Auto repairs not going good

grumpygy

Truck Left turn signals stopped working if the lights were on. Left side has always acted up would not turn off when the wheel was turned.

Got a new switch installed it worked great. Put all the covers back on now the right side will not work any time.

Time to cool off will go back at it another time, when the temper is a little cooler.

varian

one thing to watch out for is the ground. as you add more lights to a circuit the load increases and the ground has to b sufficient to operate properly as a return. boat trailers are notorious for this, lights work fine put on the brakes and all lights go out, sure sign of a defective ground.

grumpygy

Signal arm broke something long ago Make a left turn and the signal would not self cancel. Just recently when I was adding the LEDs I noticed the left side would not blink if the lights were on. So I put all the normal bulbs back in and nothing same problem.

Only thing that would do that was the signal switch. So I replaced that. Right after I got it in all worked fine With the LEDs in. I had already changed out the flasher unit for one that will work with LEDs.

Put all the panels back on and tried it just to make sure. Now the right side does not work at any time. So a panel did something or is hampering movement some how.

Later will start pulling the panels back off testing after each one till I get to the problem.

Was putting a below the tailgate strip in and even it was working right.

Ditch-Runner

well sounds like your on the right track to solving it back track and a volt meter / test tool
I also learned to walk away for a short time [:I][:I][:I] otherwise seemed parts became broke, tools sprouted wings and more of my blood flowed [:(][:(]
hard lesson but I did catch on [;)]


quote:Originally posted by grumpygy
Signal arm broke something long ago Make a left turn and the signal would not self cancel. Just recently when I was adding the LEDs I noticed the left side would not blink if the lights were on. So I put all the normal bulbs back in and nothing same problem.

Only thing that would do that was the signal switch. So I replaced that. Right after I got it in all worked fine With the LEDs in. I had already changed out the flasher unit for one that will work with LEDs.

Put all the panels back on and tried it just to make sure. Now the right side does not work at any time. So a panel did something or is hampering movement some how.

Later will start pulling the panels back off testing after each one till I get to the problem.

Was putting a below the tailgate strip in and even it was working right.

notnow

I doubt this helps but I'll throw it in anyway. You may have separate circuits for R/L t-signals. And your vehicle probably has 2 fuse panels if you go to look. There may be an answer there. Good luck. I hate automotive wiring issues. I'd rather do my own dental work.

kannoneer

I feel your pain. As others have said, most of my wiring troubles come from a bad ground.
Many years ago had a neighbor who had an older pickup which was giving him a bunch of problems. Finally he went to start it and the starter stuck on and burned up. He went right to town and bought a new pickup of a different make. Drove it home and when he turned the key, it wouldn't shut off. One in a million, but it happened.

grumpygy

Won't get to it for a while maybe even next week end. I'm sure its not the ground or fuse sine mine had but one for both. I'm sure its going to be something that my have broken from the first signal arm causing this now.


But thought you guys would like this. I changed out the trunk bulb in my Cruze. Almost impossible to change without shorting the old bulb. Which I did so when I put in the new bulb it did not work. Checked it with a test light no Juice.

Checked fuses none are listed for the trunk light and non showed as blown. Well after doing some digging and checking it later in the day it all of a sudden started working again. Seems they have a computer brain for functions like this and when it felt the short it shut down the circuit.

After it had a cycle of start and stop. Drive and shut down the circuit reset. Glad I did not start tearing stuff apart trying to fix that.

Big Sky Redneck

On computerized vehicles the lights can be controlled by the cab controller and the addition of LEDs can cause issues. On the trucks I?ve converted to LED often times I had to switch to an electronic flasher and some needed the new flasher and resitors added to each circuit and then you have light panels where the lights are daisey chained and they need a seperate ground for each bulb.

Auto parts stores and chrome shops don?t tell you this, I learned all about it in Kuwait when I bought LED tailights for my BMW and the dashboard went screwy telling me I had no lights. Some vehicles that are computer controlled needs a load on the circuit in order for the computer to see the bulbs and send the correct signals.

grumpygy

quote:Originally posted by Big Sky Redneck
On computerized vehicles the lights can be controlled by the cab controller and the addition of LEDs can cause issues. On the trucks I?ve converted to LED often times I had to switch to an electronic flasher and some needed the new flasher and resitors added to each circuit and then you have light panels where the lights are daisey chained and they need a seperate ground for each bulb.

Auto parts stores and chrome shops don?t tell you this, I learned all about it in Kuwait when I bought LED tailights for my BMW and the dashboard went screwy telling me I had no lights. Some vehicles that are computer controlled needs a load on the circuit in order for the computer to see the bulbs and send the correct signals.


I already did switch the flasher and they work fine. My truck does not have the cab controllers but my chev Cruze does. The 1st light I tried to swap in to the cruze was a Strip LED Light. I put in the Direct Led bulb replacement and it worked fine after it cycled thru a start stop . But when I took the strip light inside I saw it was wired Backwards. Chinese parts not working so great.

varian

also a loose or corroded connection will sometimes pass enough current to operate some circuity but as the load increases they fail. it may operate at 1 amp but not 1.5 amps. a high resistance in the fuse connection or the fuse box connector will do this. i once had a partially broken wire that would test good but not pass enough current to light a bulb.