Weird directionals problem

[Formerly Steve Wilkinson]

I've been chasing a so-far-insoluble directional-lights problem for weeks now, with little success. Here's the situation:

Right front and right rear directionals work fine, but the indicator lamp on the tach doesn't work.

Right front and right rear parking lamps (i.e. with directional stalk deflected but ignition off) work fine.

Left front and left rear directionals don't work, but the indicator lamp for RIGHT directionals blinks. (No, I didn't reverse the bulb sockets during troubleshooting; the wiring colors confirm that the sockets are correctly mounted left and right.)

Left front parking lamp works fine but the left rear parking lamp doesn't work.

Flasher/directional relay clicks audibly.

Since the left rear lamp unit (LEDs in an RS mounting) seem to be the most troublesome spot, I removed the entire unit, took it to the battery and applied power to it with jumper wires, confirming that the LEDs work just fine. Removed and scrupulously cleaned both of the grounding points in the left-taillight area. Replaced both front-unit bulbs. Replaced and cleaned both directionals fuses. Removed, cleaned and replaced the wires at the fuses. Replaced the tach indicator-lamp sockets and bulbs, since one of them initially seemed intermittent. (Damn $6 parts had to come from Stuttgart!). Separated, cleaned and reattached the terminals for both front directional units.

Haven't gotten around yet to removing, cleaning and replacing the left rear lamp unit, but that's the last thing I can think of to do.

Anybody got any ideas about what I've overlooked? And, yes, I know the "be sure your grounds are clean" mantra. I suppose I could figure out something further with a good digital multimeter, which I have, but about all I've so far been competent to do with it is check battery voltage...

[Formerly Steve Wilkinson]

Bumped, since it seems to have sunk to the depths of page four or so on a Sunday...

[Jerry1]

How long have you had the led lts. I know the blinker relay works off a load and leds have almost no load. Just a thought.
Jerry

[Paulporsche]

I was thinking the same as Jerry re the LEDs v the conventional lamps.

Also, have you swapped in another, known good relay for trials?

[Formerly Steve Wilkinson]

Interesting, but I'm not sure I know what you mean, or what you're suggesting. I've had the LEDs for maybe 3,000 miles, which is probably two years for me. So you're saying I should get a new, good, known flasher relay and put it in? As I said, the flasher relay is clicking away quite normally.

[docrodg]

Check ground on OHMS setting, look for nearly 0 for a good ground.

The flasher relay could be faulty if the contacts are bad inside, they can be checked by hotwiring the coil side so the relay stays on and checking the ohms on the switch side.

If the load is the issue then just find out the resistance of the normal lamps and patch in a correct size resistor in parallel to the LED light, do not wire it in series, you will blow the LEDs. The load is important to keep the system operating as the circuit needs to have some load to operate properly, too little and you get an unstable circuit, causing strange occurrences.

[Formerly Steve Wilkinson]

Hard for me to imagine how the flasher relay could be bad if it's clicking away strongly. I did remove the plastic cover to check the inside, and there is absolutely no evidence of any corrosion or againg anywhere; it's only about four years old.

The LED tail/brake/directional lights are a well-made, complete aftermarket installation, not just LEDs in sockets, and I'm pretty sure they have the correct resistance already installed. The person who makes and sells them is on this board. Haven't found my receipt yet, but I'll do a search and see if I can find him that way and query him directly.

[Paulporsche]

Re the flasher: it seems it's possible that the flashing fn, as indicated by the clicking, can be fully operational, yet other fns, such as causing the gauge lights to flash, can be inoperable. Mine is occasionally doing this right now, even though it looks like new. A known perfectly working one can rule out this one possibility. If that's not it, you can move on to checking grounds and LED current draws.

[Formerly Steve Wilkinson]

New relay ordered from PP, thanks.