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dungeoncrawl
Samba Member
Joined: January 17, 2008
Posts: 109
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 Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2021 8:45 pm Post subject: 1970 Ghia Driver's Side Front Turn Signal Blinks Strangely |
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The right, front turn signal alternates between "Lit" to "Lit but Brighter" and seems "normal". The left alternates from "Off" to "Strangely Lit" when blinking. It seems to struggle to get to "medium" brightness when going toward "Strangely" lit.
Someone suggested that I "check the ground" but I'm not sure where to begin. Any ideas? Also, I replaced the bulb and it does the same thing. |
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sputnick60
Samba Moderator
Joined: July 22, 2007
Posts: 4124
Location: In Molinya Orbit
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| Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2021 9:24 pm Post subject: Re: 1970 Ghia Driver's Side Front Turn Signal Blinks Strangely |
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The ground is the return path for the circuit. Usually in early VWs the ground is provided via attachment screws between the car’s body and the device. In your situation the flasher housing isn’t electrically bonded to the car to make a steady contact.
So, fiddle with the screws and sockets till you get it a steady connection working, or as a hack, add a separate wire between the housing and the car body.
Nicholas
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dungeoncrawl
Samba Member
Joined: January 17, 2008
Posts: 109
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| Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2021 5:43 pm Post subject: Re: 1970 Ghia Driver's Side Front Turn Signal Blinks Strangely |
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| sputnick60 wrote: |
So, fiddle with the screws and sockets till you get it a steady connection working, or as a hack, add a separate wire between the housing and the car body.
Nicholas |
Can you give me some guidance on that? Wouldn't the closest ground screw be the one in the trunk to the left of the windshield spray bottle? I've loosened and tightened that one and none of the other lights in the area seem to have a problem. Now, the light bulb WAS stuck in the socket and took us some time loosening it up by tapping it with a screw driver and hammer. But unside the socket it 'looks' clean. Doesn't appear to be any shorts with cables directly connected to the turn signal housing. |
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kman
Samba Member
Joined: November 04, 2005
Posts: 739
Location: Michigan
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| Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2021 4:10 am Post subject: Re: 1970 Ghia Driver's Side Front Turn Signal Blinks Strangely |
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All my crazy #1 fuse and turn signal problems were solved by some electrical tape under the turn signal assembly in the steering column. It was shorting out in the housing.
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71 vert build. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=572951&highlight=dead |
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mxl556
Samba Member
Joined: December 05, 2015
Posts: 66
Location: Vermont
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| Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2021 12:51 pm Post subject: Re: 1970 Ghia Driver's Side Front Turn Signal Blinks Strangely |
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Something else to consider... I had all kind of crazy turn signal and parking light problems that looked like a bad ground (dim lights, fast blinking). I was checking the grounds and replacing/cleaning bulb holders but could not find any problems. One day turn signal switch quit working and the replacement fixed all of the issues.
Max |
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