how are turn signals and reverse lights 'connected'?
 

Hi all,
New weird problem (87 924S). At I believe the same time,
the turn signals AND the reverse lights don't work. All the
bulbs are good, and the hazard switch works, (uses the
same flasher as turn signals) so that relay is good. If the
key is out and you turn on a turn signal, that side's light
comes on steady per the design.

So how would those be connected? I can't make sense of
some of the elec diagrams.

If grounding, where are the chassis grounds for those?

Thanks a lot,

The flasher relay, well at least some designs, can fail but the emergency flasher section will continue to function.

You should have lost the running and brake lights also if there was a common problem like a bad ground in the back. All the lights in the rear tail light assemblies ground through the steel backing plate that the bulbs are held in place by.

My guess is the 87 924S has the reverse light switch on the transaxle - 2 wires at the top of the case like the 944.

I bet you have 2 seperate failures and just didn't notice when the reverse lights failed.

did you check the fuse/s?

I've checked all the fuses. On these models theres the main
15 fuses and also an extra fuse board with 7 more.

I should definitely check the switch on the transmission
today to rule out something in common.

I'm a little worried about the wiring since a previous owner
had hacked in a clifford alarm system, which is gone now but
still has wires snaking out of the dash.

Just not sure how after I proved that the switches on the
stalk are working, plus the flasher is working, and the bulbs
are good and actually light up when no key in ignition, that
it can still be bad. What else is there.

Thanks,

checked fuses visually or with an ohmmeter?

Success! I had only looked at the fuses by eye, thinking
that they blow in the middle. But in taking one out, it fell
apart. Then replacing it fixed both the backup lights and
the turn signals.

Thanks for the tip, I should know better