Fire risk steeringcolumn switch Delta

[HPEtd]

I own a '96 Delta HPE td, but it applies to all Delta's from '93 and I also presume on the Dedra.
I the past few months I regularly had a strange behaviour of the direction indicator relay. Without activating the indicators myself the relay was switching on and off very fast without switching on the lamps on the outside. In the normal way (so with activating the switch) the lights were working correctly. Today the indicators were switched on a long time and after a while smoke (!!!) was coming from the steering column. I immediately disconnected the battery which stopped the smoke.
I opened the steering column switch and it appeared that the spring-mounted center contact on the lever for the indicators was stuck. While not making full contact the leakage current melted the surrounding plastic causing the smoke.
So a warning to you all: when the direction indicator relay is switching without activating the switch yourself, replace the steering column switch or make sure the contact inside the switch is not stuck. You can guess the consequenses when you do nothing.