside, everything fine, no condensation.

Left the starter switch off and jumpered the starter motor today with battery cables. The starter motor fired right up. Ordered up a new switch.
The car has not been out in the rain or washed lately. So it had to be condensation.

Anybody have problems with condensation inside the starter switch before?

[Tom Wesenberg]

No, but my friend had his switch get hot when the insulation board wore through, so the copper shorted to the switch body. I wanted to take it home and fix it, but he threw it away.

[Ken/SC]

I store it in my garage. It's insulated. But it's been cool here lately at night.

[Clem Clement]

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If it was a repo starter switch, many have a poor cooper strip that won't hold its shape.