I have been checking/cleaning all electrical connections and wiring. I replaced tail light bulbs with LED's. Most recently needed to add a ground to the PS license plate light so now both lamps are working. All dash lights work as does the the interior courtesy light. Signal lights work.
Everything seemed to be in good working order. Until last night.

When I use the turn signal all lights go into HAZARD mode! Yep every single light is flashing on/off/on/off as if it had a HAZARD switch.

BUT - if I turn pull the headlight switch to the on position all lights work as they should.

This happened late last night and I have not started the search.

Any idea's on where to begin?

I am not an electrical wizard but have some basic knowledge and an ohmmeter/voltage meter.

Thanks

Skip

...this winter I will replace the entire wiring harness

 

I'm sure others on here will have more detailed suggestions. But I'd say to start, go back and check the recent projects you did and see if something came loose or got worn through and is making a connection where it should not.

Good luck and let us know what you find.

 

Ground, ground, ground. The t/s are seeking ground through the parking lights, and that links them all together. Chip

 

Update:

I have gone back and rechecked each electrical connection that I had previously cleaned up and tightened.
Since it is the tail lights and license plate lights which are 'blinking' in sync when the turn signal is used I have unwound all factory wire wrapping and checked all of the factory connectors in the trunk.
Still no improvement.
Ran a ground wire direct from the battery to the ground wires where they enter the trunk. Nope.
I have been studying the AIM wiring diagram. Followed the rear harness
up under the dash. 'Un mounted' the headlight switch and found out that
as I dialed the switch clockwise and then back counter clockwise ALL the
exterior lights dimmed as well as the dash lights

I am thinking that the switch may be a problem

Thoughts?

Thanks

Skip

 

Did this all start after you installed the LED's?
If so I would turn on the signal lights and get them all to blink and then I would remove one bulb at a time and see if it stops. If it does then you found the cause.
Are the LED bulbs double contact and are the pins indexed?
What we have to determine is the common denominator that can cause your condition.
The signal lights only can interact with the other lights, park, tail, dash, in the light housings or if a wire from each circuit has made an electrical contact.
When you say that all the lights dim and get brighter when you cycle the dash dimmer rheostat, do all the elements of the bulbs light. Remember each tail, stop, signal, park bubs have two separate circuits and share a common ground.
Joe

 

Thanks Joe. I will look at this tonight.

Skip

 

Try a different flasher. It may not like the different resistance of LED's.
Larry

 

Thanks for the suggestion. I did replace the old flasher with a new flasher.

Here is the latest:
I reinstalled the old lights in place of the newly installed LED's. Now I have no tail lights and only the DS signal. No license plate lights.

I checked the voltage. 0.00. I then went under the dash and unhooked the black wire at the connector - 0.00 voltage.

I think I will replace the light switch and start from there.
I have run separate grounds from each tail light to the bumper supports.

Spent a lot of time with the ohm meter checking grounds.

Finally I needed some fresh air and took the car for a drive....all frustrations just seemed to disappear at that point.

......had the fire extinguisher in the passenger seat just in case

Tomorrow is another day

 

You ran a ground wire from battery to grounds at the rear of body. Run that wire to the outside of the light socket, you may have to scratch it a little, this will tell if ground is the issue. Chip

 

all assuming socket is clean and bulb fits tight

 

Please don't start throwing parts into the car to see if it fixes it.
With electrical problems you have to take a logical approach to the problem to find a solution.
I sent you a PM.
Joe

 

 

PM received
Thx
Skip

 

FIXED!!....at least I think so

Much thanks to 'PLAIDSIDE'. On Friday I had a conversation with Joe regarding the electrical problems I was having. Joe had me start from square 1 and recall everything I had done up to this point.

Following that discussion Joe explained his step by step approach. Very detailed. He then gave me a 'roadmap' to follow.

With wiring diagram, ohm meter, and new test light in hand I started. Here is what I found in my search
- 4 wires had some insulation which was wore thru. Repaired
- lighter tab was nearly touching/barely..straightened and disconnected
- I remembered a thread talking about the open tab on the ignition switch. I revisited that thread. I found the reason my signals worked with out the switch on - - PO had mistakenly connected the pink wire to the 'BATT' terminal.
- Fuse box. EVERY FUSE WAS THE WRONG SIZE There was a 25amp in a 15a spot. a 10amp where it was suppose to be 7.5. Off to NAPA. The fuse in the tail light spot was blown ( I think that occured during my earlier checks) .
- I had missed a ground wire earlier. Joe mentioned to check the ground on the DS valve cover. That valve cover leaks oil pretty bad and the ground screw was covered in oil and a bit loose. Cleaned .

- I did replace the light switch it didn't operate smoothly at all. The old
switch did have a small spot on the rheostat which had gotten hot at some point.

I started at 7am and by lunch I had lights all around.

SOOOO....what started with just wanting to fix the PS license plate light became a full blown education in car wiring!!

Thanks to everyone. And a special thankyou to 'PLAIDSIDE' who patiently spent time talking me through this.

Skip

 

Yup, I had to consult with Joe about a generator problem a while back....fella knows his stuff...

 

Fixed is good!!

 

Skip,
Thanks for the kind words. It was my pleasure talking to you and I am glad I was able to help.
Joe