Quick description: turn signals in the front work (left signal does after jiggling the lever), rear don't at all. The emergency flashers don't light the brake lights either. But they do come on when the headlights/parking lights are on. The stoplights don't come on when the brake pedal is pressed unless the turn signal is set, and that's only sometimes. Most of the time they don't work at all. Does this sound like a turn signal switch problem? I have a '70 F-100.

The funny thing is that the truck just went to the shop. The clutch needed work and I told them to have a look at the turn signal switch while it was there. I could swear it all worked before, except that only one brake light lit when the turn signals were not turned on. The truck came back with something like a "can't get any problems" explanation.

I replaced the part on the steering wheel side about a year and a half ago, but re-soldiering the wires back on took a VERY long time as the soldier didn't want to stick to the new switch. This is why I just left the other part alone (bad idea, I know).

Another question - anybody else recommend taking it back there? It looks like the steering wheel is mounted differently now because I can see the parts of the turn signal switch pretty well.

Thanks in advance.

 

If you went to a new place to get your hair cut and when you left you realized the barber @#*!ed up your hair, would you go back and have that same person fix it? I had all kinds of wierd problems with my lights when I first bought my '79 F100. You can fix it quite easily if you can interpret the electrical diagram for your truck. All you need is a continuity tester ($5). Your problem is probably something really cheap and you'd get soaked for labor charges paying somebody who probably knows less than you do to poke around. My problem was rusted pieces within the bulb sockets intermitently were making contact yielding wierd problems that would work sometimes and sometimes not. You mentioned jiggling the turn light lever - I used to do the same thing. Get a diagram and a highlighter and trace the connections. When it's daylight, use a continuity tester to determine what's hot and what's not. It does take patience, time and troubleshooting, but once your done - YOU fixed it for next to no cost out of pocket. New bulb sockets are inexpensive. These old trucks have really basic wiring; you shouldn't need to pay $60 hour to someone else to do the same thing.

 

 

Yeah. That's sort of what I was thinking - if I want it done right I'm going to have to do it myself.

I checked out the bulbs and housings. They're OK. It's got to be that inner turn signal switch. The outer one didn't have any clips on it or anything - just places to soldier the wires on. Are parts available that have a clip attatched to the plastic, or am I going to have to soldier these on too? If they make one with clips on it, finding the thing would be well worth it to me.

 

I thought you could buy the entire assembly (including wires down to the console) from the dealer. Try a junkyard to find it cheap.

 

There's a new Tech Article that might help.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/articles/june2001/70elecrepair.html

 

tetraruby


where did u find the replacement part of the rusted ends in the bulb sockets. my turn signals work well on the driver side front and rear, and on the passenger side the rear works but the front only works during the day, if i have my parking lamps on and i turn on my turn signals it acts like my parking lamp burnt out, then in a few minutes will be normal again. however my inside turnsignal indicator always glows on the passenger side, and the parking lamp on the passenger side front is dimmer than the driver side. what is the problem ??? do i just need to replace the buld socket? it is kind of hard to understand and no one offers me any help with it.

when i first bought the truck 8 months ago the turn signals didnt work at all, but slowly came back to life, the truck had been sitting and i just thought that the connections were dirty or a little corroded. any help will be usefull, i dont want to put in a new turnsignal switch if i dont have to.


also does anyone know where i can get clear lenses for my front parking lamps. i have seen several trucks with my body style that look like they are factory orig but i cant find them.



thanks.



longhorn

1977 F250 460 C6 88000 orig miles

 

[QUOTE]
my turn signals work well on the driver side front and rear, and on the passenger side the rear works but the front only works during the day, if i have my parking lamps on and i turn on my turn signals it acts like my parking lamp burnt out, then in a few minutes will be normal again. however my inside turnsignal indicator always glows on the passenger side, and the parking lamp on the passenger side front is dimmer than the driver side. what is the problem ???

Check the ground. It is either missing or badly corroded, is there ever good corrosion Black or brown wire goes to a ground stud about 6-8 inches from the socket, the headlights should be grounded on the same stud.
By what you are saying the parking light is getting its ground thru the signal light filament, called a "floating ground". You may have to replace the socket if it is really corroded, but they are cheap.
Good luck.

Sparky

 

Brandon-J- The beuaty of these old trucks is the simple wiring schematic. It is time consuming but chase the wires yourself. I brought my rig to the local guy for inspection and he supposedly got everything working. Everything worked except if I used the left turn signal and brakes simultaneousty.He did put a sticker on however. I got off my lazy boy and chased them and fixed 'em and now I know everything about the wiring for this rig. It is time consuming but very simple using an idiot light.



1971 F-350 1 ton dump, ground up fully restored w/ 360 motor

 

Longhorn, I had the same exact problem with my passenger side parking/turn indicator/lamp. It was the gound connection in the bulb socket rusting away. Buy a replacement socket. I found one for ~$5 at "CarQuest." It solved the problem, was easy to install.