Yet again, damn TURN SIGNALS!

SweetWaterSurprise · 01-02-2012, 11:20 AM

OK so I have been dealing with the non working turn signal problem. I'll outline a bit of whats going on and what I have worked on so far. About a month back the turn signals just stopped working. I found that fuse #8 had blown. At that time I replaced the fuse and everything worked again. Next time I drove the car the turn signals went again. I traced it down to a short in the rear taillight signal switch. Got that fixed, now the fuse no longer blows, but the signals still do not work. I checked the voltage at each receptacle and they read out fine. Here's a few lists of what has been done

What's NEW - Turn signal stalk, all bulbs and fuses,

What's WORKING - Hazards, Headlights, Taillights, High Beams, Reverse Lights

Only the turn signals do not work now. The dash arrows also do not light up for the signal nor the hazard if that means anything to this issue. Any help is greatly appreciated at this point. I'm not sure what else to search for

timmy2 · timmy2's Garage

Pull the relay and test it?

SweetWaterSurprise · 12:27 PM

Thought I had read in another thread a while back that if you could feel the relay clicking with the hazards then it should not be the cause if you're signals don't work. Not sure thats correct though?

found what was said

"The fact that the emergency flashers work but not the turn signals will indicate your relay is still good so save your money buying a new one.
"

SweetWaterSurprise · 01-02-2012, 05:30 PM

I wonder if I should just replace the relay anyway?

80-911SC · 80-911SC's Garage

Post your location and maybe someone near could let you borrow one to check ... If your close to me let me know ...

Worst case if you buy another you'd have a spare ...

Steve

Also if you put car info in the garage it could be of benefit ...

SweetWaterSurprise · 01-02-2012, 06:36 PM

Sorry I know I need to update things a bit. I actually just ordered another relay that should be here by the end of the week to give that a shot. I am not dirving the car at all since it's pretty cold here in NJ and all my toys are away for the winter already. I just can't stad having an issue like this lingering.

SweetWaterSurprise · 01-03-2012, 07:11 AM

Any other ideas of things I can check?

j8tg · 01-03-2012, 09:21 AM

Going through a similar issue----but different symptoms. I replaced the flasher relay on an 86 930 that had a steady buzz when the turn signal stock was used only to find the problem persisted. No blown fuses and e-signals work fine so I'm going to clean the turn signal switch and possible order a replacement part from our host.

Have you checked the signal switch at the steering column?

TG
86 930
06 Mini S

SweetWaterSurprise · 01-03-2012, 04:26 PM

No other issues can be found aside from what I originally came up with and corrected. I'm just at a loss till the relay comes in

j8tg · 01-03-2012, 06:20 PM

LIVEVIL---sorry in advance to hijack this thread,( a bit), but possibly our issues are related.

I had a chance to get to the turn signal switch tonight and need some help to detrermine if it is the culprit. As the switch plunger approaches the steering column it puts the flasher relay into a constant and harsh buzz--even before contact. Flasher was replaced yesterday. The switch functions as it should with proper stalk detents and operates the high beams without any issue. Anyone with thoughts?

Tom G.
1986 930
06 Mini S

jimrs2000 · jimrs2000's Garage

Just had a similar issue with my 83SC, turn signals would only work occasionally, hazards would work most of the time.

Turned out to be the relay, if you pull the top off of it you will se a circuit board attached to the connections at the base, by moving the board around I could get the indicators to work or the hazards, looks like 30 years of being shaked around had broken the contacts.

replaced the relay and it all works like it should.

SweetWaterSurprise · 01-04-2012, 11:17 AM

I should have my relay in by Friday hopefully.

I did notice that before things finally quit working, both turn signal arrows would flash at the same time when I used either side. One would be more lit then the other but still flash. Then came the blown fuse issue, now just no flashing but the rest is fixed.

j8tg · 01-04-2012, 06:33 PM

Boy, I was sure confident when I replaced the turn signal switch---had to be it as the flashers still worked on emergency. New relay just for sure anyway.

And-----nothing. Flasher relay buzzed as before when signal stalk activated the first few tries, then went silent. E- flashers still work as well as all other electrical.

Help!

TG
1986 930

SweetWaterSurprise · 01-05-2012, 06:12 AM

Really hope thats not the boat I am in when I switch out my relay.

j8tg · 01-05-2012, 02:58 PM

Fixed. Entirely due to my troubleshooting capabilities,(I know when to call Greg @ Eurosport), a broken back-up light switch located at the transmission was found to be shorting the circuit---they are on the same one.

Might be worth a look. gOOD LUCK.

tg
1986 930
06 Mini S

dshepp806 · dshepp806's Garage

When those "short-circuits" occur, they are certainly "measurable".....as they are probably steadfast,..and evidentiary with an ohm-meter.

GOOD NEWS!!!!!

Best!

Doyle

SweetWaterSurprise · 01-05-2012, 04:57 PM

I hecked the trans switch and had replaced that a while back. My problem is no longer the blowing of fuses but the general non working turns.

SweetWaterSurprise · 01-07-2012, 12:37 PM

So I got my relay today, installed it and of cours the turn signals still don't work. I am at a loss here as to what the issue could be at this point. Everything seems to check out fine but still they don't work. It's like another fuse I don't know about is blown somewhere

Targalid · 01-07-2012, 01:07 PM

Sometimes a 12V test light will help find a problem when a voltmeter will not. If you have a test light (the bulb type with the sharp probe and a ground wire) try inserting it along the electrical path and see if you can find the bad connection. It may be a ground that is corroded or just a weak connection somewhere. Start at the relay and see that the test light flashes, then work out from there. We fixed a bad turn signal last summer that finally traced to a short section of corroded wire that had turned to green powder inside the insulation. Poking along the wire with the pointy end of the test light finally localized the break in the circuit. Good luck!

SweetWaterSurprise · 01-07-2012, 05:57 PM

Here's whats odd to me. The issue before was a wire grounding out and causing the #8 fuse to blow. I figured out that problem and fixed it. At the time when the fuse was in and hadn't poped everythign worked fine. Now that nothing is grounding the turn signals won't come back. It's as if they have blown a fuse someplace else now that I simply can't locate. I know it's not under the hood cause I replaced all of those and they test working