Electrical issues: turn signals and radio

Dean Lange

Dean Lange

Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2018
Messages
25
Location
Amboy, WA, USA
Hoping someone has experience with this:

History...when driving I would sometimes hear what sounded like the turn signals blinking, even though the level was not activated nor were the blinkers blinking.
Then one day the radio and turn signals would not work, then they would for a bit. This continued for a couple of trip and now they don't work at all.

I noticed yesterday that when the key was turned to "accessory", both worked fine! Seems like that would eliminate it being a fuse or relay. Am I wrong?
Ignition?
Ground issue?

Anything to get me started would be greatly appreciated!
 
First off hand thought would be the ignition switch is worn. Not sure it would explain the flasher clicking but it might account for the loss of the radio in the run position. A good look at the electrical diagram might show a relay activated by the run position that could be suspect, especially if the accessory position runs through a separate path.
Happy hunting,
B
 
That almost sounds like an electrical ground connection is missing or loose. Has anyone worked on the wiring in recent history where something like that could have been left disconnected or not tightened down all the way?
 
No Jerry, not that I know of.
That said Iv'e only owned it for about three months.
When I get home tomorrow, I plan to start with the grounds. As I understand it, there should be three?
 
tomtaylz said:
Anything recently installed onto the tail lights? Guards etc?
Click to expand...

I bought it from an older couple that had a back-up alarm installed (a simple socket and bulb assembly in the left tail light.).
I removed it, but it did nothing for the problem. In other words, it did all this before I replaced with a standard bulb.
I was hoping that taking the alarm off might change something!
 
Dean Lange said:
No Jerry, not that I know of.
That said Iv'e only owned it for about three months.
When I get home tomorrow, I plan to start with the grounds. As I understand it, there should be three?
Click to expand...
There are hundreds, and likely a half-dozen or more ground connections that could possibly cause that problem. Under the dash, behind the radio, at the various interior/exterior lights, etc. When a circuit has a missing ground, it will resort to "scavenging" which means it will find and connect to any ground it can find, even in sometimes seemingly unrelated circuits. When it finds an odd-ground to use it starts drawing current through the unrelated circuit which can cause very odd symptoms.
 
It may be because I do not have much (any) electrical knowledge, but the confusing part to me is why it would work in the "accessory" position but not in the "run" position.
 
Old posting, but had this same problem....Everything works fine in accessory mode, none of it works in "engine on" mode.

Ignition switch was bad.

Basically pull plastic cover off of column (phillips tip) , put key in ignition and turn as if to start, but not to full start, push in small pin on bottom of cylinder and pull key to remove key cylinder. Torx security bit (size "10") to remove bottom of actuator cover, and pull that. Then remove and replace ignition switch (there is a youtube video available for all of this) .


Side note, in emergency you can "hot wire" the ignition by rolling the key cylinder in the actuator cylinder if all of it is hanging but connected. You just have to turn the internal part of the actuator.

Autozone has all of these parts.....

Duralast Ignition Switch LS699

Dorman Ignition Switch Actuator Pin 924-704

Lastly, if you (as I did) lose the spring on the actuator pin, you can take a Bic Pen spring, cut about 25% of it off with snips, and use it as a replacement. Saves you about $45......
 
I had same issue I bought ignition switch for no reason it was just actuator pin and I didn’t have to have separate keys for ignition and door
 
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