Hey guys, new to forum and have a tech issue I hope someone can help with. I have a '70 project that I'm just about finished with but I'm having an issue with the right side turn signals and brake light. All parking lights work front and rear. The brake light and turn signals work fine on left side of car, not at all on right. Now all lights flash when emergency flashers are engaged.

I'm thinking there must be a junction point that's just not making contact on that part of the brake/signal circuit for the right side. I was really thrown for a loop when the emergency flashers all worked. Any ideas?

 

I would suggest getting an electrical manual for the car. I got mine for about 6 or so bucks not counting shipping and it's saved my butt a number of times.

As far as the lights not working on one side that sounds more like it could be the flasher fuse under the dash. It's either a square or round plastic deal about 1 inch in diameter and about an inch and a half long. It sits to the left of the steering column. When you flip the flasher do you hear the "tick, tick" sound that you do with the other side? If you do, is it at the same pace as the working side?

Another thing it could be is the steering column wiring harness which is a super pain in the **** to remove and reinstall. I would recommend just buying a new harness and installing it because pulling the old harness, doing a repair and reinstalling it and then it not working is just a nightmare.

 

Thanks for the quick response. The turn signal flasher only works when left signal actuated. Since it's everything on the right side of car except parking lights I was thinking there must be a main junction point thats causing this. I still can't figure out why the emergency flashers work though.

I'm pretty sure all the lights worked correctly before I had the car painted, but can't remember for sure. This car spent it's entire life in the desert just North of L.A. so there are not rust or corrosion issues so the wiring looks to be in pretty good shape overall. I'm hoping to diagnose and not have to tear into and replace harness. Car is essentially finished other than this "new" issue, I'd hate to have to tear it back apart!

 

I really do think it's just the flasher fuse to be honest with what you're describing. You can get a new one for around 8 bucks. Easy test is like what I described above with listening for the clicking noise from one side to the other. Does the light in the dash blink for the right side when you click it for a right turn or does that not work also?

 

Nothing on the right at all unless emergency flashers on, dash light only works then as well.

 

I would say it's either the harness in the steering column or the switch cam at the base of the switch lever then. When I first got mine the little copper switch had fallen out of it's holder so I had to take off my steering wheel and repair the cam assembly. That fixed a good bit of my troubles but my right turn signal at the rear light doesn't work thanks to the harness having a bad connection. I hope to fix that here shortly.

 

I'm leaning towards the turnsignal switch. The flashers work off a different source, but same wires back, so wiring back to the lights should be fine. Also, if it was wiring to the rear, then the front would at least work. Since it's the whole right side it's most likely in the turnsignal sw. or the steering column wiring.

 

I'm thinking the same thing after doing some more wire tracing and connector probing this afternoon. I've ordered a new switch and already have the column torn down. After looking at it closer the switch seems to have a strange "feel" to it when right turn actuated. Not a crisp click like you normally find. Let's hope!