Durango_Boy

Okay, back story.

Signals and flashers have never worked in this car.

I am back onto trying to figure out why. I have rebuilt the entire rear harness for the taillights, brake lights, and signal lights. Ground is good and all wires are connected properly to new sockets that all tested fine. New bulbs have been used and switched around.

The odd thing is, after putting the interior back in I have had a small issue. When I turn the headlights on, the signal arrows light up. Both of them. They light up and stay lit for as long as the headlights are on.

The taillights work great, same as the brake lights. The signals won't work, nor will the hazards, yet both arrows light when the headlight switch is pulled into the 'ON' position.

Any ideas?

...Roger...

Check the flashers

Durango_Boy

They are both new heavy duty electronic flashers designed for added signals to the system with variance in resistance. I replaced both of the new ones with new new ones when the same problem originally popped up.

...Roger...

Are you using bulbs with low draw? The flashers have to have heavy enough draw to "overload" them and make them flash.

Durango_Boy

All bulbs have been replaced with LED bulbs. I also installed inline resistors designed for LED bulbs on each socket's wiring. All four rear sockets are 1157 bulbs and each side act as a whole. Meaning, both on each side are taillight, brake, and signal.

The front wiring also has LEDs and resistors.

I should mention that the problem existed even before the LED bulbs were installed with the exception of the lit arrow symptom.

...Roger...

With the ign. key on and turn signal turned on one side this should have all your lights lit up but not flashing...now unplug the turn flasher..does all the lights go out? Yes? then the flasher is too strong for the LEDs...
Lights didnt go out when you unplugged the flasher? Its wired wrong.

pws69

This isn't an issue with the "electronic" flashers - which he states he is using.

This still sounds suspiciously like a ground issue.

Durango_Boy

DWncchs - So from what you are saying...I may have TOO MUCH resistance? Should I remove two of the inline resistors?

...Roger...

Not familier with electronic flashers and their sensitivety to ground..but his brake lights work-which is the same ground as turn signal.

No actually-- not enough.

Durango_Boy

...and just to make sure, the resistance added to the front socket wiring will contribute to the whole system with the rear sockets right? They do share the same system right?

...Roger...

Yes when your turn signal is turned on all the turn lights are being fed through the turn signal flasher.If the load is heavy enough it will break the circuit until it cools down and then reconnects and then breaks again and so on and so on.
One thing to look at since you says its always done this is the capacitor that is across to 2 terminals on the flasher--make sure it is a capacitor and not a resistor--if the cueeent is bypassing the flasher by going thru "it" the flasher might never get "hot" enough to break.Try removing whatever is there at the flasher-I'm not sure if a capacitor gone bad would an open or a diect path.

Durango_Boy

There isn't one to begin with. Nothing but the flashers in the sockets. No capacitors OR resistors.

...Roger...

OK I F*&^ED up and did not read your original post well enough.I missed the whole issue--"When the headlights are turned on". I thought the issue was the turn signals would not flash.Give me a min. to rethink..Sorry..I'll reread and try to ENGAGE the old brain before typing. :o
(I'll be looking towards the grounds as pws69 stated.)

...Roger...

Ok sorry for the brain disconnect.Need some more info.When you say the signals dont work do you mean they dont come on at all or the lights light but dont flash?
On to the dash turn indicators-does one of the turn signals have to be on to get the dash indicators to light when the headlight switch is on?
Or will both dash ind. come on with "only" the headlight switch on?

Durango_Boy

Okay. With no key in the ignition, the signal switch untouched, and the headlight switch pulled on the signal arrows light but nothing on the front or rear bulbs change.

I don't recall now if the bulbs or arrows come on when the switch is used. I will have to check that at lunch.

Durango_Boy

Okay, with the key in the IGN position and the headlights on, both of the signal arrows light up. The flasher button does nothing. The signal switch on the column does nothing.

With the key in the IGN position, and the headlights OFF, the hazard button lights up all bulbs and arrows with no flashing. The signal switch on the column affects only the side affected, and the lights just stay on with no flashing.

First, does this mean I don't have enough resistance? Do I need a capacitor at the terminals?

Why do the signal arrows light when the headlights are on regardless of hazard button and signal switch operation?

I don't want to drive around with those arrows lit up when the headlights are on.

Durango_Boy

So this means I have too much resistance? I have great connects everywhere except the one place I have not checked and that's the column wiring.

pws69

When you say "All bulbs have been replaced with LED bulbs.", what EXACTLY did you replace the original bulbs with?
- "Replacement" bulbs with standard "1157" configuration
or
- "Hacked" 1157's with LEDS that you put in there

I have been running LED tail lights for about 3 years now with no problems. No resistors or capacitors. Heavy duty flasher (which you have) can handle varying [resistance] loads so no additional resistors should be used. The only time you need to add resistors is when you use "raw" standard LED's because the 12V will fry them. 1157 replacement "LED BULBS" have the appropriate internal resistors to handle the 12V.

I still feel strongly that you have a ground problem.

rihwoods

More resistance reduces the current flow....

What wattage are your turn signal bulbs ??

Durango_Boy

These are my LED tail lights, and I have replacement 1157 ampber LED bulbs for the front.



I first thing I did was re-wire all my taillight sockets so both sockets on either side perform the same function. Meaning, when I turn on the lights...all four bulbs light up. When I step on the brake, all four lights get brighter. When I signal, both lights on that side flash.

The signals would come on and stay on so I installed the HD flashers. Didn't help much. Every now and then one side would blink and the other woudl not. Other times they would just stay on.

So, I added resistors. No change.