turn signal problems
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 776
Likes: 98
From: carroll ohio
turn signal problems
hi,looks like i have the turn signal blues. turn lights on and everything works. have the pass. brake light only.no turn signal lights working. good grounds,fuses,bulbs. i cannot locate the turn signal flasher that is supposed to be on the pass.side. took the kick panel off and no flasher. there looks like a metal clip there with nothing in it. cannot see a flasher with my trouble light.two wires cut both green,p.o had a radio installed and these could be speaker wires.voltmeter showed 7.9 on driver side rear turn signal light. hazard flasher was cleaned and reinstalled. all hazard lights flash except rear markers. enclosed is a picture of an item that looks like the p.o. owner installed for whatever reason.it was installed on the wires from the brake light switch,i think orange and white. so now the fun begins. thanks guys
Last edited by cdw; Jan 18, 2019 at 08:30 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,632
Likes: 112
From: Great Plains Iowa
The capacitor is a factory-installed item that prevents damage to the points in the turn signal flasher. The early C3's had their flasher mounted on the front of the passenger side dashboard right below the vent and you can reach up and easily remove it. The later C3's had their flashers (two of them) mounted onto the upper face of the fuse block. One flasher is for the turn signals and the other for the hazard flashers and I don't remember which one is which.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 776
Likes: 98
From: carroll ohio
turn signals
thanks for the reply. btw it's a 71 auto.hope i don't have to rehook the capacitor. only one flasher on the fuse block and i think it's the hazard.there is what looks like a ac duct right under the pass dash to the right side and i am having a tough time seeing past it.i still have not seen a turn signal flasher there. maybe i'll try to reach past the duct and see what gives. took the kick panel off and nothing there.i would like to locate the turn signal flasher and clean it off so i can cross that off as a problem.the hazard flasher works all the lights except the left rear marker.
The capacitor is a factory-installed item that prevents damage to the points in the turn signal flasher. The early C3's had their flasher mounted on the front of the passenger side dashboard right below the vent and you can reach up and easily remove it. The later C3's had their flashers (two of them) mounted onto the upper face of the fuse block. One flasher is for the turn signals and the other for the hazard flashers and I don't remember which one is which.
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,853
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Here is my simplified schematic.
To explain the circuit... power to the tail lamps goes into the turn signal switch on the white wire. When you turn on the turn signal switch, power is pulled on that side from the white wire to the purple wire coming from the flasher and thus the flash. The side that is opposite stays powered up on the white wire.
So.. you'll need to find that purple wire and then start testing from there. Test continuity from the connector to the turn signal switch, then test it in and out of the switch by operating the switch. The capacitor is there to keep the turn signal static out of the radio, the system will function without it.
-Willcox
To explain the circuit... power to the tail lamps goes into the turn signal switch on the white wire. When you turn on the turn signal switch, power is pulled on that side from the white wire to the purple wire coming from the flasher and thus the flash. The side that is opposite stays powered up on the white wire.
So.. you'll need to find that purple wire and then start testing from there. Test continuity from the connector to the turn signal switch, then test it in and out of the switch by operating the switch. The capacitor is there to keep the turn signal static out of the radio, the system will function without it.
-Willcox
Last edited by Willcox Corvette; Mar 13, 2016 at 10:56 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 7,427
Likes: 1,560
From: mount holly NC
2025 c3 ('74-'82) of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2019 C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods)
Light blue for the left turn indicator in the dash.
http://www.vetteprojects.com/bmv/mis...tte%201976.pdf
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 776
Likes: 98
From: carroll ohio
turn signal problems
thanks for the reply. i am making progress with the forum help.i now have brake lights. i am testing all lights and they have been dormant for about five years. did not have brake lights yesterday and re-grounded the rear and now they work.i still cannot locate the turn signal flasher. have removed the pass side dash and kick panel and have not seen what i call a flasher. i will be checking today again.i would assume the flasher is a round silver piece like i have seen for years. cleaned the hazard flasher and it works good. as soon as i locate the turn signal flasher i'll replace it. all new bulbs. thanks again
Here is my simplified schematic.
To explain the circuit... power to the tail lamps goes into the turn signal switch on the white wire. When you turn on the turn signal switch, power is pulled on that side from the white wire to the purple wire coming from the flasher and thus the flash. The side that is opposite stays powered up on the white wire.
So.. you'll need to find that purple wire and then start testing from there. Test continuity from the connector to the turn signal switch, then test it in and out of the switch by operating the switch. The capacitor is there to keep the turn signal static out of the radio, the system will function without it.
-Willcox
To explain the circuit... power to the tail lamps goes into the turn signal switch on the white wire. When you turn on the turn signal switch, power is pulled on that side from the white wire to the purple wire coming from the flasher and thus the flash. The side that is opposite stays powered up on the white wire.
So.. you'll need to find that purple wire and then start testing from there. Test continuity from the connector to the turn signal switch, then test it in and out of the switch by operating the switch. The capacitor is there to keep the turn signal static out of the radio, the system will function without it.
-Willcox
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 776
Likes: 98
From: carroll ohio
turn signal problems
went out and looked at what might be the flasher.had two pinks and a violet wire. if this is the flasher,it looks like crap and looks like it's not all there. most of the flashers i have seen don't look like this.
thanks for the reply. i am making progress with the forum help.i now have brake lights. i am testing all lights and they have been dormant for about five years. did not have brake lights yesterday and re-grounded the rear and now they work.i still cannot locate the turn signal flasher. have removed the pass side dash and kick panel and have not seen what i call a flasher. i will be checking today again.i would assume the flasher is a round silver piece like i have seen for years. cleaned the hazard flasher and it works good. as soon as i locate the turn signal flasher i'll replace it. all new bulbs. thanks again
Last edited by cdw; Jan 18, 2019 at 08:30 AM.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,989
Likes: 198
From: Meriden CT
No wonder you didn't reconize it, the cover came off. You need a new one.
Last edited by SH-60B; Mar 14, 2016 at 11:55 AM.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 776
Likes: 98
From: carroll ohio
turn signal flasher
got a new one today and installed it. everything works as it should.life is good again and i'm happy. will start on the interior lamps tuesday. probably will have some questions for that area.almost ready to get some seat time. thanks all.