1968 lights OK - Flashers, turn signals, horn, front orange parking lights don't work

[munger77]

Hi everyone,
I'm a very new MOPAR owner and introduced myself recently in the welcome wagon section. I have a 68 plymouth satellite convertible and could use your expertise. I've read similar threads, and printed all of them out, but still trying to figure out a good way to trouble shoot and fix the problem. I own a multimeter, a $3 test light which I do not know how to use to troubleshoot, but if I know "what to do", I can usually fix things around the house and on cars as well. I love the process of learning so all replies will be read. Ok, here goes.

All 4 of my parking lights work
My brake lights also work, but sometimes stay on when the car is off/key out of the ignition.
Hi and low beam headlights work as well.

Hazards/flashers don't work but I hear the faint hazard clicking sound
Turn signals don't work, and I don't hear any clicking sound (blinker sound).
The front orange parking lights don't work.
Horn does't work.

Car runs and drives well. Can anyone suggest a systematic process to fix the problems and what part(s) I need?

 

[Shorthorse]

First things first. Check your ground points. Your issues have some different components involved, coming from different feed points. When things get real goofy like the brake lights staying on and other seemingly unrelated electrical issues, it's the ground. There are different ground points on different Mopar cars but look for wires that are bolted to your core support and around your grill area. Make sure they have a good clean connection to the metal surface. That's easy so get that out of the way first. If it doesn't fix the issue, then the real troubleshooting begins.

 

[munger77]

Thanks Shorthorse; I'll check it out. I also found an orange wire near the turn signal flasher (next to the cigarette ash tray) loose, connnected to nothing, and a ground wire from the battery coming back under the dash connected to nothing. And someone bypassed one of the white wires coming from the turn signal switch in the column and connected it directly to the brake pedal switch (bypassing the plastic male to female connector under the steering column).

So I hit eBay just now and purchased a laminated color wiring diagram. I have the original black/white version but it is somewhat hard to read.

I'll spring for 2 new flasher units because they are cheap and then I can rule those out. I'd like to upgrade to LED tail lights and maybe even headlights and no load flashers for brightness/safety and to possibly take some of the load off the battery. Thoughts on that anyone?

 

[kiwigtx]

Does the '68 model year have a braided ground strap from the rear of the engine block to the firewall? If so, make sure it is clean and securely fastened to cleaned metal at both ends.

 

[munger77]

My car has a 70's 440 in it, I believe the manifold is grounded to the fender well with the neg battery terminal. Thanks!

 

[A383Wing]

fix your problems first before changing all the stuff out again

your brake lights staying on is either a bad brake light switch or it needs to be adjusted to the pedal

front parking lights could be ground or bulkhead connector issue

horn could be either bad horns, bad relay, bad connector under steering column, or bad contact inside steering column

I suggest getting a service manual if you are gonna be digging into the electrical on this car

 

[munger77]

Thanks A383 Wing, update:
Service manual is on the way. I agree the brake light switch needs adjusting; simple fix.

I replaced the hazard flasher and now the front flashers work, but not the rear.

All 4 of my parking lights work
My brake lights also work, but sometimes stay on when the car is off/key out of the ignition.
Hi and low beam headlights work as well.


1. Turn signals don't work, and I don't hear any clicking sound (blinker sound) even with a new flasher.

2. Horn does't work.

3. rear flashers do not work, just the front.

 

[A383Wing]

sounds like bad connection at turn signal switch connector under dash or bad switch itself would be my first guess

 

[Malicious]

I had a similar thing, turned out to be alot of different little things.

First, check the ground on the front parklights.

Second flasher, sounds like you've done.

Third, check the bulbs and the pin connectors in the housing. Simple I know, but easy skipped.

Forth, pop the plug on the bottom of the steering column. clean the pins on both sides. Also use a micro screw driver to 'open' the pins up again so they have a tension contact.

for rear specific, also check the plug behind the drivers kick panel, that sends all the power to the back of the car.

Past that, it starts getting harder! That should get some of the problems sorted tho. As said above, bad ground can be alot of your problems, so check and bolts that go to the body from light housings etc.

Fingers crossed it is just a bunch of simple things.

 

[Shorthorse]

Anyone? Doesn't the steering column also have a ground strap?