Turn signal problems

JRust · JRust's Garage

I've got a 73 2.0 & have had problems wtih the turn signals. When I turn right My signal works until I put on my brakes. Also idling at a light waiting it tends to stop working. If I rev the engine a little it usually starts to work again but not always.
Any suggestions would be great! Thanks guys

philinjax · 01-29-2002, 04:43 AM

Clean the fuse, S9, terminals and make sure the fuse fits tightly.
If that don't fix it, give us a more detailed description of the symptoms, left, right, emergency flashers, etc.
Phil

prattrc · prattrc's Garage

I agree. I had a similar problem.

When I hit the brake with a turn signal on, both turn signal indicators in the dash would flash dimly in sync, and continue to do so after I released the brake. I cleaned the contacts, front and back, and haven't had the problem since.

jmcleod · 01-29-2002, 06:49 AM

careful, at some time, i think between 72 & 73, DD could tell us for sure (914 quizmaster!), the dash/gauge indicator changed from the arrows blinking L or R (indicating direction) to both blinking. i had a 74 in which BOTH arrows blinked

prattrc · prattrc's Garage

I've heard something like that before. But if I just hit the turn signal, only one dash indicator lit. When I hit the brake, they both flashed and the flashes were dim and slow. It certainly didn't look intentional, but hey, look where they put the battery!

Dave at Pelican Parts · Dave at Pelican Parts's Garage

The 74+ cars only had a single indicator, while the 73s had two. Some early 74s had 73 tachs, with the left and right arrows in them--but the car's 74-style wiring was only there for one indicator! Karmann simply hooked both lights together and flashed them both.

--DD

philinjax · 01-29-2002, 09:38 AM

If you have two turn signal lamps that blink symultaneously and you want them to work individually, left and right, here's how to do it:
Pull the tach out of the instrument panel (leave the panel itself in place). Remove the two small bolts that hold the fuse panel in place and pull the fuse panel down to gain access to the back of the emergency flasher switch. Disconnect the knob and panel ring that holds the emergency flasher to the panel, reach up behind the flasher switch and pull in out, leaving all the wires attached. Now you are ready to rewire.
Remove the two ground wires (BR) from the turn signal lamps. Select two new wires of different colors, each about 2.5 to 3 feet long. Connect one wire to each of the turn signal lamps (where the ground wires had been). Run these two wires into the tach mounting hole and pull them down behind the dash, ready to connect to the emer flasher switch. Now, here is the interesting part; connect the new wire from the LEFT turn signal lamp to the RIGHT ("R" terminal) of the emer flasher switch (the terminal that has two BK/GR wires on it). Then connect the new from the RIGHT turn signal lamp to the LEFT ("L" terminal) of the switch, the terminal that has the two BK/WH wires on it.
That's it. Turn the key on and check it out. Button it all back up.

I never actually wired this up myself, to see if it works but, I am sure that it will.
Phil

philinjax · 01-30-2002, 01:27 PM

I just got an email from a teener who installed the left-right turn
signal indicator change that I described above. It works.
philinjax

JRust · JRust's Garage

thanks for the input guy's. Hopefully this weekend I'll get time to play with it some more. I'll let you know how it comes out.

BobP · 01-31-2002, 03:09 PM

I have a 75 with a slightly different problem with the turn signal indicator. The 75 only has one indicator, mine flashes for left turns and emergency, but not for right turns. The outside blinkers all work fine. This combined with the fact that my turn signals are no longer self canceling is somewhat of an irritation. From what I understand I can get a early 924 switch to fix the self canceling problem, but does anybody know what the wiring issue might be that is causing my other problem?

philinjax · 02-01-2002, 04:20 AM

I think you will have to replace the turn signal switch assembly. Make sure you have the steering wheel oriented correctly when the front wheels are pointed straight ahead.
I think Pelican Parts have new turn signal switches in stock.
Phil

BobP · 02-01-2002, 07:05 PM

The self canceling problem doesn't bother me that much, most motorcycles don't self cancel either, so I am used to it.

It would be real nice to have an indicator though.

I looked in the catalog, they don't have 75-76 turn signal switches listed, I read somewhere that it is the same part as the 924 (77-81?), they don't seem to have that listed either. Dave, if you are around, any idea?

I still have to figure out the problem with the PO added electric windshield washer pump too, bad tubes I think, it seems to pump, but nothing comes out anywhere.