#1  
Old 11-25-2020, 05:44 PM
Malibu Malibu is offline
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Default 3 of 4 blinkers working & last one is partially (weakly) working

Hey Folks,

Just a quick run down. This summer I only had the driver's side blinkers work and the pass side would just stay on, no blinking. I changed the flasher and then all was good. Now the pass side front stopped working but the pass rear is blinking. The dash indicator for that side doesn't blink. Driver's side all good.

Started checking, changing bulbs just to rule that out. Same story. Then I noticed when I pulled the 1157 bulb from the front parking light, the side marker light would blink very weakly. So would the dash indicator. Then put that 1157 bulb back in, the blinking stopped. I checked that side ground and seems to be on solid. Don't see any loose wires in that socket. Any ideas where to start?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

  #2  
Old 11-25-2020, 11:42 PM
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Formulabruce Formulabruce is offline
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Check the front harness grounds to the core support ( upper outer corners under each fender)
Check the rear harness ground wire in the trunk on the hump for the fuel filler tube, near the trunk lock.

  #3  
Old 11-26-2020, 10:09 AM
78w72 78w72 is offline
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& check the connections to the terminals inside the bulb socket... i had a heck of a time finding why my parking lights didnt work, ended up being a bad/loose connection in the socket.

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Old 11-26-2020, 11:24 AM
Malibu Malibu is offline
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Hey guys, I appreciate the responses.

I checked all 3 grounds mentioned and they are nice and tight.

The wires going to the front sockets look good. I'll investigate closer for any lose wires within the socket. I haven't checked that close yet but any tricks on how to get it apart?

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Old 11-26-2020, 11:32 AM
78w72 78w72 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Malibu View Post
Hey guys, I appreciate the responses.

I checked all 3 grounds mentioned and they are nice and tight.

The wires going to the front sockets look good. I'll investigate closer for any lose wires within the socket. I haven't checked that close yet but any tricks on how to get it apart?
the bigger concern with grounds is if they are clean & good metal contact, they can be tight but not make good contact, especially if things have been painted or have rust.

my socket wires "looked" good too, it was only when i probed them with a meter to check for voltage & continuity that i found the problem. the metal straps that actually contact the bulb can get weak or flattened too & just the same the contacts on the bulb itself can get flattened & not make good contact, so check those too.

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Old 11-26-2020, 11:33 AM
LPete LPete is offline
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You could take a piece of wire and ground one end, then touch the other end to the metal shell of the bulb in the socket and see if it fixes the problem. That would quickly point you in the right direction.

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  #7  
Old 11-26-2020, 02:16 PM
Malibu Malibu is offline
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First Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy your time with family and friends.

So I cleaned all grounds. No change.
I took a separate ground wire and touched the 1157 bulb body again no change.

I found it interesting that with the passenger side ground wire off while cleaning, the parking light still worked and I still could get a weak blink with the 1157 bulb disconnected.

  #8  
Old 11-26-2020, 09:14 PM
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Formulabruce Formulabruce is offline
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One thing I have seen is that, below the bulb at the end of the wire, there is a copper tab soldered on the very end wire and it contacts the bottom of the bulb. ( 2 on a 1157).
That tab, due to movement/ age , can have down to only 1 strand of wire on the back side of it. This will cause a "weak" effect.

  #9  
Old 11-27-2020, 05:53 AM
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necdb3 necdb3 is offline
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I would check to see if someone changed the socket for the pass front bulb. Sounds to me that it may not be wired correctly. Had one do funky stuff like that years ago and the ground wire was switched with a park light wire.

  #10  
Old 11-28-2020, 11:08 AM
Malibu Malibu is offline
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Looks like it has the original sockets. Pics enclosed.

Not sure how to start taking the socket apart to inspect wiring.
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Old 11-28-2020, 05:13 PM
formula kid formula kid is offline
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I would try some electric parts cleaner in the socket. Then get some emery cloth and try to get out any rust that is still in the socket. Try the blinker, then if working put dielectric grease on bulb end and recheck. Good Luck.

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Old 11-28-2020, 05:52 PM
78w72 78w72 is offline
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dont put dielectric grease on the bulb end or the socket contacts, its not designed for direct electrical contact. but do clean them as mentioned.

also, the 2 straps in the socket are what i was describing earlier, make sure they still make good contact, you can even carefully pry up on them a bit to help make better contact. before trying to take the socket apart, take some readings with a meter & compare to the other side & wiggle the wires around to see if the reading fluctuates. & try a new bulb or one with good round contacts, they get flattened out over time.

  #13  
Old 11-29-2020, 02:45 PM
Malibu Malibu is offline
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So I cleaned the contacts in the socket. Pried them up and seem good. Tried multiple bulbs same thing.

I took some voltmeter readings. Both sides show 12v at the contact for the brown wire when the parking lights are on. When I check the contacts for the blue wire I get 5.7v at both sides. Normal?
With parking lights off 0 volts.

Then when it rains it pours. When I drove back into the garage my son tells me my brake lights don't work. Fuse is good. I also noticed no hazards. Just great.

  #14  
Old 11-29-2020, 03:02 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Malibu View Post
So I cleaned the contacts in the socket. Pried them up and seem good. Tried multiple bulbs same thing.

I took some voltmeter readings. Both sides show 12v at the contact for the brown wire when the parking lights are on. When I check the contacts for the blue wire I get 5.7v at both sides. Normal?
With parking lights off 0 volts.

Then when it rains it pours. When I drove back into the garage my son tells me my brake lights don't work. Fuse is good. I also noticed no hazards. Just great.
Check for voltage against ground on the ground wire with the park lights on.

.

  #15  
Old 11-29-2020, 10:21 PM
Malibu Malibu is offline
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I checked for voltage using the ground wire and got around 11.5v.

Interesting note. When all bulbs are in the parking lights all seem the same brightness.
When I take the passenger side 1157 bulb out that side marker light goes very dim. Put the bulb back in, the marker light regains brightness.

  #16  
Old 11-29-2020, 11:34 PM
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Formulabruce Formulabruce is offline
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Your brakes and blinkers have one thing in Common. The turn signal/4 way flasher switches in the steering column.
That assembly with wiring is about 50 bucks. Could try a used one, just plug it in the coulmn, but it sounds like you may have an issue there with a broken piece of plastic, or
copper tab.

  #17  
Old 11-30-2020, 07:45 AM
Malibu Malibu is offline
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Thank you for for the info. I was doing some research last nite on the forums and it was also mentioned many times about those switches. Before it got dark I just went under the dash just to see if anything was loose. Nothing stood out.
That might be my next move. Sounds like fun.

  #18  
Old 11-30-2020, 01:05 PM
Aus78Formula Aus78Formula is offline
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Be aware that the side markers have no earth, simply flips orientation.

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