00 Ram 1500, Front Driver Turn Signal Issues with 4x4 Light flashing and a box under battery clicking

[comet424]

i trying to diagnose my trucks issue..
the front driver side Turn signal is dim. flicking fast... 4x4 Light flashes.... and i got some box under the battery that clicks with the light..
pull the front bulb and she stops clicking .. but 4x4 light goes out.. even though its in 4x4 mode so light should be on

where would i even start to diagnose this?
here is a youtube video i made
https://youtu.be/y3Xx6g7oT_s

 

[Spike95]

Look for bad ground connections. When you see strange electrical stuff with multiple circuits affected, it is almost always a bad ground. That would also explain the dim bulb. Keep in mind that the connection may look fine externally, but still be corroded or very slightly loose.

 

[Spike95]

This would be the first place I look. Take it off and make sure the mating surfaces are nice and clean. I like to use sandpaper on them. Then reinstall it with some dielectric grease for protection.

 

[comet424]

oh ok ill try that tomorrow ... i was going to take the battery box off.. but i thought only 4 bolts.. not there extra and then u gotta take that box off..

ya and if i use the remote starter for the truck i have.. it will light up the left turn signal light on the dash dim ..... and where would all the grounds be? its not fun in winter wiring soo stiff working on it outside..

have you guys ever seen anything like that? and whats that box thats clicking?

 

[comet424]

and how could that make that box click if i leave the bulb in but pull it out and it doesnt? how that work as you see in the video
how could bad ground cause that?

 

[Spike95]

and how could that make that box click if i leave the bulb in but pull it out and it doesnt? how that work as you see in the video
how could bad ground cause that?

When you send power to a component with a bad ground, it can wind up looking for a ground elsewhere in the electrical system. Those electrons just want to complete the circuit any way that they can. This can end up sending power to other components that you don’t intend to because those items still have a good connection to ground.

The box you are hearing click is likely the flasher relay. It is getting power from somewhere through that signal bulb. When you disconnect the bulb, you are disconnecting that circuit, so the relay shuts off.

I once worked on a big rig that would make the back up alarm go off whenever you hit the brakes or used the turn signals, but not when you put it in reverse. It also presented some other symptoms that I can’t remember, but that is the one that sticks out in my memory. Turned out to be a bad ground on the firewall. It left several circuits searching for ground, and the only good connection they could find happened to go through that alarm.

 

[Spike95]

oh ok ill try that tomorrow ... i was going to take the battery box off.. but i thought only 4 bolts.. not there extra and then u gotta take that box off..

ya and if i use the remote starter for the truck i have.. it will light up the left turn signal light on the dash dim ..... and where would all the grounds be? its not fun in winter wiring soo stiff working on it outside..

have you guys ever seen anything like that? and whats that box thats clicking?

Btw, not really sure what you are talking about with taking the battery box off. If you are referring to the pic I attached, that was to show you where a bunch of different circuits’ grounds attach to the body at one point (circled in red). No need to remove anything to get to it. It attaches to the inner fender just behind the driver side headlight. It is just one nut holding holding it down.

 

[comet424]

when i said the box under the battery i refering to the 4 min youtube video i posted at the top..

and when i pull the bulb.. the Flashing still works as its not relay.. i talking about that round kinda box underneath the Battery tray.. thats whats clicking
in the video i have the vehicle running.. and then you see me shut the truck off so you can hear it better... its a scractching clicking sound

and i ment battery box = battery tray sorry about that


ill try removing that ground wire and clean it up. i do see its green ... hopefully thats it..

 

[comet424]

so sanding the ground didnt help.. it was also still copper colored.. bt really you need a babys arms to get in there to grab and clean it..

i also tried a test light. to ground.. if i do that.. that round box unit doesnt click with turn signal or hazards.. but still clicks fast..
i figured maybe it was the test lights bulb not enough resistance so i used the actual bulb to ground and still doesnt cause the box to click but keeps the flasher going fast..

the box unit also only clicks when the key is on .. if the key is off then it doesnt click..


where else do i check for another ground?

ill take another video too


update: i uploading video but i also tested..
i guess i getting power at the ground of the light bulb.. Green wire?
if i use a test Light from Battery Pole From either Pos or Neg post . to the Green Wire on the plug will cause it to flash with the relay..


the box making the clicking sound i guess is the cruise control. it doesnt get affected from the removing the rear turn signal... just the front driver..
does that help to narrow things down? where it could be getting bad ground issue etc



where is the crusie control fuse relay? i looked in the side dash and under hood.. there isnt one.. is it shared with something as i wanted to see if removing the fuse to it will fix it
and if no fuse? where doe the wires go so i can trace it? and does it goto the wiring that goes in the fender that plugs to goto the back of the truck?

 

[comet424]

here is video you can see if i unplug the passenger turn signal the 4x4 goes out but plug it in it works.
you see i cleaned the connector.. and how that box clicks under the battery when the light is in the socket .. but not when i bypass it

what other grounds are there for me to check that could cause this?


i pulled out since the video the cruise control. so pulling the power connector didnt fix the flashing... do you guys have wire diagram of the cruise control and the front driver pass... maybe it shows wires that could be bleeding power into each other ?
or where those 2 grounds goto etc
here is the link
https://youtu.be/onzRUOCqaGo

 

[comet424]

I had 0 luck

i did find if you press the E brake the light turn signal flashses faster fully depressed then when released..

i found if your turn the Key To On the light on front driver turn signal comes on where rest stays off

i found if you turn the headlight switch on it goes dim ...

so hopefully you guys have something else i can test.. or know maybe you seen this before and be ah ha ya thats probably this or that

or could it be the computer or the turn signal module on the steering column?

 

[GTyankee]

The clicking sound should happen with the ignition on & either side of the turn signals on
It would also cause flashing Rapidly

The part is called a turn signal flasher

On all my old vehicles, 1950s - 1970s, i use to run a Flasher that played music, when it needed replacing, the music stopped

 

[comet424]

wrong clicking sound.. i guess you missed my youtube videos above part 1 and part 2 so far... i show in 2 youtube videos the clicking is coming from under the Battery Tray .. not inside the truck.. here is a picture.. this unit clicks with the turn signal.. its in both youtube videos i posted above
because you can hear in the video its not in sync with the flasher .. so its not a flasher.. and i mentioned the sound is coming from the unit below the Battery tray.. but the relay for the flasher is under the dash inside the truck..

when i first posted i didnt know what htat box was called the unit.. in the end i figured it out must be the crusie control unit thats clicking with the turn signal

hope i cleared up miss communications...
so far 0 luck figuring it out.. from those issues from me findings of the last post

i unhooked the unit.. in hopes it was causing the short or so... but no luck only found that the driver turn signal comes on dim when you turn the key on... or when u adjust the e brake like i mentioned above... its frustrating..

thats why i was wondering if there is no other grounds?? could it be the computer? or the turn signal in the steering colum?


i wish things were like star trek.. and computer will tell ya the short is in this section of the vehicle the problem is this or that..
gotta love old vehicles lol
do they get better with the new ones?

 

[comet424]

so i did more testing..
i pulled out light switch
pulled out turn signal switch
pulled the cruise control clock work spring connector

and still it lite up.. so i was pulling fuses... and i goto Backup light
it killed the light so thats good.. i tried to put the turn signal switch back in.. and it still flicks the light fast and the 4x4 but doesnt come on when u turn on key..

i removed the rear bulbs that didnt work..

where would i look that the light relay mixes with the reverse light switch what not?


no wonder electrical work costs soo much

is there info on these wirings if they beside each other share the same ground somewhere else maybe in the fuse box under hood or inside truck?

 

[comet424]

also i found if i turn on the headlights the parking light wont come on the driver front but other 3 do..
i checked the 4 grounds under the hood i have and they clean
is there another ground? are there under fuse box?

is there a common issue that this has happened before that its a common spot to look

 

[Spike95]

I don’t have a wiring diagram handy, and I’m in the middle of a very heavy work week, but I’ll try to look when I have some time free. Just keep looking all over the sheet metal of the body, the frame, the battery ground terminal, the ground connections on the alternator, and the ground connections on the starter. I haven’t viewed your second video yet, but your description sounds like other circuits could be finding ground through your turn signal circuit. Which means your signal could have a decent ground, but other items may not.

 

[comet424]

oh ok i did find someone else when i googled it was aon a diesel.. they said there was a 1kohm resistor in the ground wire for the light...
but when i bypassed that ground but having the bulb outside of the plug.... its all messed up i dunno..
this guy has the similar issues.. but i didnt wanan cut wrong wire i dont know truly which one is ground..
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/2nd-ge...eft-turn-signal-problem-on-99-ram-2500-a.html

so in my video i did where i ran ground wire from the battery to the bulb and then stuck the wire in the socket i think it was green wire.. but i also noticed it would also work if i went from the positive leade on the battery and same green so thats why i didnt wanna do more as i dont know which is ground etc

its frustrating i tell ya

 

[El Huapo]

Just a long shot: I have found that hokey wiring for trailer hookups have caused some strange electrical operations. Did someone do some "creative" wiring on the truck? And even the factory wiring can get buggered up by rocks, brush, etc. if going in rough terrain places. Good luck.

 

[Dusty]

wrong clicking sound.. i guess you missed my youtube videos above part 1 and part 2 so far... i show in 2 youtube videos the clicking is coming from under the Battery Tray .. not inside the truck.. here is a picture.. this unit clicks with the turn signal.. its in both youtube videos i posted above
because you can hear in the video its not in sync with the flasher .. so its not a flasher.. and i mentioned the sound is coming from the unit below the Battery tray.. but the relay for the flasher is under the dash inside the truck..

when i first posted i didnt know what htat box was called the unit.. in the end i figured it out must be the crusie control unit thats clicking with the turn signal

hope i cleared up miss communications...
so far 0 luck figuring it out.. from those issues from me findings of the last post

i unhooked the unit.. in hopes it was causing the short or so... but no luck only found that the driver turn signal comes on dim when you turn the key on... or when u adjust the e brake like i mentioned above... its frustrating..

thats why i was wondering if there is no other grounds?? could it be the computer? or the turn signal in the steering colum?


i wish things were like star trek.. and computer will tell ya the short is in this section of the vehicle the problem is this or that..
gotta love old vehicles lol
do they get better with the new ones?

I watched your video. You have correctly identified the cruise control or Speed Control Servo.

This could be caused by a number of issues, such as a shorted wire carrying switched power, bad grounds, or otherwise bad connections.

However, based on the vintage of your vehicle I would not be surprised the problem is in the Total Integrated Power Module (TIPM) if it has one, or the Power Distribution Center. You really need a wiring diagram for this diagnosis.

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33 gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build date: 03 June 2018. Now at: 065202 miles.

 

[comet424]

so i thought i solved it but i didnt
i got it to stop clicking i followed where the person with a 2500 diesel had it... now whe he did was just i guess spliced the ground wire on the socket and he grounded to the battery.. instead i ran it to the ground... now it seemed to fixed it..
but
and heres the butt.. when i started it... it instantly runs at 2200rpms step on the gas etc doesnt bring it down remove the ground wire i added .. and she drops down the rpms and see it sparking but i didnt cut the wire

here is the video i had made but i spoke to soon.. as i didnt fire it up at the time.. so i feel like idiot
https://youtu.be/GtotxzwGyMU

so the above all works.. but i just did this morning fired it up.. as i had a dead battery so i had it on charger and id wait but i had solved the clicking and the turn signal

but now the engine just runs at 2200... ill take another video of it...


as for the trailer wiring it has a built in wiring all i had to do was just buy the end piece the wiring harness was already there you just pluged in the 7 pin plug thing