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johanmarais
Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2017
Posts: 13
Location: South Africa
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 Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2017 10:42 am Post subject: Crazy turn signal issue |
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Hi all
My vanagon has a problem (what's new?  )
Anyway, my hazards work fine and bright but as soon as I try to use my turn signal all four lights come on and blink (not so bright) as if the hazards are being used.
I did check all fuses and all grounds but still can't get this sorted.
Today I replaced the turn signal lever but still have the same problem.
Any idea on where to start looking.
Thanks in advance.
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1990 Vanagon 2.1i (South Africa Caravelle) |
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dougass
Samba Member
Joined: December 13, 2016
Posts: 300
Location: NJ
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| Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2017 10:44 am Post subject: Re: Crazy turn signal issue |
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Are you running LED's?
Are your side markers tied in?
Any recent electrical work?
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'91 GL - 2.1 automatic named Klaus for weekend adventures.
#klausvan & @thisisklausvan |
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erste
Samba Member
Joined: March 29, 2013
Posts: 1110
Location: San Francisco
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| Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2017 11:12 am Post subject: Re: Crazy turn signal issue |
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| You might replace the flasher relay. Cheap thing to try if nothing else seems obvious. |
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timichango
Samba Member
Joined: April 07, 2012
Posts: 858
Location: Squamish, BC, Canada
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| Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2017 12:43 pm Post subject: Re: Crazy turn signal issue |
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Fingers crossed for you that it's not the stalk switch. That'd be a bummer.
That happened on our '04 golf earlier this year...
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Vroomhilde-San: Our 1991 Silver Vanagon Westy automatic + Subie EJ25 |
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johanmarais
Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2017
Posts: 13
Location: South Africa
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| Posted: Fri Jul 07, 2017 11:45 am Post subject: Re: Crazy turn signal issue |
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***** Update *****
I replaced the relay, and the switch but still not working.
Also noticed that the temp gauge is not working.
Could this be linked?
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1990 Vanagon 2.1i (South Africa Caravelle) |
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erste
Samba Member
Joined: March 29, 2013
Posts: 1110
Location: San Francisco
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| Posted: Fri Jul 07, 2017 1:59 pm Post subject: Re: Crazy turn signal issue |
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Sorry I can't be more help, but what happens if you unplug the hazard switch?
I'd look over the grounds again and start tracing relevant wires and taking a closer look at them.
Good luck! Seems like a weird issue. |
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jmranger
Samba Member
Joined: January 14, 2010
Posts: 701
Location: Quebec
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| Posted: Fri Jul 07, 2017 7:51 pm Post subject: Re: Crazy turn signal issue |
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Is this a new issue?
Same behavior when flashing left & right?
Other things you could check:
- That there isn't corrosion in the front bulb sockets, and that the correct bulbs are installed (i.e. with two contacts on the bulb bottom).
- That there isn't oxydation on the contacts of the emergency flasher switch. Some issues were solved by moving that switch a few times - see https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=460799 |
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johanmarais
Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2017
Posts: 13
Location: South Africa
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| Posted: Sat Jul 08, 2017 6:11 am Post subject: Re: Crazy turn signal issue |
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| erste wrote: |
Sorry I can't be more help, but what happens if you unplug the hazard switch?
I'd look over the grounds again and start tracing relevant wires and taking a closer look at them.
Good luck! Seems like a weird issue. |
Thanks for the advice Erste.
When I unplug the hazard switch nothing works, but the indicator dash light stays solid ON.
I did check all the ground crowns again but still no success.
| jmranger wrote: |
Is this a new issue?
Same behavior when flashing left & right?
Other things you could check:
- That there isn't corrosion in the front bulb sockets, and that the correct bulbs are installed (i.e. with two contacts on the bulb bottom).
- That there isn't oxydation on the contacts of the emergency flasher switch. Some issues were solved by moving that switch a few times - see https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=460799 |
Thanks Ranger
Its still the same problem with the flashing left and right.
I did check and cleaned the bulb sockets and did check the bulbs. In South Africa, we only use single contact bulbs since we don't use marker lights.
Also did check and cleaned the hazard switch contacts.
I can feel my hair turning grey with this problem.
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1990 Vanagon 2.1i (South Africa Caravelle) |
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jmranger
Samba Member
Joined: January 14, 2010
Posts: 701
Location: Quebec
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| Posted: Sat Jul 08, 2017 6:41 am Post subject: Re: Crazy turn signal issue |
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| johanmarais wrote: |
| In South Africa, we only use single contact bulbs since we don't use marker lights. |
Oh, I didn't know that.
Two more tests:
- Remove all four flasher bulbs. Put them back one at a time, always keeping three not installed. Test the regular flashers in all cases. What do you see? Is the installed bulb flashing or not, slow or fast, dim or bright?
- This one requires an ohmmeter. Remove the emergency flasher switch from the van. Locate terminals L & R. These terminal should be true open circuit with the switch in the "normal flashers" position, and a true short circuit with the switch in the "emergency flashers" position. Is it how it is? |
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johanmarais
Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2017
Posts: 13
Location: South Africa
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| Posted: Sat Jul 08, 2017 12:42 pm Post subject: Re: Crazy turn signal issue |
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| jmranger wrote: |
| johanmarais wrote: |
| In South Africa, we only use single contact bulbs since we don't use marker lights. |
Oh, I didn't know that.
Two more tests:
- Remove all four flasher bulbs. Put them back one at a time, always keeping three not installed. Test the regular flashers in all cases. What do you see? Is the installed bulb flashing or not, slow or fast, dim or bright?
- This one requires an ohmmeter. Remove the emergency flasher switch from the van. Locate terminals L & R. These terminal should be true open circuit with the switch in the "normal flashers" position, and a true short circuit with the switch in the "emergency flashers" position. Is it how it is? |
Thanks Ranger, I'll test and report back
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1990 Vanagon 2.1i (South Africa Caravelle) |
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johanmarais
Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2017
Posts: 13
Location: South Africa
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| Posted: Sat Jul 15, 2017 2:52 am Post subject: Re: Crazy turn signal issue |
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| jmranger wrote: |
| johanmarais wrote: |
| In South Africa, we only use single contact bulbs since we don't use marker lights. |
Oh, I didn't know that.
Two more tests:
- Remove all four flasher bulbs. Put them back one at a time, always keeping three not installed. Test the regular flashers in all cases. What do you see? Is the installed bulb flashing or not, slow or fast, dim or bright?
- This one requires an ohmmeter. Remove the emergency flasher switch from the van. Locate terminals L & R. These terminal should be true open circuit with the switch in the "normal flashers" position, and a true short circuit with the switch in the "emergency flashers" position. Is it how it is? |
I've removed the four bulbs and did check it one by one. With the hazards, it blinks as normal and all four is the same brightness.
With the turn signal, all four still blink as before no matter the switch position. The only thing I noticed was that the left side (both front and back) is not as bright as the right side.
For some reason, my ohm meter ain't working but I did swap out the hazard switch for a brand new one and there was no change to this problem.
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1990 Vanagon 2.1i (South Africa Caravelle) |
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Aryana
Samba Member
Joined: November 09, 2015
Posts: 568
Location: Southern CA
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| Posted: Sat Jul 15, 2017 3:04 am Post subject: Re: Crazy turn signal issue |
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Did you install new bulbs in your turn signals recently? Verify that you have two pole bulbs installed, and not a single pole.
The single pole bulb will let voltage backfeed into the system because it will short two circuits together. |
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djkeev
Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32590
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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jmranger
Samba Member
Joined: January 14, 2010
Posts: 701
Location: Quebec
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| Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2017 10:26 pm Post subject: Re: Crazy turn signal issue |
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Sorry, I didn't see your reply until now.
Does your van has a trailer converter? That little box that generates the correct signals to drive trailer lights? Those can go bad or create shorts.
If not, I'm afraid you'll have to find a working volt/ohm meter for the next steps. Even if you replaced both the turn signal switch and the emergency flasher switch, those are still my prime suspects. |
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MarkWard
Samba Member
Joined: February 09, 2005
Posts: 17117
Location: Retired South Florida
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| Posted: Fri Jul 28, 2017 10:23 am Post subject: Re: Crazy turn signal issue |
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Look at page 97.213 for a layout of the turn signal wiring in the Bentley manual. With a simple 12 volt testlight you can check a few places using the diagram as a reference without tearing the entire van apart. With the flashers flashing, you should have a flashing test light at the T/S switch plug on the bk/g wire for the right signal circuit and on the bk/w wire for the left signal circuit. In the US market, the front turnsignals were dual filament bulbs. They served as turnsignals and parking lights. Not sure about your neck of the woods.
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kaeferman
Samba Member
Joined: April 04, 2012
Posts: 115
Location: Sylva, NC
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| Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2018 5:37 pm Post subject: Re: Crazy turn signal issue |
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Djkeev is right. Grounds
Ok I just wanted to second the ground rings or trees as a common source for turn signals and other electrical issues with the instrument panel. My turn signals quit blinking and the green dash indicator would come on when I did the switch and no lights flashed. The hazards flashed correctly and markers worked with the headlights. I tried replacing the switch on the column to no avail. I should have tried the ground rings first. It would have cost me only time under the dash and one of those packets of electro gel from the auto parts counter.
There are two rings that are screwed to the body above and left of the fuse panel. Undo your negative battery strap, drop the fuse panel and you can get a Phillips screw driver in there to remove the ground rings. Pull all the brown wires with needle nose first and replace any of the female connectors that seem easy to pull off or break when you squeeze the tabs a little with pliers. Several of mine broke or were loose. I sanded the ring’s male tabs well and scraped the paint where the screw enters before replacing. Silicone electro gel isn t a bad idea either to keep it from corroding later.
The ring cleaning also got my washer pump to work which I had been stumped on after getting an 8 volt reading at the two wires at the pump when I did the washer switch on the column.
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