Turn signal socket repair - $8 vs $40+
06-16-2008, 04:13 PM
#1
Drifting
Thread Starter
Turn signal socket repair - $8 vs $40+
I know there have been TONS of threads on here but I wanted to put all of the information in to one post so everyone is able to refer to it.
My car has had front blinker problems for the past ~1yr. Fronts would blink slowly with headlights off, no blink with headlights on, rear lights and interior indicators would blink quickly regardless. Ground repair, BCM swap, and electrical diagnosis wouldn't solve it. Dissassembling and cleaning/repairing the turn signal switch solved the problem! However the left connector/pigtail was broken and the contacts weren't working well (due to non-sylvania 3157 bulbs) so I replaced the pigtail socket with the 85881 (rather than the $40+ GM option!). Make sure to solder all connections and cover with shrink tubing to prevent corrosion. All is well! The Sylvania plastic blade contact is a better design and more consistent than other brands that have formed glass with contacts built in. Also, the 3157 is a 7watt bulb and the 4157 is an 8.5 watt! This makes a difference with our sensitive electronics!
Hopefully this will save anyone with the same problems $$$$ as well as time!
- Conduct Tite Pigtail 85881 - Auzozone or similar (1990-2003 GM turn signal-tail)
- Sylvania - 4157 bulb (DO NOT use 3157 or other brands!)
- Shrink wrap tubing or crimp connectors
- ~15 minutes of time
My car has had front blinker problems for the past ~1yr. Fronts would blink slowly with headlights off, no blink with headlights on, rear lights and interior indicators would blink quickly regardless. Ground repair, BCM swap, and electrical diagnosis wouldn't solve it. Dissassembling and cleaning/repairing the turn signal switch solved the problem! However the left connector/pigtail was broken and the contacts weren't working well (due to non-sylvania 3157 bulbs) so I replaced the pigtail socket with the 85881 (rather than the $40+ GM option!). Make sure to solder all connections and cover with shrink tubing to prevent corrosion. All is well! The Sylvania plastic blade contact is a better design and more consistent than other brands that have formed glass with contacts built in. Also, the 3157 is a 7watt bulb and the 4157 is an 8.5 watt! This makes a difference with our sensitive electronics!
Hopefully this will save anyone with the same problems $$$$ as well as time!
06-16-2008, 05:44 PM
#2
Le Mans Master
Information
I know there have been TONS of threads on here but I wanted to put all of the information in to one post so everyone is able to refer to it.
My car has had front blinker problems for the past ~1yr. Fronts would blink slowly with headlights off, no blink with headlights on, rear lights and interior indicators would blink quickly regardless. Ground repair, BCM swap, and electrical diagnosis wouldn't solve it. Dissassembling and cleaning/repairing the turn signal switch solved the problem! However the left connector/pigtail was broken and the contacts weren't working well (due to non-sylvania 3157 bulbs) so I replaced the pigtail socket with the 85881 (rather than the $40+ GM option!). Make sure to solder all connections and cover with shrink tubing to prevent corrosion. All is well! The Sylvania plastic blade contact is a better design and more consistent than other brands that have formed glass with contacts built in. Also, the 3157 is a 7watt bulb and the 4157 is an 8.5 watt! This makes a difference with our sensitive electronics!
Hopefully this will save anyone with the same problems $$$$ as well as time!
- Conduct Tite Pigtail 85881 - Auzozone or similar (1990-2003 GM turn signal-tail)
- Sylvania - 4157 bulb (DO NOT use 3157 or other brands!)
- Shrink wrap tubing or crimp connectors
- ~15 minutes of time
My car has had front blinker problems for the past ~1yr. Fronts would blink slowly with headlights off, no blink with headlights on, rear lights and interior indicators would blink quickly regardless. Ground repair, BCM swap, and electrical diagnosis wouldn't solve it. Dissassembling and cleaning/repairing the turn signal switch solved the problem! However the left connector/pigtail was broken and the contacts weren't working well (due to non-sylvania 3157 bulbs) so I replaced the pigtail socket with the 85881 (rather than the $40+ GM option!). Make sure to solder all connections and cover with shrink tubing to prevent corrosion. All is well! The Sylvania plastic blade contact is a better design and more consistent than other brands that have formed glass with contacts built in. Also, the 3157 is a 7watt bulb and the 4157 is an 8.5 watt! This makes a difference with our sensitive electronics!
Hopefully this will save anyone with the same problems $$$$ as well as time!
The last time I had to change a bulb the plastic was starting to break apart. Next time I stop by Autozone I will purchase a couple of pigtails and the 4157 Sylvania bulbs.
01-08-2013, 09:07 PM
#4
Cruising
Member Since: Aug 2012
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turn signal finally repaired
Conduct Tite Pigtail 85881 - Auzozone or similar (1990-2003 GM turn signal-tail)
This pigtail can be tinkered with and made to fit into the lense, however the bulb sits about 1\2 inch higher which will only add to the melting of the lense problem inherit in the 2004 Z06 vette. I got resourceful and found an entire old harness in a salvage yard and manage to get two sockets in good enough condition to work for $10.00. Once soldered in my problems were not over.I had to spend some time troubleshooting why the lights did not work right. Long story short, I cleaned the groung block that is in this harness as well as the conector that the turn signal harness connects to, used generous amounts of bulb dielectric grease and to my wonderful surprise everthing is working perfect now. I did have two holes melted through both lensses and I repaired that with JB weld to keep out moisture. During my troubles I found pigtails from local dealer for $49.00 a piece or to my surprise you could purchase the entire turn signal wiring harness for $97.00 that would include everything you need to have new side marker lights and turn signal sockets by simply diconnecting the old harness and reconnecting the new harness at the front right of the car. Then of course you would have to re-route the new harness. Should I encounter any further problems this is what I am going to do as well as get two new lenses.
The GM part number for the harness is GM 15329462 for $97.00 or the pigtail replacement sockets GM 12083689 for $49.00. Hope this helps someone down the road. I found a lot of useful information in this forum and wanted to try and help someone out that may be experiencing the same kind of issue.
This pigtail can be tinkered with and made to fit into the lense, however the bulb sits about 1\2 inch higher which will only add to the melting of the lense problem inherit in the 2004 Z06 vette. I got resourceful and found an entire old harness in a salvage yard and manage to get two sockets in good enough condition to work for $10.00. Once soldered in my problems were not over.I had to spend some time troubleshooting why the lights did not work right. Long story short, I cleaned the groung block that is in this harness as well as the conector that the turn signal harness connects to, used generous amounts of bulb dielectric grease and to my wonderful surprise everthing is working perfect now. I did have two holes melted through both lensses and I repaired that with JB weld to keep out moisture. During my troubles I found pigtails from local dealer for $49.00 a piece or to my surprise you could purchase the entire turn signal wiring harness for $97.00 that would include everything you need to have new side marker lights and turn signal sockets by simply diconnecting the old harness and reconnecting the new harness at the front right of the car. Then of course you would have to re-route the new harness. Should I encounter any further problems this is what I am going to do as well as get two new lenses.
The GM part number for the harness is GM 15329462 for $97.00 or the pigtail replacement sockets GM 12083689 for $49.00. Hope this helps someone down the road. I found a lot of useful information in this forum and wanted to try and help someone out that may be experiencing the same kind of issue.
Last edited by Yellow Z06 2004; 01-08-2013 at 09:15 PM. Reason: spelling
01-09-2013, 09:24 AM
#7
Team Owner
And installing a yet higher wattage bulb will accelerate the rate of melting even more. 
The proper solution:
1. Use 4157 bulbs AND do the relay mod that disables the DRLs (no codes), OR
2. Replace incandescent bulbs with LEDS.
