TheSamba.com :: View topic - 1971 Bay window turn signal/hazzard issues

Tue Apr 29, 2025 6:04 am

Looking for some insight, into recently acquired a 71 Westfalia and I found the previous owner had a wire from the rear passenger side turn signal indicator running up to the front to make that side work.
I removed that and repaired the broken wire in the turn signal. All of the signals work, but now the dimmer for the headlights and the rear hazard lights do not work.
I believe I am chasing a ground problem, if I slowly pull out the hazard switch I can her the buzzer and the horn will sound.

Any thoughts into directions I should start looking would be helpful.

Tue Apr 29, 2025 7:54 am

johan99 wrote: ...... if I slowly pull out the hazard switch I can her the buzzer and the horn will sound.........
:shock: Congratulations on posting an original issue!

I really can't imagine a scenario where the two systems are interconnected so there must be some top notch PO shenanigans going on. I'd disconnect everything and start over following the diagram.

Tue Apr 29, 2025 8:11 am

Start by studying the factory wiring diagram in the Bentley manual, and make sure your existing wires are connected as specified.
If you have "ground" problems, that would seem to include having non-ground wires shorting to ground. Note that the rear
turn signal, brake light, and hazard blinker light are all the same filiment in the same bulb.

Here's a functional diagram of the turn signal/hazard/brake lights in a '71 US-market bus:

Tue Apr 29, 2025 10:14 am

The horn sounds because the hazard switch momentarily shorts 12 volts to the ignition power, which provides power to the horn.

The horn is grounded by the steering lock pin shorting to the inner steering column So it sounds.

Anything connected to the ignition powers up also .

Think of it as a crude alarm.- attempts to hotwire the car with the steering lock on sounds the horn.

A different hazard switch may behave differently.

Tue Apr 29, 2025 10:48 am

kreemoweet wrote: Start by studying the factory wiring diagram in the Bentley manual, and make sure your existing wires are connected as specified.
If you have "ground" problems, that would seem to include having non-ground wires shorting to ground. Note that the rear
turn signal, brake light, and hazard blinker light are all the same filiment in the same bulb.

Here's a functional diagram of the turn signal/hazard/brake lights in a '71 US-market bus:

Does anyone have this schematic for ‘71 European spec buses?

Tue Apr 29, 2025 10:49 am

check the hazard switch to be sure the top has not come loose. That can also be a source of weird hazard operation.

Tue Apr 29, 2025 7:28 pm

ALLWAGONS wrote:

Does anyone have this schematic for ‘71 European spec buses?

There was something posted in a previous thread about the euro tail lights and wiring the separate signal lights