Ok, here's the deal. My left(driver side) front turn signal won't light 95% of the time. Over the last few weeks it has worked here and there. Changed the bulb and added dielectric grease and still the same result. I got a good look at the socket yesterday and it was very corroded so I got a new one today, wired it correctly and still nothing. Now the parking light in that bulb works(as it did before), I don't have a problem with that(the longer filament) but the flashing filament(shorter) doesn't. My rear turn signal bulbs on the left work with the hazard lights and they light solid with the turn signal on. I even tried to ground the wire off the new socket to the car and still nothing. I am running out of ideas. BTW, all fuses are fine. I have an ancient ohm meter that I can't decipher for beans, but all I can tell you is that when I get the connections on the driver and passenger side it fluctuates at the same rate and same values(1.7ish to .4ish) on what I THINK is the volts setting(really ancient).
Oh yeah, I even swapped the hazard and 4way flasher even though they have different numbers and they functioned the same way with the flashers switched.
Any other suggestions?

 

It's unclear from your post if the rear is functioning properly. Also If you have DRL's that will have an effect on the wiring.

If I assume the rear works fine. I would check the connection at C200. It is the funkiest connector you will find under the drivers dash between the column and the kick panel. It is huge and one side is black and pluged into it are 3 connectors. 2 are black and one is gray. You're looking for the connection of the light blue wire. They are connected to the 2 large black halves which are screwed together. This is the wire for the left front turn signal.

Use a 12 volt test light(available at any auto parts store) and ground the clamp to a good ground like the post behind the kick panel with black wires on it. Now probe the light blue wire on both sides of the black connector, one at a time with the blinkers on and see what the light is doing. If the probe is too large to fit in the back side with the wires, use a paper clip and touch the probe to the paper clip. Be sure the clip doesn't touch ground.

At this point you have divided the circuit you are working with in half. If the test light blinks normally on one side of the black connector but not the other, the problem is the connector. If the test light works fine on both sides of the connector, the problem is the light blue wire going from C200 to the light bulb socket.

The bad news is, if the test light DOES NOT function at this connector on either side with the blinkers ON. You could have a PITA on your hands.

There are 2 possibilities if that is the case. If you have DRL's, the problem may be the DRL module or the Turn Signal Assy or the wiring between them. The other is if you don't have DRL's the problem could be wiring or the Turn Signal Assy in the steering column.

Go to Sears or Radio Shack and buy a good Digital Volt Meter. It will pay for it self in no time.

Let us know how we can help you if you get stuck.

Dave

 

ok, yes the rear work fine as does the parking light part of the turn signal bulb. Yes I have DRL's(which are working). Not to be a jerk, but didn't all '97s have DRL's?

I am assuming you are referring to the connector in the second pic?

http://www.mainstreamtopics.com/memb...me89/dash1.jpg

http://www.mainstreamtopics.com/memb...me89/dash2.jpg

 

Turn signal decided to work today, but while driving I made a sharp u-turn and the car died. Ignition fuse 10A and Engine Sensor fuse 20A both blown. 2nd time that happened in two weeks.

UGH.

Did I mention yesterday I lost my dash/tail lights and fogs. (tail light fuse solved that) Something is seriously messed up.

 

Although you live in FLA where it is obviously warm, I would have to say you have or had critters living in your wiring. Chances are good that if you find the bad spot, all your problems will be there.

Sorry I'm not formiliar with 97's, I own a 94 Z. I only bought the manual for 96 and up to help people with their wiring problems. My 99 truck has DRL. As far as the reference to DRL's, the front turn signals are powered through the DRL module on a seperate circuit from the head lights. The head lights may work fine but the blinkers may have a problem. BUT I think you had critters chewing on your wiring.

That is the correct connector in both pictures. Somewhere near the chassis, on that harness there are some bare spots on some of those wires and they are occasionally touching the chassis.

Your focus should now be to find the shorted area. The easiest way I can come up with is to use a test light. Pull out one of the fuses that recently blew. One one set of contacts to the fuse is +12V and the other contact goes out through the circuit in question. Put the clip of the test light on +12v from any source. Now put the probe of the test light on the non- powered set of contacts at the fuse in question. If you now move the harness around by hand, if and when the wire touches ground, the test light will light up. Continue to wiggle all the wires you can get your hand on to see when the light will come on. Once you can get it to light consistantly, you should be able to find the spot or at least get close. Keep in mind, if it was varments, it is usually out of sight and not in the open.

In any case, I'de be willing to wager money on critters chewing your wiring.

Hope that helps, keep all of us informed and I'll try to check later Sunday night when I get back home.

 

Well after all this other crap, I went looking for burnt wires.

MAYBE I FOUND IT. Under passenger side header. Now I just have to figure out how to get in there. The outer sleeve looks melted, just not sure about the wiring inside. The header tape had come loose and slid down the wire leaving the portion touching the header exposed. UGH

 

Don't see why the harness would be running there but you obviously have to tend to those wires. I hope that cures your problem.

 

http://www.mainstreamtopics.com/memb...me89/fried.jpg

It's the starter purple wire, rear O2 sim, ground, knock sensor and some other sensor up front.
Time to play fix it up.

 

NICE, so I used brush on(liquid) electric tape on the wires and then tape it up with regular electric tape then use the heat tape(2000°) and put it back where it was. Start the car and it dies, check the engine sensor fuse and it's blown(again), change it, it starts right up(may have been blown before I started the car, I am not sure) so I drive to my hockey game, turn signals work, I score 4 goals including the game winner and get back in the car after and the SES light IS OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ON IT'S OWN.
It hasn't been off for 18 months(P0420 and P0400 first).
So lets hope it stays that way. Thanks guys.