Something weird with turn signal

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

Blue Chaos

Member
Joined
Sep 5, 2015
Posts
68
Reaction score
4
Location
Bloomington, IN
Ram Year
1985
Engine
LA 318
So my turn signals work fine when my parking/headlights are off. But if I have my park/headlights on my passenger side signals work fine but my driver side the light on the cluster just stays lit and both front and back bulbs shut off completely. I thought it was a bulb problem so I replaced them all. Still having the same issue. When the parking/headlights are on but no turn signal they work fine. When they are off turn signal works fine, but not together... Please someone tell me you have had this happen and its not a whole wiring harness.
 

crazzywolfie

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2013
Posts
16,416
Reaction score
3,180
Location
under the truck
Ram Year
81 93
Engine
5.2
there is most likely a short in that side or a bad bulb. usually my truck does that when the park like is out.
 
OP
OP
B

Blue Chaos

Member
Joined
Sep 5, 2015
Posts
68
Reaction score
4
Location
Bloomington, IN
Ram Year
1985
Engine
LA 318
My connectors are in ROUGH shape, could that be it? The rear where it grabs the bulb is fine but the wings that hold it in the new tail light are rusted off. The front one half or the metal part that holds the bulb is rusted off. I had to scrub the inside connectors just to get the bulb to work.
 

crazzywolfie

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2013
Posts
16,416
Reaction score
3,180
Location
under the truck
Ram Year
81 93
Engine
5.2
the issue will be in the front somewhere on the side that the light says. it could be a connector or socket. would really be hard to say without being there. the turn signal indicators are tied to the front turn signal wiring which is why it comes on when it is out or there is a issue.
 
OP
OP
B

Blue Chaos

Member
Joined
Sep 5, 2015
Posts
68
Reaction score
4
Location
Bloomington, IN
Ram Year
1985
Engine
LA 318
the issue will be in the front somewhere on the side that the light says. it could be a connector or socket. would really be hard to say without being there. the turn signal indicators are tied to the front turn signal wiring which is why it comes on when it is out or there is a issue.

Awesome! Good to know! I will begin with a new connector and then go on a wire hunt.
 

crazzywolfie

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2013
Posts
16,416
Reaction score
3,180
Location
under the truck
Ram Year
81 93
Engine
5.2
ya. it took me a bit to realize it on my truck. also did you also check the turn signal bulb on the light in the fender? could also maybe cause it to kick on.
 

TRCM

USN, Retired
Military
Joined
Jul 30, 2012
Posts
3,238
Reaction score
5,359
Location
Newport News, VA
Ram Year
2012 1500 Laramie CC 4x4
Engine
5.7 Hemi
Also check the hazard switch...when they go bad, weird things happen
 
OP
OP
B

Blue Chaos

Member
Joined
Sep 5, 2015
Posts
68
Reaction score
4
Location
Bloomington, IN
Ram Year
1985
Engine
LA 318
I pulled the little reflector bulb or whatever just to make sure it wasn't it. No dice again. And with the hazard switch. I pulled it and they work fine, but if that's the problem, do I just replace the switch??
 

crazzywolfie

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2013
Posts
16,416
Reaction score
3,180
Location
under the truck
Ram Year
81 93
Engine
5.2
the switch is not likely the issue. your issue is still probably still under the hood in the wiring or connectors. somewhere power is getting from the park lights into the turn signal light system
 

The War Wagon

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 2, 2015
Posts
1,617
Reaction score
1,076
Location
da' 'BURGH
Ram Year
1992
Engine
318 Magnum
the switch is not likely the issue. your issue is still probably still under the hood in the wiring or connectors. somewhere power is getting from the park lights into the turn signal light system

This. I've had some insulation rub away on socket wires, and a little duct tape fixed that (electrical tape exposed to the elements rarely stays put). I also had to clean out a turn signal socket with some steel wool, to remove the corrosion, and make a good contact.

The front end of our RC's catch/caught a LOTTA salt in the face back in the day, so don't be surprised to find worn insulation and corroded sockets that will take a Dodge SHERLOCK to track down. My horn wiring is practically shot, and needs to be redone next.
 
OP
OP
B

Blue Chaos

Member
Joined
Sep 5, 2015
Posts
68
Reaction score
4
Location
Bloomington, IN
Ram Year
1985
Engine
LA 318
Yeah my horn wiring is virtually non-existant. The turn/parking connectors are completely and utterly screwed. They are only half there. So I'll get ahold of my parts guy for some new
 

crazzywolfie

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2013
Posts
16,416
Reaction score
3,180
Location
under the truck
Ram Year
81 93
Engine
5.2
ya if the connectors are toast you are probably best to just remove them and connect new light sockets straight to the wiring an use some dual wall heat shrink tubing to seal it all up
 
OP
OP
B

Blue Chaos

Member
Joined
Sep 5, 2015
Posts
68
Reaction score
4
Location
Bloomington, IN
Ram Year
1985
Engine
LA 318
Put in new sockets on all for corners. Fixed some of the problems. Traced the wires and found one of the grounds was broken. Fixed that and they all work perfectly now! I think I will write up a how to with pics. I took a lot lol
 

crazzywolfie

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2013
Posts
16,416
Reaction score
3,180
Location
under the truck
Ram Year
81 93
Engine
5.2
that is good to hear. a bad ground would have also cause the issue but not really as common to think of. usually it should have also cause other issues like the 1 headlight to be a bit dimmer or something since the headlights would share a ground with the turn signal but i guess the old sockets could have also been part of the issue.
 

crazzywolfie

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2013
Posts
16,416
Reaction score
3,180
Location
under the truck
Ram Year
81 93
Engine
5.2
seen that before. my 91 was like that on all sockets. i don't think my 81 was that bad but i think i ended up replacing all the sockets on it just because they were not looking great.
 
OP
OP
B

Blue Chaos

Member
Joined
Sep 5, 2015
Posts
68
Reaction score
4
Location
Bloomington, IN
Ram Year
1985
Engine
LA 318
My driver side front and rear looked like this but the passenger side wasn't bad but I replaced them anyways. This was the rear one lol the wings completely rusted off lol
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20150917_110719757_HDR.jpg
    IMG_20150917_110719757_HDR.jpg
    98 KB · Views: 15

crazzywolfie

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2013
Posts
16,416
Reaction score
3,180
Location
under the truck
Ram Year
81 93
Engine
5.2
ya not too surprising. i think i actually have or had a light socket with less than less than that left of it. on my 91 the previous owner had just taped the sockets into the housing. also i don't know if you replaced the reverse light sockets or not but when i did i used turn signal sockets so that i would only have to keep 1157 bulbs on hand instead of having to keep a couple 1156 bulbs kicking around.
 
OP
OP
B

Blue Chaos

Member
Joined
Sep 5, 2015
Posts
68
Reaction score
4
Location
Bloomington, IN
Ram Year
1985
Engine
LA 318
I thought about it. But I am out of cash lol. The three wire (1157) sockets were actually cheaper than the two wire (1156) sockets. I may go that route.
 

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
194,902
Posts
2,863,860
Members
155,252
Latest member
radikio
Top