Is my problem a bad ground?

I just replace my turn signal blinker and while i was fiddeling under the dash I think I may have wiggled something loose because from the day I was under there to now my turn signals don't work. My brake lights work. And when I depress the brake pedal the turn signal light in the dash lights up along with the parking/turn signal lights in the front bumper. So it's like the brake lights effect the turn signals. I think this may be a bad ground, but where is the ground for the turn signals?

And if not a bad ground what is it? I'd like to hear your guys' experienced opinions, please. Thanks.

 

I does sound like a bad ground. there are several ground wires under the dash and some on the switches. You need to get a complete manual to see where they all should be. Or get under there with a flashlight and search them all out.

Good luck.

 

Alright, thanks Mark.

 

I had this problem on my car when i first got it a few weeks ago.


You may want to try the ground on the lightbulb itself as well. (when one of my blinkers went out, the light came on and stayed on in the dash).

 

So your turn signals don't work- unless you depress the brake pedal? Or do you mean the turn signals work when you press the brake pedal?

 

As of 2 weeks ago my turn signals worked, but the blink was slow- so I replaced the flasher, and everything was perfect.

A few days later I was adjusting my stereo wiring under the dash and I may have wiggled a ground loose- but I'm not sure. From then on I have no turn signals. The sockets aren't corroded, the bulbs aren't bad. My brake lights work. When I depress the brake pedal the parking lights in the front brighten and the turn signal light indicator on the dash lights up.

There's no click from the turn signal, and I've replaced the blinker multiple times, and that's not the problem.

Do you guys understand now?

 

It's ok, and I'm sure it's the directional. And the turn signals did work at one point, then I got under the dash again and they didn't work from then on.

 

I suspect wiring at the dash, possible the ground at that point. There is the possibility that it was coincidental, but, like special agent Gibbs points out, there are none of those. Carefully retrace your steps; running another ground you trust may confirm the possibilities. Ray

 

I'll let you know what I come up with.

 

UPDATE:

I worked on it a little bit tonight and here is what I have come to find out...

The right hand turn signal works when I press the turn signal lever in, toward the steering column. This leads me to believe that it's the switch itself, what do you think?

But if I depress the brake pedal while it's blinking the blinking will stop, and the indicator light in the dash stays on.

It does not work for the left hand blinker.
o No: o No: o No:


Thoughts? I'm sooo confused so any help is definitely welcome!

 

I still say look for the grounds under your dash. when you have a bad ground, the whole circuit will act crazy. In several places under the dash, you will have a black wire going to the body somewhere. they get brittle through the years and can break easily where the wire goes in to the connector. Especially by the radio you were messing with, see if you have any black wires hanging from the harness.

Good luck.

 

There were grounds still connected everywhere. I couldn't find any wires just hanging... But I'll keep looking- wish me luck.

 

in one aspect it sounds as though the hazzard flasher doesnt work and the hazzards switch is turned on.

 

and i think the left side has a problem all its own.

 

when you were under the dash with the radio, did you hang from the column for a sec moving around and put exsessive (side?) pressure on the hazzard switch?

your highbeam indicator and dash lights share the same ground as the turn signal indicators. so if the dash lights and the highbeam indicator still work, a bad ground is next to impossible unless you some how scratched the circuit board in the gage cluster.
all front and rear bulbs ground near themselves.

 

Easy to diagnose....disconnect the harmonica connector for the turn signal mechanism......then apply the brakes.......see what happens.

From your description, you have a short in the turn signal mechanism.

 

that will get you no further in the diagnosis. the brakelight wire goes right to that connector so you will be disconnecting it also.

if someone with a similar model were to pull their hazzard flasher and then turn the hazzards on and then turn the turn signal on and then hit the brake ... i think they would see what i am talking about.

Matt, with the car turned off, no foot on the brake, and the signal lever in the middle ...what happens when you turn the hazzards on?

 

The harmonica connector on the column only goes to the turn signal/horn contact set-up...has nothing to do with the brake light switch.