Hazards work, turn signals not so much? Help, my inspection is today (1 Viewer)

[vtcruiser60]

So....what could the problem be? When engaging the turn signals, the tail/fender lights engage but don't flash, even though the flasher unit is clearly clicking below the dash. The hazards work fine. If I toggle the shifter on the steering column, I can get the turn signals to flash accordingly, but that may not get me through inspection.

No fuses are blown. I cleaned the fuse block with emory cloth. All the other lights work fine.

specs....1974 Fj40, aluminum tub, 1F, Jacobs ignition......

HELP.

 

[Michael Hanson]

Check all grounds,spray switch with electrical cleaner,any trailer light wires rubbing togeather? MIke

 

[Biscuit]

IIRC the power for the turn signals is routed through the hazard switch. This ensures the hazards work and aren't overridden by the turn signal.

Try wiggling around your hazards switch. I have a similar issue with mine, and a little pressure on the hazard switch to move it to the passenger side allows the turn signals to function.

 

[1sttime40]

IIRC the power for the turn signals is routed through the hazard switch. This ensures the hazards work and aren't overridden by the turn signal.

Try wiggling around your hazards switch. I have a similar issue with mine, and a little pressure on the hazard switch to move it to the passenger side allows the turn signals to function.

x2
I had the same problem you are describing and I had to remove the hazard switch and clean up the connections. A little contact cleaner and a wire brush and the turn signals came back to life.

 

[Pin_Head]

X3 it is a bad connection somewhere. If it is the same problem on both sides, it is more likely the hazard switch than having bad grounds on both sides simultaneously.

 

[Biscuit]

If you can pull your hazard switch out, taking apart is pretty straight forward.

Mine had some waxy build up on the contacts inside. I cleaned off the contacts and the case and reassembled it. My problem was a bad connection when the switch was in the off position.

Try that, takes 20min total (including liberating the switch).

 

[vtcruiser60]

I passed inspection toggling the turn signal and some Jedi mindtricks. I am going to try rebuilding the hazard switch in the morning. Will report back....

 

[belaw]

IIRC the power for the turn signals is routed through the hazard switch. This ensures the hazards work and aren't overridden by the turn signal.

Hmmm, my turn signals work fine, but the emergency flasher does not. This is pretty far down my list of things to address, but since this issue is up I'm hoping someone can give some guidance of where to start trying to chase down the problem.

(oh, and sorry for the hijack)

 

[Vicm]

Hmmm, my turn signals work fine, but the emergency flasher does not. This is pretty far down my list of things to address, but since this issue is up I'm hoping someone can give some guidance of where to start trying to chase down the problem.

(oh, and sorry for the hijack)

If you have one flasher doing both haz and directional signaling,
Follow the same advices given above. Bad connection in haz switch. Have it apart and cleaned.
It could also be a bad connection between the stop fuse and haz switch or between the haz switch and the flasher.
If you want to trace the voltage start at the flasher (feed)and work your way back to haz switch then stop fuse.

 

[O'Shell]

It is ether a bad ground somewhere. Or your turn flasher is going.. You should have two flashers one for hazards and one for turn.. They also have different fuses, hazards are always on and turn is ignition switched. Check each light housing and make sure it has a good ground. To check the flasher try pulling the flasher form the hazards and put it in place of the turn flasher. I just went through a mind numbing week of trying to get my lights flashing. Coolerman helped me out. I learned the in's and out's of the whole light system in the end.. I would defiantly check the flasher...

 

[cafirefighter]

Mine did the same thing...turned to be a the flasher relay. It is one unit with two sides...one for the emergency flashers....one for the turn signals. Just did a google search on the part number and found one. Fixed it no problem. Mine is a 74 as well.....good luck.

 

[vtcruiser60]

So...taking the advice above i removed the hazard switch and took it apart. It is actually a pretty slick little switch. I cleaned it all up, added some new dialectric grease, reassembled and ........no change. Hazards still work fine. The turn signals blink once then stay lit.

I replaced both bulbs in the front, the rears are new. I confirmed that both elements were lighting up in the bulbs. I doubled checked the grounds in the turn signal housings. I also tried switching the flsher from the hazards, but it did not work.

At this point I am starting to think it is the flasher relay itself. I think I'll try this on Monday.

 

[fourlow&go]

Just went through this exact same problem on my friends '78. In the end it turned out to be the shunt for the turn signal switch was dirty and not allowing enough voltage through to the flasher. A '74 may be different but I had to pull the steering wheel off, under that is the turn signal switch. Two screws and the whole unit will come off. Opposite of the turn lever (right side of the unit) is a little black cover held on by two screws, remove that carefully (keep pressure on the cover while undoing the screws) and you will find the shunt. Be careful the shunt has two tiny little springs under it. Clean the shunt and the contacts, re-assemble.

 

[vtcruiser60]

Just went through this exact same problem on my friends '78. In the end it turned out to be the shunt for the turn signal switch was dirty and not allowing enough voltage through to the flasher. A '74 may be different but I had to pull the steering wheel off, under that is the turn signal switch. Two screws and the whole unit will come off. Opposite of the turn lever (right side of the unit) is a little black cover held on by two screws, remove that carefully (keep pressure on the cover while undoing the screws) and you will find the shunt. Be careful the shunt has two tiny little springs under it. Clean the shunt and the contacts, re-assemble.

I did pull the steering wheel this morning and clean the contacts in the assembly. It was dirty, but all electrical parts were still covered in dialectric grease. There are a bunch of springs and small parts, so proceed carefully if anyone is going this route.

In the end, it was my flasher relay. I picked up a new, two pronged flasher/hazard thermal relay this morning from advance autoparts. I didn't even remove the old one, just a few pig tail connectors to see if that did the trick....and it did. I have flashers again.

 

[40's rock]

[QUOTE
Try wiggling around your hazards switch. I have a similar issue with mine, and a little pressure on the hazard switch to move it to the passenger side allows the turn signals to function.
QUOTE]
I had the exact same problem..work the hazard ALOT and bingo.

 

[Vicm]

The flasher can be tested.

The flasher can be tested by connecting it to 2 bulbs and a power source.
Make the connection of the 2 bulbs in prallel while in line with the flasher and use the correct watt rated bulbs. If no flashing ,replace.
Also you can remove its plug and make a connection between the 2 sides in the plug. It can save you some time finding where the promlem is.

 

[Trollhole]

I'm betting grounds. Do the battery cable trick and connect one end to the negative on the battery and the other end on light mounting bolt.

 

[vtcruiser60]

I'm betting grounds. Do the battery cable trick and connect one end to the negative on the battery and the other end on light mounting bolt.

What? Can you spell that out again for me. I have not heard of this....