Troubleshooting my turnsignal/parking lamp

scotyp · 09:55 PM

Good evening Pelicans,

I have an electrical issue going on with my 82' SC's two amber signal/park lamps. The issue is with just the back half of the split amber lights on both sides.
On the left side, with the headlights on, the back half will not light up and on the rightside with the headlights on, the back half will not work with the signal switch engaged for a right turn but lights up steady when the turn signal is off.
Headlights off, both turn signals work on left side, right side (back one) inop and won't light up.

I checked the bulbs(both ok) and fuses all look good. Any ideas to diagnose the problems concerning these lights? Almost seems like a mis-wiring issue.

Thanks, Scot

porschenut · 03-23-2010, 08:25 PM

It's a miswiring issue. Better open up the light boxes and check your connections - sounds like wires are swapped.

scotyp · 03-23-2010, 08:37 PM

Do you mean the wiring at the fuse box under the hood or right under the lenses at the lights themselves.

86 911 Targa · 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scotyp

Do you mean the wiring at the fuse box under the hood or right under the lenses at the lights themselves.

Has yourself, or someone else been working on this car?

If not when did these anomalies surface?

scotyp · 03-23-2010, 09:53 PM

I just bought the car in December and noticed it a few weeks back.
I'm not sure how long the problem has actually been there. I know of no front end work that has been done and the car has had no accidents. All I can think of is that it was repainted to a high quality several years ago so maybe the wires got crossed when they were taking out the lenses and taping there for the respray.

Wilhelm · 03-23-2010, 09:55 PM

Check for a poor/corroded connection at the light assemblies. Also try cleaning the fuse block terminals and the contacts of the fuses. I have experienced a lot of strange light problems on my 71 911S that were caused by poor/corroded connections and corroded fuse block terminals and fuses that looked good and were not "blown" but were just slightly corroded.

It could be an easy fix. Checking the fuse block terminals and light assembly connections is the easiest and cheapest way to start troubleshooting these kinds of problems.

scotyp · 03-23-2010, 10:01 PM

Wilhelm, I'll check the connections. I have used a light sandpaper on my British cars for the"Lucas" connectors to clean them. Any other thoughts on how to clean them up?

Wilhelm · 03-23-2010, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scotyp

Wilhelm, I'll check the connections. I have used a light sandpaper on my British cars for the"Lucas" connectors to clean them. Any other thoughts on how to clean them up?

I use a fine wire brush..like a toothbrush looking thing with fine wire bristles. Fine sandpaper would work too. And a little WD-40 or such. Sometimes the "Lucas" treatment can work on the German cars too !

Oh..and clean up the bulb contacts and the bulb sockets a bit too.

Hope this solves your problem. As I said, its a cheap and easy place to start and a lot of the periodic lighting problems on my old 71 911S seem to defy any logic. But the "clean-up" routine works everytime ..except of course when a bulb is actually burned out.