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  View original topic: Flasher electrical problem
kiwighia68 Tue May 24, 2016 5:44 pm

I have a weird and frustrating electrical problem with the flasher on the Right front of my car - a RHD '68 Ghia Coupé. When I pull the light switch to the first stop, the following lights light up:

Dash instruments
Green light in Speedo (for low beam)
Rear flasher lights
Number plate light on rear
LEFT FRONT FLASHER (indicator) - But not the RIGHT front flasher - There lies the problem.

At the second stop on the light switch, the flashers are off but the lights come on, as they should. Low beam and high beam work.

When I pull the emergency flasher switch, the flashers all round flash (blink, as they say in German), including the RIGHT front flasher.

The turn signals work, including on the RIGHT front flasher (indicator light).

All the fuses are good.

Please help.

swavananda Tue May 24, 2016 6:51 pm

Ok. First I think we need to bring our language in balance. when you pull the light switch to first notch, It turns on the 'running lights'(US). The front bullets have a dual filament bulb, one for 'running light' -one for the 'blinker' or flasher, which is brighter. So the problem is not in the 'blinker' loop ,all four work.

Here is a chart:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/info/wiring/ghia_67_USA.jpg


The light switch here is marked 'F' . Just to the left, You will see a split connector marked 'T'. Check the wire connection there. The left side circuit is fine but the right could be loose. Those wires run uninterrupted till they reach the bullet housing. So you want to check the connection there as well. The bullet housing must have a good ground since the flasher works.The black/green/white wire is the flasher line, Grey the driving light. Really that looks like the only possible points of malfuction. Pull the cover of the left bullet so you can see and understand how the dual filament bulb operates.
Let me know if that makes sense......

kiwighia68 Tue May 24, 2016 7:46 pm

Thank you, swavananda. I've been following your posts on matters electrical and was hoping you'd be the first to respond.

I checked everything in the order you suggested and found the fault right at the last part. The bulb didn't make clean contact.

Clear advice: Problem solved. Case closed. Thank you.

swavananda Tue May 24, 2016 8:41 pm

Sometimes it that easy ! Since you are near/in the middle of the ocean, You might look into dabbing Conductive grease(not dielectric) on your bulb connections and any others that may act up because of salt corrosion :wink:

kiwighia68 Tue May 24, 2016 9:42 pm

swavananda wrote: Sometimes it that easy ! Since you are near/in the middle of the ocean, You might look into dabbing Conductive grease(not dielectric) on your bulb connections and any others that may act up because of salt corrosion :wink:

I'll do that for sure, thanks (The Pacific is visible from my window as I write this, no more than 5-600 yards or so. So corrosion is an ever-present enemy.)



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