Turn Signal / Fog Lamp / Relay? Sigh...
04-22-2012, 12:29 AM
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Racer
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Turn Signal / Fog Lamp / Relay? Sigh...
Hi Ya'll,
So I've spent the day searching the forums to try an find this answer on my own, as I hate double post, but I can't seem to find the answer...I see a lot of people have issues with the C5s and the turn signals...but my problem seems kinda of 'different'....(don't think its the hazard issue but could be wrong)
If anyone can give a shout, I'd really appreciate it. I'm tuckered out for the day so thought I'd post this up and see if I could get any more clues.
2003 C5 Corvette
1) Passenger side turn signal is illuminated but it will not 'flash'. When I try the right turn signal, the dash right turn signal indicator flashes rapidly which led me to believe it was a bad bulb. I removed the bulb even though it was illuminated (and filaments were all intact) and replaced it with another brand new bulb. Again the bulb was illuminated but when I hit the 'right turn signal' it would not 'flash' just stayed illuminated. And the dash indicator flashed rapidly. I checked all the wiring for the bulb and didn't see any corrosion/burns on the filaments of the bulbs or on the socket.
2) I tried pressing the 'hazard lights' button and all lights (EXCEPT for the Passenger Turn Signal) will flash. The passenger turn signal just stays illuminated, while all the other lights (Drivers Side Turn Signal and R and L tail lights) flash.
3) I checked all the fuses (under hood and on passenger foot panel) and all looked fine, visual, I didn't test them, just pulled out to see wire in the fuse to make sure it wasn't broken. I didn't test the relay fuses as I have a Actron Voltmeter, but have never used it before and wanted to wait to see if this is a relay issue) I did pull them out and none of them looked corroded or burnt.
4) I did the 'hazard light' cycle test to see if I could cycle the hazard switch and then get the passenger side turn signal to flash, and still it did not flash just remained illuminated.
5)The 3rd brake light (the one in the center rear) works properly. I tried the test of if you hit the brakes then put your 'broken' blinker on I read the 3rd light should go out indicating a problem some where (I know this shouldn't happen, I'm saying I read it was a test) So I had the car in drive, put the passenger side turn signal on and pushed the breaks and all break lights still worked fine.
6) The issue seems to be that for whatever reason the passenger side bulb will not flash. Just remains illuminated. I thought it would be water damage but the housing doesn't look 'terrible' and again the light is illuminated.
7) Upon this investigation I did notice that BOTH marker bulbs (the tinier little clear bulbs inside the turn signal housing that is NOT the turn signal bulb, but the 'marker bulb') on the drivers side and the passengers side are not illuminated. I'm going to buy those two tomorrow and replace them, however, I'm thinking I have a relay issue somewhere, as....the turn signal works on the drivers side and the marker bulb is out on that side as well so I'm not sure that is a direct cause of the bulb not flashing.
8) To even further my excitement about all these electrical conundrums...I found My fog lights (thanks to a friend helping me out) do not come on unless I hit the 'lock' on my key fob. They will flash briefly. If I hit the 'unlock' the fog lights will then be illuminated and the small green LED light inside the car on the 'fog lamp button' will be on. Once I open the car door, they go off. Then I can't get the fog lights to come back on unless the car is off and I shut the doors and hit the unlock on the key fob. When I'm sitting in the car and have the car 'on' and the low beams/regular headlights on, if I push the 'fog lamp' button (next to steering wheel) nothing happens. The green LED won't even illuminate. Get out of the car, lock the doors and the green light comes on and the fog lamps work.
I'm seriously scratching my head on this one....I think it has to be a relay, but don't know if these are all tied together, or what. I'm very savvy with cars and do all my own work, but electric circuits have always been a weak spot for me.
If it is a relay issue, I don't know which relay specifically to check, as there are a few on the fuse box under the hood and a few on the fuse box by the foot panel that could be the issue. Just not sure which relay specifically would cause the fog lamp weirdness and the passenger side turn signal weirdness.
Also if its a relay and I need to 'test' the relay, can I use this to test it? (Actron CP 7672 Digital Multitester) http://www.actron.com/product_detail.php?pid=16157 as this is what I have, I just have never used it before as I never really needed it. Hope I can find a good youtube video to see how to test a relay...
Also, I'm not an expert electrical but i don't think its the haz fuse bc all lights flash normally when i push the haz button, but the passenger turn signal does not.
I hated taking electrical engineering in school so I'm really not super pumped with the C5 since I've had it. Hoping this is an easy fix that someone knows the answer too!
Thanks all!!!
So I've spent the day searching the forums to try an find this answer on my own, as I hate double post, but I can't seem to find the answer...I see a lot of people have issues with the C5s and the turn signals...but my problem seems kinda of 'different'....(don't think its the hazard issue but could be wrong)
If anyone can give a shout, I'd really appreciate it. I'm tuckered out for the day so thought I'd post this up and see if I could get any more clues.
2003 C5 Corvette
1) Passenger side turn signal is illuminated but it will not 'flash'. When I try the right turn signal, the dash right turn signal indicator flashes rapidly which led me to believe it was a bad bulb. I removed the bulb even though it was illuminated (and filaments were all intact) and replaced it with another brand new bulb. Again the bulb was illuminated but when I hit the 'right turn signal' it would not 'flash' just stayed illuminated. And the dash indicator flashed rapidly. I checked all the wiring for the bulb and didn't see any corrosion/burns on the filaments of the bulbs or on the socket.
2) I tried pressing the 'hazard lights' button and all lights (EXCEPT for the Passenger Turn Signal) will flash. The passenger turn signal just stays illuminated, while all the other lights (Drivers Side Turn Signal and R and L tail lights) flash.
3) I checked all the fuses (under hood and on passenger foot panel) and all looked fine, visual, I didn't test them, just pulled out to see wire in the fuse to make sure it wasn't broken. I didn't test the relay fuses as I have a Actron Voltmeter, but have never used it before and wanted to wait to see if this is a relay issue) I did pull them out and none of them looked corroded or burnt.
4) I did the 'hazard light' cycle test to see if I could cycle the hazard switch and then get the passenger side turn signal to flash, and still it did not flash just remained illuminated.
5)The 3rd brake light (the one in the center rear) works properly. I tried the test of if you hit the brakes then put your 'broken' blinker on I read the 3rd light should go out indicating a problem some where (I know this shouldn't happen, I'm saying I read it was a test) So I had the car in drive, put the passenger side turn signal on and pushed the breaks and all break lights still worked fine.
6) The issue seems to be that for whatever reason the passenger side bulb will not flash. Just remains illuminated. I thought it would be water damage but the housing doesn't look 'terrible' and again the light is illuminated.
7) Upon this investigation I did notice that BOTH marker bulbs (the tinier little clear bulbs inside the turn signal housing that is NOT the turn signal bulb, but the 'marker bulb') on the drivers side and the passengers side are not illuminated. I'm going to buy those two tomorrow and replace them, however, I'm thinking I have a relay issue somewhere, as....the turn signal works on the drivers side and the marker bulb is out on that side as well so I'm not sure that is a direct cause of the bulb not flashing.
8) To even further my excitement about all these electrical conundrums...I found My fog lights (thanks to a friend helping me out) do not come on unless I hit the 'lock' on my key fob. They will flash briefly. If I hit the 'unlock' the fog lights will then be illuminated and the small green LED light inside the car on the 'fog lamp button' will be on. Once I open the car door, they go off. Then I can't get the fog lights to come back on unless the car is off and I shut the doors and hit the unlock on the key fob. When I'm sitting in the car and have the car 'on' and the low beams/regular headlights on, if I push the 'fog lamp' button (next to steering wheel) nothing happens. The green LED won't even illuminate. Get out of the car, lock the doors and the green light comes on and the fog lamps work.
I'm seriously scratching my head on this one....I think it has to be a relay, but don't know if these are all tied together, or what. I'm very savvy with cars and do all my own work, but electric circuits have always been a weak spot for me.
If it is a relay issue, I don't know which relay specifically to check, as there are a few on the fuse box under the hood and a few on the fuse box by the foot panel that could be the issue. Just not sure which relay specifically would cause the fog lamp weirdness and the passenger side turn signal weirdness.
Also if its a relay and I need to 'test' the relay, can I use this to test it? (Actron CP 7672 Digital Multitester) http://www.actron.com/product_detail.php?pid=16157 as this is what I have, I just have never used it before as I never really needed it. Hope I can find a good youtube video to see how to test a relay...
Also, I'm not an expert electrical but i don't think its the haz fuse bc all lights flash normally when i push the haz button, but the passenger turn signal does not.
I hated taking electrical engineering in school so I'm really not super pumped with the C5 since I've had it. Hoping this is an easy fix that someone knows the answer too!
Thanks all!!!
04-22-2012, 12:34 AM
#2
Racer
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Member Since: Sep 2007
Location: Walnut Creek California
Posts: 406
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Ok, I learned how to test a relay to see if its bad, but not with my specific multitester...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPrE1ijfAeA ....so basically now I need to know which relay I need to test (again if it is a relay issue) and better instructions how to test a relay with my model multitester....
04-22-2012, 08:12 AM
#3
In the inside fuse box relay 38 controls the right front turn signal. Can pull that and see if the problem changes. Relay 40 is for the right side. So you can first try pulling them and then you could switch them to test if the relay works.
Also there is a connector in the front of the car at the bottom passenger side of the radiator. That connector is for the lights in the front. If you disconnect that it would isolate the problem; disconnect it and see if the problem is gone except the fronts don't work. Then look into that wiring. There is also a ground block next to that connector, open it and clean it.
Also there is a connector in the front of the car at the bottom passenger side of the radiator. That connector is for the lights in the front. If you disconnect that it would isolate the problem; disconnect it and see if the problem is gone except the fronts don't work. Then look into that wiring. There is also a ground block next to that connector, open it and clean it.
