Manually triggering turn signals?

[lobf]

I'm pretty sure my turn signal switch is a goner, but I'm looking for some help in making 100% sure that that's the case. 

 

I've unplugged the quick disconnect under the dash where the signal connects to. I've tried bridging each connection to another one, but the best I've able to do is get the light to come on steadily while I bridge from a hot wire. 

 

I believe the blinking is handled by the relay, not inside the switch, so my assumption is that the switch is actually bridging multiple connections in order to route the circuit through the relay. 

 

Is that correct? If so, does anyone know which terminals I would need to bridge in order to activate signals on one side of my car? 

 

Emergency lights work fine all around, just no turn signals. 

 

Thanks!! 

 

Edit: On this subject, I've found that my turn signal switch has 9 terminals coming out of the back, but all of the replacements I've found only have 6 wires. What is the difference?? 

Edited February 19, 2021 by lobf

[visionaut]

I manually trigger mine most of the time...

...oh sorry, I see, nevermind.

 

 

 

 

 

 

...Joking aside, a good attack plan:

 

Find your wiring diagram (several on FAQ).
Locate and clean all your circuit grounds.
Replace/swap  to verify all signal bulbs are good.
Check voltage at the hazard switch, the relay, the main plug, the instrument panel and turn signal switch.

Edited February 19, 2021 by visionaut

[esty]

how about the flasher?

 

[lobf]

Thanks visionaut- I've got my wiring diagram, but any more advice on which terminals to check, and am I looking for a full voltage on everything? 

 

@ Etsy: What about the flasher? It seems to work fine since hazards are good. 

 

I think I might have a major lead here, please see this topic: 

 

They indicate that bridging the green / yellow wire to BOTH blue / black and blue / red would activate the signal. However, it doesn't. 

 

Here's possibly the more important thing though- the OP noticed inconsistent voltage on the purple / white wire on the back of the hazard switch. When I went to check that I noticed that it's been spliced in to, and also that I'm getting inconsistent voltage on that line. 

 

According to my wiring diagram it goes straight from fuse #6 (switched power) to the back of my hazards, but I don't always get full voltage off of it when the car is switched on. In fact I only got it once briefly and I can't figure out how or why. 

 

Can I bridge the green / yellow wire to another switched 12v power line and maybe solve this? 

 

[lobf]

Holy. Shit. 

 

I tested my theory and it's right! My problem was not my switch, it is the fact that power is being lost somewhere along that purple and white wire for some reason, which isn't relaying enough power to the green / yellow wire to power the turn signal switch. 

 

I ran another switched power source to purple / white at the back of my hazard signal switch, and my signal switch WORKED! The dash light was all funky, but I'm hoping that was just because of my janky test wiring. It could be the LED there though, I'm not so concerned about that right now. 

 

I was thinking of tapping that purple / white wire on to another switched power source, but it occurs to me that I'm just going to be sending more power off in to the ether somewhere. 

 

Perhaps my best bet is to run a new wire from fuse #6, and simple replace the whole run of the purple / white wire? It'd be easier than trying it back and pulling everything out. Thoughts? 

[Mike Self]

Reinstall an incandescent bulb in the turn signal blinker position inside your instrument cluster.  That should solve the wonky blinking by that bulb.  The OEM flasher unit doesn't play nicely with LED bulbs anywhere.

 

The 9 vs 6 terminal situation on your old and replacement turn signal levers:  I'm guessing that you have a '72 or 73 US car, and the replacement turn signal lever is from either an earlier or later car.  The difference is (IIRC) that those two years of US cars have a on-street parking light feature that's required in many European cities:  selecting a left or right "turn" with the lever and with the ignition off will illuminate the selected parking and tail light.  Those are the three extra terminals.  

 

mike

[lobf]

16 hours ago, Mike Self said:

Reinstall an incandescent bulb in the turn signal blinker position inside your instrument cluster.  That should solve the wonky blinking by that bulb.  The OEM flasher unit doesn't play nicely with LED bulbs anywhere.

 

The funky blinking was caused by me using a test light to bridge my purple/white wire to another switched power one. It didn’t play nice with 2 indicator bulbs. 
 

I made a test wire and bridged from another switched power source straight to purple/white, and my turn signal functions again. The only issue is an extra blink at the end after I turn it off, but that might be the electronic flasher relay I put in. 

 

Here’s what is weird now: my voltmeter says I’m getting full voltage to the purple/white wire on the hazard switch (I’m testing on the switch side, not the disconnect side) and also to the green/yellow. 
 

When I hit the switch (without my bridge wire) I can see voltage drop on both of those terminals, but no signal turns on. If I add the bridge to additional power, I’m good. 
 

I took the switch apart and cleaned all the connections. But if it were the switch, why would adding additional power fix it? Where could the problem be if not the hazards now? 
 

Im concerned that just adding a permanent bridge to purple/white might be unhealthy for my electrical system, not to mention it’s just not supposed to work that way. 
 

I traced purple/white back as far as I can see but there’s no obvious problem with it anywhere. 

And good call on the extra stalk switch terminals, that would make sense. I have a 76 but the previous owner might have used a stalk switch from another car

 

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Edited February 19, 2021 by lobf