Turn signal problems

HandyDan · September 21, 2012, 11:25 AM

I took my '84 Holiday Rambler to the truck center for its state inspection. Everything was okay except the turn signals. Last night I checked everything out and they worked just fine but at the truck center things went awry. They have to check with the headlights on. For some reason when the headlights are on the turn signals act like hazard lights in that all the turn signal lights blink at the same time. With the headlights off, they work normally except there is a slight feed back in the opposite light. You can barely see the opposite light blink. With all that info, do any of you have any idea where I should start to look for a short or bad ground? I'm thinking it is in the switch, but with turn signals, it could be anywhere. We are talking about 5 lights on each side of the coach not counting the head lights.

tiinytina · September 21, 2012, 01:42 PM

if its all of them doing the same thing... probably is a bad short etc in the switch where I'm assuming all the wires meet up. Unless of course they meet up and are bunched together somewhere, then could be mouse issue or worn off insulation. I would trace switch back to headlight wires first. Wouldn't be the first time a switch went bad. The beast is changing it off the column.... Had to do that on my first car a Datsun 310GX... ah the joys of pulling a steering wheel...

tina

Froggy1936 · September 21, 2012, 01:47 PM

make shure you ck all ALL bulbs for a broken filiment shorting to the other filiment This can be a bear to find Frank

HandyDan · September 21, 2012, 04:17 PM

Well, I found it. The driver side forward side light was severely corroded I couldn't even get the bulb out. Luckily, last year I ordered new light assemblies because the lens on all the side lights (4) were dull and cracked. I just never got around to replacing them. I removed the bad light assembly and put on the new one. Problem solved! I went around the motor home and checked all the other lights and didn't find anything that was problematic. Several of the clearance lights will have to be replaced. They are rusted, corroded, and not working. They aren't on the state inspection and I have never driven the MH at night, but I want them working, nevertheless. However, I have been all over the internet and can't find an exact match to the clearance lights. Might have to replace with LEDs instead.
This is a picture of the passenger side light instead of the driver's side, but it was in my Photobucket album and will give you an idea of what the light looks like. I'll try to find a picture of the clearance lights and post that. Thanks for all the replys. I appreciate the help.

Froggy1936 · September 21, 2012, 08:22 PM

Time to replace all clearance lights with LED type , Then you can leave parking lights on all night without fear of depleted battery (good idea if parked along a highway in a emergency parking area) Frank

tiinytina · September 21, 2012, 08:32 PM

Love to do that... if they weren't still $$ and we need 17 of them... LOL
Tina

ClydesdaleKevin · September 22, 2012, 07:34 AM

Glad you found the problem, Dan! We have yet to get the LED marker and clearance lights for this coach, but we had them on the Itasca and it made a big difference night driving. Before getting the LEDs, if we put our headlights on at night, the voltage meter would drop way down to 12...once the LEDs were installed the needle on the gauge barely moved if the lights were put on.

You can find them on eBay pretty cheap.

Kev

ClydesdaleKevin · September 24, 2012, 06:54 AM

I forgot to add...once I replaced all the marker lights and signal lights and tail lights with LEDs on the Itasca, the old fashioned bimetalic flasher relay wouldn't work anymore. There wasn't enough current being drawn anymore to make the relay operate the signal lights and hazards...easy and cheap solution though...got an electronic relay, plugged right into the original socket, and it worked fine after that.

Kev