Left turn signal not working, but can't seem to fix it
Fred Hassani
The manual says that when only one turn signal or the other does not
work it is a sign of a burned out bulb. The bulbs looked good but just
to be sure I switched the bulbs from the left with the ones from the
right: the problem remained on the left side.
I think the switch is okay since when I move it to signal left I hear
clicking at about twice the normal speed.
Next guess was that there must be a broken wire somewhere. But where?
The wiring for the signals is not all that accessible and I have not
been able to identify any obvious problems in what is easy to get to.
Putting a meter in the bulb sockets shows no juice getting to either
front or rear bulbs. Nor is there any power just before the last
connecters before the bulbs. I am getting a bit frustrated--especially
since I started out thinking it was a 5-minute job.
Any suggestions as to what this might be or what to do next?
Robbi
ab...@altopia.com ab...@google.com u...@FTC.gov postm...@127.0.0.1
"Fred Hassani" <has...@bellatlantic.net> wrote in message
news:3E177073...@bellatlantic.net...
> Recently the left turn signal in my 1990 Miata stopped working.
>
What happens when you turn on your 4-way flashers?
Fred Hassani
left indicator light in the instrument panel, do not light at all.
deelybopper
panel on USA cars) has worked its way lose? Kind of a long shot, but easy
enough to check.
Grant Edwards
> I think the switch is okay since when I move it to signal left I hear
> clicking at about twice the normal speed.
I don't know what type of flashers are used in Miata, but if they're the old
thermal/bimetalic-strip sort, the flashing frequency goes up as the load
current increases. It sounds to me like you've got a short somewhere in the
left turn circuit. Do you have a multimeter? Can you measure the
resistance from the contact in the bulb socket to ground?
> Next guess was that there must be a broken wire somewhere.
Broken wires (or open bulb elements) usually cause the flashing frequency to
slow down. [It reduces the load current which increases the time it takes
to heat up the bi-metalic strip so that it bends and opens the circuit.]
--
Grant Edwards grante Yow! hubub, hubub, HUBUB,
at hubub, hubub, hubub, HUBUB,
visi.com hubub, hubub, hubub.
Robbi
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"Fred Hassani" <has...@bellatlantic.net> wrote in message
news:3E177DE6...@bellatlantic.net...
Since the problem occurs both when you activate the turn-signal switch and
the hazard (flasher) switch, the problem is not in either switch. My guess
is that either the left turn-signal/flasher wire (green w/black stripe)
coming out of your flasher relay (under the steering column) is
disconnected, or that your flasher relay needs to be replaced.
It's easiest just to replace the relay and see if this solves your problem.
If you want to check the wire before buying a new flasher relay, you can
connect the green/black wire temporarily to the relay at the pole where the
right-side wire, which is green w/white stripe, is connected, then operate
the flasher or the right turn signal. If the left lights are flashing now,
then it's a faulty relay; if not, the green/black wire has a discontinuity
or a short to ground.
(Please post the solution here when you find the problem!)
Doug
<has...@bellatlantic.net> wrote:
>Recently the left turn signal in my 1990 Miata stopped working.
>
>I think the switch is okay since when I move it to signal left I hear
>clicking at about twice the normal speed.
I've wired my '90 for towing, with a connector spliced into the tail
light lines near the fuse block at the driver's feet. When
disconnected (ie driving no load), the relays click at high speed,
same as you heard. So the other note speculating about slower click
speed for '90 Miata relays is probably not accurate.
That said, your relay apparently has no load on it, for whatever
reason, and your switch does work. A broken line or connector
somewhere. I'd start by separating the connector near the fuse block.
It may be behind the plastic panel there, I can't remember if mine
was. It has about 15 lines. But disconnect that and probe with a
test light, with wire colors as others note or by inspecting the
harness at the tail light. See if the relay is supplying juice at
that point or throw some juice into the line and see if the tail light
works. Trace either way as indicated.
Doug
Fred Hassani
Your advice was right on the mark. I learned a bit more in the process
of fixing the problem which I will share here.
I checked the wires into the flasher relay as you suggested and
everything looked normal. I could not find an easy way to switch the
wires as you suggested, so while I had the relay disconnected, I did a
simple test of the wires leading out to the lamps. I took a short piece
of wire and bent it to form a jumper between the hot lead in the flasher
plug and the left turn signal lead in the plug. All three lights
(front, rear, and instrument panel) came on properly. Had there been a
short to ground anywhere in the wires leading to the bulbs I am pretty
sure I would have blown the fuse. It did not blow, so I was confident
that all of the wires leading to the bulbs were good
Then I used a volt-ohm meter to measure the voltage between the leads on
the flasher plug that go to the turn signal switch. I tested first the
right, and then the left, and in each case when the switch was turned on
I got 12 volts. Off gave me 0 volts. This told me that there was
nothing wrong with the wiring to the switch. Had there been less than
12, there could have been something that "fooled" the flasher relay into
thinking that a bulb was out. But this was not the case.
So off to the Miata dealer (NAPA did not have a replacement) for a new
flasher unit. $70 bucks. Everything now works fine.
Now for the new part. I did not realize until after I had everything
put back together that the flasher unit comes apart to expose the
internal circuitry. I was thinking of it as just one of those black
boxes that either works or not. Well, now I had nothing to lose by
taking it apart (the new flasher, an electrical part, can't be returned
anyway). When I slid the board out the top looked to be in mint
condition. But the bottom, where the soldering is, had two solder
points that had corrosion bridging them together. It was really easy to
clean this off. While I have not yet tried the old flasher unit in the
car again (too cold outside right now) I would bet dollars to doughnuts
that the old one will work now.
Fred
MikeŠ
"Fred Hassani" <has...@bellatlantic.net> wrote in message
news:3E1A42F1...@bellatlantic.net...
Robbi
ab...@altopia.com ab...@google.com u...@FTC.gov postm...@127.0.0.1
"Fred Hassani" <has...@bellatlantic.net> wrote in message
news:3E1A42F1...@bellatlantic.net...
> Robbi,
>
> Your advice was right on the mark. I learned a bit more in the process
> of fixing the problem which I will share here.
I'm glad it all worked out. Thanks for sharing the lesson -- I've always
thought of flashers as black boxes, too. Learn something new every day!
Lanny Chambers
Fred Hassani <has...@bellatlantic.net> wrote:
> Now for the new part. I did not realize until after I had everything
> put back together that the flasher unit comes apart to expose the
> internal circuitry. I was thinking of it as just one of those black
> boxes that either works or not. Well, now I had nothing to lose by
> taking it apart (the new flasher, an electrical part, can't be returned
> anyway). When I slid the board out the top looked to be in mint
> condition. But the bottom, where the soldering is, had two solder
> points that had corrosion bridging them together. It was really easy to
> clean this off.
Fred, please consider writing this up for the miata.net Garage.
Including a close-up photo of the problem area would be useful. Sooner
or later, someone will send you a note of profuse thanks for saving him
$70.
--
Lanny Chambers, St. Louis, USA
'94C
the alignment page:
http://www.hummingbirds.net/alignment.html
mazdog
and located the box under the dash (Of course, this was after having
replaced every bulb int he left side of the car.). So, I bought a soldering
iron, touched up the contacts and "Viola" when I activated the left turn
signal, it worked great. Turn right, though, and both side's started
flashing. I gave up and drove to the nearest car yard and pulled a "new"
flasher module (and a leather-wrapped steering wheel, oem tape player, shift
knob, etc) from a wrecked Miata. It's been business as usual since then.
JP on #3 1990 Crystal White
"Fred Hassani" <has...@bellatlantic.net> wrote in message
news:3E177073...@bellatlantic.net...
Larry Gadbois
rear turn signal bulb was replaced with a lower current type it could
prevent the flasher from working. If the parking and four way flasher
works, pull the bulbs and check the bulb number.
--
Larry
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"mazdog" <maz...@msn.com> wrote in message
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Arye
> I have a 2010 E450 and the left front turn signal is not working. In the dash it blinks fast. The rear light blinks but not the front one. The bulb is good. Can the relay single out just one light?
>>
>> Any suggestions as to what this might be or what to do next?
>
The bulb might be good but not seated properly.
The wires to the inop turn signal may be cut or shorted. Use a voltmeter
to test.
Leon van Dommelen
> I have a 2010 E450
Leon
