still no signal lights

[AlCanuck]

Esty,

I was going to offer the same 2 tidbits that Kirin already mentioned. He must work for me or something!

Another thought is to make sure the bulbs are actually touching the signal contacts. Pull the bulbs, and give the contacts a little tweak. Seems simple enough, but you never know. Also, Kirin is right about using good quality European bulbs with nickle bases ,rather than the Chinese made brass base bulbs.

Al

[esty]

Both circuits terminate at the lamps which are fed from the turn switch. Turn switch is fed from both the hazard switch and the flasher. Our late hazard switches (we’re talking about your’76, right?) can not be connected incorrectly because of a central spade connector. The flasher and turn switch can not be wrong because of the shape of connectors. The hazard circuit is fed through #2 fuse, the turn circuit is not. Removing the fuse interrupts the hazard but not the turn circuit. Removing the hazard switch or flasher stops both circuits.

I hope you have the parts to try replacing hazard switch, flasher, and then the turn switch in that order with known good units.

this is a lot of help...it gives me a place to start with running down continuity...THANKS!

i do have a couple of new hazard switches, which i've tried, to no avail...a new flasher but only my same old turn lever/switch

[Guest Anonymous]

this happened to me last weekend and i thought the relay on the driver's side was bad HOWEVER,it turned out that the contacts in my fuse box had corrosion on them..so i pulled each fuse out and cleaned them to include the contacts and sprayed all of the contacts with WD40 and WAH-LA lights,blinkers and brake lights

goodluck

[esty]

this happened to me last weekend and i thought the relay on the driver's side was bad HOWEVER,it turned out that the contacts in my fuse box had corrosion on them..so i pulled each fuse out and cleaned them to include the contacts and sprayed all of the contacts with WD40 and WAH-LA lights,blinkers and brake lights

goodluck

thanks for the luck...i need all i can get...having just gone thru my car, top to bottom, the fuse box is new, shines like a new penny...i doubt that's a problem...

you mentioned relays...my electrical chart doesn't show any of the relays...i know one's for the headlights but the other 2 are a mystery..unfortunately, i don't know what they run

[Guest Anonymous]

Isn't the signal / haz. relay INSIDE the car just forward of the hood release lever? - Wiper relay too? Check 'em! The wiper relay will say "Wisch-Wasch" or similar - and the signal / hazard relay might have "4 x 21w" on it - ie: four 21 watt bulbies!

I'll bet that's it! It simply clips to the upper kick panel in a small hole- and if it's loose, or the metal painted / corroded - I'm not convinced it grounds properly.

Man....this has me scratchin' me head, too!

Paul

[DukeRimmer]

Most of this info comes from blue binder manual.

Wiring diagram of turn switch shows blue and black going to right side lamps and hazard switch.

Blue and red to left side lamps and hazard switch.

Gray and black, gray and green, yellow and white to light switch.

Green to coil, ignition switch, and instruments.

Gray and black to #7 fuse.

White and blue to #11 fuse.

Yellow and white to low beam relay.

Green and yellow to flasher.

The three four prong relays near the battery are low beam, horns, and high beam.

Testing flasher in car;

Switch on ignition for a brief period only.

Apply test lamp to terminal +49. If test lamp lights, flasher is defective.

Testing flasher out of car;

Apply 12 volt to +49 terminal, and ground -31 terminal. Connect 2 x 21 watt test lamps to terminal 49a and a 3 watt lamp to terminal C.

The lamps should flash.

[esty]

Green to coil, ignition switch, and instruments

does that book say which side of the coil and where to the ignition switch...

i think i'm going to gave to try to wire my signal circuit from scratch...that or not have signal lights, which isn't much of an option

[ingraham]

1. Wiring from scratch is way more work than finding and fixing the problem.

2. If you don't understand the existing wiring, you don't have a chance in hell of designing a new set.

3. Fixing the problem will increase the value of your car. Bypassing it will decrease the value.

4. Have patience.

5. Since none of your hazard/turn signal stuff works, there is likely a simple problem somewhere. Hard to find, maybe, but easy to fix once you find it. Even if there are multiple problems, you need fix only one at a time.

6. You can do it.

7. A plea to everyone trying to help: If you don't know or aren't sure about something, resist the urge to post. Ignorant posts just add noise and confusion.

[esty]

4. Have patience.

where would you suggest i start, at the lights, switch, ignition, etc?

i tend to get lost and my efforts have been somewhat hotchpotch, probably because i don't have a clue where i should start and end with continuity & power tests

thank you for your input

[ingraham]

Have you read these?:

Hazard Light FAQ: http://www.bmw2002faq.com/content/view/39/32/

Turn Signal FAQ: http://www.bmw2002faq.com/content/view/38/32/

Go though those carefully and see what you find out. Keep in mind there are electrical detail differences between 74-76 cars and the earlier models.

Does your interior (dome) light work? If so, Fuse 2 that runs the hazard lights is definitely good.

Do your horn and backup lights work? If so, Fuse 6 that runs the turn signals is definitely good.

[DukeRimmer]

Coil 15, ignition 15, instrument round connector 1. This circuit is one source of power with key in on position. If you're going to start from scratch, there are other such circuits available at the fuse box.

Applying power, at the turn switch connector, to the blue and black should turn on the right side lamps, blue and red the left. This would test the switch connector through lamp circuits. Looks like interupted power comes from the flasher through the green and yellow. If that's correct, power to green and yellow should light the lamps with the turn switch.

[esty]

Go though those carefully and see what you find out. Keep in mind there are electrical detail differences between 74-76 cars and the earlier models.

Does your interior (dome) light work? If so, Fuse 2 that runs the hazard lights is definitely good.

Do your horn and backup lights work? If so, Fuse 6 that runs the turn signals is definitely good.

i will read those links, thanks again.....yes, the dome light and backup lights work

[esty]

Coil 15, ignition 15, instrument round connector 1. This circuit is one source of power with key in on position. If you're going to start from scratch, there are other such circuits available at the fuse box.

Applying power, at the turn switch connector, to the blue and black should turn on the right side lamps, blue and red the left. This would test the switch connector through lamp circuits. Looks like interupted power comes from the flasher through the green and yellow. If that's correct, power to green and yellow should light the lamps with the turn switch.

thank you again too mr....that tells me how i can test those areas from a known power source

[ingraham]

(nt)

[esty]

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