Ok, here we go. I have a 2002 TJ, 4.0, manual. I am getting it going as I picked it up a little beat. So, I put flat fenders on it. The previous owner cut the turn signal lights on both sides. Basically cut right below the first splice. So, I have just the wires sticking out. Now, I’m trying to wire up the 2 wire turn signal in the flat fender. Problem is this: with nothing hooked up in the front turn signals, when I hit either right or left turn on the column, both rear signals, the 3rd brake light and the dash/clock on the radio all flash. So, I can’t begin to hook up the front until I can figure out why all the turn signals flash. Any advice, links to walkthrough would be very helpful. Thanks
Turn signal trouble
- Thread starter Atv1273
- Start date
I had a similar issue with my '98 TJ , check your ground points on your taillight. These are usually grounded through metal to metal contact. I know this sounds strange but dc circuits have a tendency to seek ground paths through wherever they can be found. My radio could be turned on key-off if I turned on the parking lights, it was amusing at first.
Until you have ALL of the turn signal bulbs installed, your impedance for the flasher circuit will be an issue and cause problems. I have replaced both front turn signal sockets and both the fender sockets. Get the wiring diagram from the FSM as they are wired a little different, the fender lights use a ‘floating ground’. The turn signal switch is also prone to dust intrusion, so I pulled the covers and cleaned it good with electronic contact cleaner. You can also upgrade to LED bulbs, several posts on this forum have information on that topic. It also helps to disconnect all the ground cables, clean them up, and reconnect them. Electrical gremlins are so much fun!
I grounded each taillight separately by adding a wire inside the housing and attaching it to the Jeep. I thought adding corner guards and mounting the taillight outside of that may be a problem. Now the problem has altered a little. Everything out back is good. Now I try left turn and nothing up front, right turn signal and both up front flash! 
. Gotta love electrical issues. I’ll check the turn signal switch for excessive dust and go from there.
. Gotta love electrical issues. I’ll check the turn signal switch for excessive dust and go from there.
The running & turn signal circuit requires all the bulbs be installed for everything to work properly. And if LED light bulbs are installed in the side marker/turn signals that will screw things up. Those circuits require standard incandescent bulbs which allows the current to flow both directions since it reverses when the headlights are turned on. You can get around that issue by installing a full-wave bridge rectifier for each side marker bulb if you insist on it being an LED bulb since the bridge rectifier would allow current flow in both directions but...
Thanks Jerry. The challenge is that the wire harness has been cut about 8” from where it comes through the inner fender. All I want to do is ad in my 2 wire LED turn signals up front. I can’t id the turn signal wires until I can get the functioning properly. I’ll look up the bridge and a 2 - 3 wire set up. I’m no expert on vehicle wiring. . I really appreciate all the input so far! I am replacing the multifunction turn signal as well. I found a broken wire on that checking out the dust.
. I really appreciate all the input so far! I am replacing the multifunction turn signal as well. I found a broken wire on that checking out the dust.
The more LED bulbs you install the more issues and headaches you're going to experience. There are just some circuits that don't do well with LED bulbs and the marker/turn signal circuits are two of them.
Incidentally, here's the reason LEDs cause problems in some circuits. In addition to being a light bulb, they are also diodes which only allow current flow in one direction. That is the characteristic of LEDs that cause problems for circuits like the turn signals & running lights that reverse the current flow through some bulbs when the headlights turn on. Incandescent bulbs allow current flow both directions which is what those circuits depend on.
Jerry, does this relay address the issue you mentioned? the reviews seem mixed.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KQUZHRA/?tag=wranglerorg-20
Sorry, nevermind. I've done a lot more reading on here and realized this has been addressed extensively.
If you want LEDs in both the turn signals and sidemarkers, the sidemarker socket has to be converted to a three wire setup. This requires the use of diodes and inline resistors (not load resistors) to correctly dim the bulb and prevent back feeding. There is no plug and play solution as far as I know.
For some reason I must of got lucky with the combination of LED manufacturer’s I used (after several tries) since I now have LED’s in all 6 sockets; front, rear, and side marker, with an EP26 flasher and they all work great...super bright up front. Sorry, some of the bulbs came in plain packages, so I can’t share the combination.
Cjames44
Member
I have leds everywhere except the font turn signals. If I put led in the front turns, escrutinio I put the turn signal on, the odometer and the radio display flash and both turn indicators. So, the only non Led on the Jeep is the front turn /Park.
Cjames44
Member
nightcrawler_lj
New Member
Did you ever get this issue fixed? currently going through the same issue with my LJ. Thanks.
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