I'm pulling my hair out here, and I'm hoping someone might have an idea to try out..

Having some problems with my turn signals. The right side works just fine, but when you turn on the left side, nothing happens. However, while the blinker rod is in the left position AND you press the brake pedeal, the left arrow on the dash turns solid green, but neither of the actual turn signals come on.

And.. some more fun stuff: with the steering wheel off, if I put the blinker rod into the left position and manually short the light blue/light green contacts at the center of the turn signal cam (the two wires that go to the flasher unit in the fuse box) - if i do that, the left blinkers DO come on. But then when i press the brake pedal.. they go off, an I only get a solid green light on the dash again.

AGGGH! I've chased the wires everywhere I can in the truck and can't find anything wrong. Does anyone have any idea what might be causing this, I dont care how off the wall the idea might be, I'm already going crazy over this! All this started after some rodents made a home out of the engine compartment while I was out of town, so I'm assuming they messed up some wires involving the turn signals (I already had to replace spark wires that they chewed through). 88 Bronco XLT w/ tilt column.

Thanks,
Robert

 

Sounds like they got to the wiring harness as well. The symptoms would make me believe that you are dealing with a compund problem check the harness where it leaves the firewall from inside the cab and agains back at the laft taillight assembly itself.

 

Hehehe, I've had something similar before. This is one of those problems that doesn't appear too serious, but it's a real PITA to resolve.

In many (most?) cases, the brake light and the blinker light is in the same light bullb, and it's easy to make a cross-connect between them.

Take out the rear-left bulb and see if that makes any difference. Make sure that the front left bulb is connected, and it's good.

 

I have had some really strange things go on because of a bad or disconnected ground wire.Rodents seem to love electrical insulation.One vehicle I have, I had 2 or 3 feet of 10 gauage wire completly eaten away.

 

Per aurgathor's reccomendation, I removed the left rear bulb. This does allow the left side to blink, but I still just get a solid light when I hit the brakes. So.. some progess? I guess I have to check the wires running to the left rear again.

Interstingly enough I've found a new problem. When the either blinker is on, if I turn the steering wheel back and forth it sometimes causes a short which pops the fuse for the turn signals??

 

Makes ya wish the stuff would clog up their innards and just kill 'em. (Maybe not the animal activists but the rest of us).

Siphor84,

Check the multi-function switch in the column for cracks in the casing and the wiring leading to it for abrasions.

 

Fix the short in the steering column first -- if you're lucky that may remedy the problem with the blinker.