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Turn signal / parking light weirdness

brtb

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Orlando, FL
Ok, so before I grab the voltmeter and jump into the FSM, has anybody had this problem... Front left turn signal was dead; assumption of course was a bad bulb, so it gets replaced (2057NA if i remember right, if that's the wrong one stop me now). Now it's doing something totally bizarre.

Headlights off: all turn signals work, though the front left is a bit dimmer than the right.

Headlights on: right turn signals unaffected. Left turn signals just dead - no lights and no clicking from the flasher. If I take the bulb out, the rear left works fine. I'm assuming the old bulb is dead - it acts the same as no bulb. Don't seem to be getting any parking light action with either bulb.

Almost seems like something's grounding where it shouldn't be; any hints?
 
I think what's happening is that something is NOT grounding where it should be in the left turn signal. This is pretty common, either from a corroded bulb socket or a bad ground connection in the holder. What happens is that the turn signal, instead of grounding through the ground wire, finds its path to ground through the parking light filament. That's why it's dimmer when you test it: it's actually lighting the lower wattage parking light filament.
 
I second what Mathew said. I had a corroded light socket on my 89 on a parking lamp and it caused all sorts of weird responses such as you describe. I drilled my socket and installed a ground but have since found that they are available aftermarket inexpensively. Anyway, the grounding eliminated the problems.
 
you could also check the electrical connection(wiring harness) behind the drivers side headlight. this wiring harness can get corroded and give you problems. i had a similair problem when my side markers and lights beneath the headlights werent working properly
 
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