I'd suspect flaky switches. Hitting them a bunch of times cleaned them internally enough to work for a bit.

LTG : )

My TOTAN shows similar switch errors even though the switches all work fine. And when I have found a bad switch, it wasn't the switch the error was calling out.

First thing I’d try is cleaning the contacts. If you don’t have a switch file, a piece of paper or notecard will work - just slip it between the contacts, press down gently and pull the paper out.

Next, make sure the switches are gapped correctly. After that, make sure the wires are well-connected. Solder breaks all the time on my machine.

What does a switch test tell you?

Micro mini switches would have to be broken open to get at the contacts.

LTG : )

Pinballs report switch errors when either the game senses that a switch that shouldn't be on all the time is stuck on...

For instance your inlane switch isn't supposed to always be on. It activates when a ball rolls over it. So if the game detects that the switch is on all the time it reports that you need to 'check switch'.

Or, if the switch isn't activated for a certain amount of games/time, no closure of that switch at all, it reports that you need to 'check switch'. From memory I believe that a certain amount of time is ten games or thirty balls played... something like that.

So if the inlane switch didn't activate IN GAME for ten games, it would ask you to 'check switch'. The reason 'in game' is capitalized is that best practice is to actually start a game, and activate the switch in game. Don't just be in the test menu. That will reliably get the message to go away.

A common mistake is to activate the switch by pressing on it with your finger. You need to test the switch with a ball. Make sure the ball activates the switch. Your finger can activate things that the ball can't, and in-game you need the ball to register.

It is fairly common for black microswitches to become 'flaky'. To not click, or to click but not register a switch closure. Or they'll get 'sticky' where you push the wire down and it'll stick down.

Sometimes that's all about adjusting the switches or the switch activation wires, but...

Replacement of the black microswitches is very common.

I'd be prepared to replace those two switches.

Like stated above, if you're having to hit it a few times for it to register, then it works ok and conks out again half an hour later, replace it, they're a couple bucks. Flaky switch.

I heard Bally got a couple batches of bad switches. I probably replaced 6 each on my AFM and SS. Same issues. Just get half a dozen and toss them in your toolbox. You can swap the wireform from the old one to the new one.

From AFM on, if you crack them open flux got in them from manufacturing. They work slow or not at all. Often fine in test but fail in game play.

LTG : )

listen and make sure you can hear each switch clicking. they get gummed up quite often and just need a shot of cleaner and some fiddling with them.

Did it work in Tests - Switch Edge ? If so I'd try a factory restore to get crap out of memory and see if it returns.

LTG : )