Electrical diagnosis for "solid" turn signal (no blinking)?

[dbreid]

All,
On my 1984 K30, I have a situation where:

1.) The right turn signal and all lights work perfectly.
2.) Brake lights work perfectly
3.) Headlights and running lights work perfectly

but...

my drivers side turn signal doesn't work properly. At first is was just lighting up (solid, not blinking) when I turned the switch. So I thought one of the bulbs must be bad, so I replaced the front bulb, and then it worked fine for about 5 minutes, and now it is lit all the time (switch on or not).

Thoughts?

-Dan

 

[BoondocK5]

Do you have the correct bulbs in all the way around? An 1156 in an 1157 slot will light up brightly only.
If you have one on that side it could have made the flasher itself stick to the closed side causing it to stay on. Check for the correct bulbs, try a heavy duty flasher, say for a tractor trailer. Thats what I did, works great, never wears out.

 

[Stomis]

Check for a bad socket.

 

[blackk5350]

mine does the same thing...occationally. usually if i have the hazard lights on for a while. but i still love my truck

 

[73k5blazer]

Check your grounds front & rear if you have the bulbs all in right and the right bulbs.
Remove them, clean them, put 'em back. One bad ground anywhere in that circuit causes trouble.

 

[4X4HIGH]

If brake lights work on both sides then change the signal flasher and be done.

 

[73k5blazer]

If brake lights work on both sides then change the signal flasher and be done.

It's not quite that simple, unfortunatly.
If any ground is loose, front or rear in that entire park/brake circuit, you will have flasher trouble. He also said that one direction turn signal works perfectly, verifying the flasher capbility to flash.
I would be curious to see how hazzard flashers perform.
My guess is a bad ground somewhere up front on the left side. Check your side marker bulbs up front as well. The front marker and front turn signal ground back through the other bulbs filament, really hokeey yes, but that's they way it's done. If you have a weak ground somewhere else, a non-working side marker bulb causes trouble too.

 

[4X4HIGH]

A flasher can work on one side but not the other. If all bulbs are good it IS the flasher that's bad. If any bulbs don't work and it is verified that the bulb is good then a ground issue is the problem, however if the grounds are good and all the bulbs are good it's a bad flasher. An easy check is if the emergency flashers work then swap the flasher to the turn signal flasher and you'll quickly have your answer.

 

[dbreid]

I messed with it a bit more today (went and bought the correct bulbs for the front to double check everything, because I couldn't read the number on the bulb in there...).

My flashers work (all 4 lights light properly.
My running lights work (all 4 lights "light" properly).
My passenger blinker works properly.
My drivers blinker has two odd behaviors:
1.) If the headlights are off, and I put the left turn signal on, it just lights up solid. The green arrow is solid, and the markers and front and rear directional lamps light up solid.
2.) If the headlights are On, the same thing as above happens, without be even turning the turn signal to the left.

They didn't have the flasher at the parts store I was at today, unfortunately, or I would have replaced that as well.

I guess the choices are:

1.) Bad turn switch
2.) Bad flasher
3.) Bad ground somewhere.

Thoughts?

-Dan

 

[4X4HIGH]

I still vote bad flasher. I've had this exact scenerio happen to me before.

 

[dbreid]

I just went out and fiddled with it in the dark, and by messing with the flashers, I could get it to work. I am gonna go buy new flashers tomorrow, and I am pretty sure that should do it. Thanks!!!!

-Dan

 

[85chevy1]

sorry to pull up an old thread, but did you manage to fix your issue? as i am witnessing the exact same problem with my 83. though it is on the passenger side with mine. i've tried everythign and replaced the flasher. so atm im drawing a blank as to what to do

 

[FWBlack]

This board is awesome! On my 88 K5, Right turn signal started staying on solid, no blink, left turn signal worked fine, flashers worked fine, no other problems with the lights, bulbs good, etc. Was driving me crazy trying to solve. Switched the flasher for the turn signal with the one for the flashers and both left and right blinkers work fine now! Will pick up new flasher. Thank you!