I think they are not related, and you simply have a flaky stalk which needs to be cleaned. I've successfully cleaned them and restored full functionality on one 123 car and one 124 car.

IIRC, on your 123 car, the end cap of the stalk can be pried off with a small screwdriver. Be careful about marring the plastic. When I did it, I removed the stalk from the car, which is a bit of a hassle but not too bad. I tied a string to the connector before I pulled the stalk wiring harness out of the dash, so I could use the string to pull it back into position. The stalk has a number of small parts inside, but you can take it apart and clean all the contacts (De-Ox-It is a great cleaner) and I'll bet that stops your malfunction.

__________________
Respectfully,
/s/
M. Dillon
'87 124.193 (300TD) "White Whale", ~392k miles, 3.5l IP fitted
'95 124.131 (E300) "Sapphire", 380k miles
'73 Balboa 20 "Sanctification"
Charleston SC