69 Charger Problem with left front flasher, baffled

[Dragon Slayer]

I am having a confusing problem with the front Driver Flasher. First of all, the turns signals work correctly all four corners including dash and hood turn signal lights.

Move to flashers and only the Front Right and both Back will flash. Not the driver front, or the dash or hood left turn signal light/indicators.

How is that possible if the turn signal will work, and when using flashers the driver rear will work?

Looking at service manual the flasher signal that goes to front left looks like it also goes to the steering column connector for the turn signal switch. Seems that is how the rear get flashing signal. So if the rear flash, why not the front? Unless I have a cross wire in the steering keeping the rear on?

The only other anomaly is if the headlights turned on, the dash left turn signal indicator comes on. Any help appreciated.

 

[miller]

Yeah, sounds like crossed wires.

 

[hunt2elk]

Run a temporary ground wire from the problem lamp housing to your battery to see if that cures it. I had a similar issue on one of my lamps. Found out it was the actual bulb socket was not making a good ground to the housing through the crimped flange inside the fixture.

 

[Dragon Slayer]

Run a temporary ground wire from the problem lamp housing to your battery to see if that cures it. I had a similar issue on one of my lamps. Found out it was the actual bulb socket was not making a good ground to the housing through the crimped flange inside the fixture.

I do not think it can be the ground, because it works as a parking light and it works as a turn signal, both need a good ground.

Plus the hood and internal dash signals won't work either. It really looks like it is the Flasher switch, but what has me confused is why the rear driver comes on, unless the steering turn signal switch is wired such that the right side signal drives both rear lights. And the left only drives the front left and dash. I guess I will just pull the switch and test it.

 

[Don selleck]

Electrician told me dash harness over steering column wears there and can cause similar issues, personally haven't had the problem. Conversation came up when debating on keeping the old harness in my resto.

 

[Lionized]

Electrician told me dash harness over steering column wears there and can cause similar issues, personally haven't had the problem. Conversation came up when debating on keeping the old harness in my resto.

This.
You could also check/unplug/clean/add dielectric grease and wire tie the plug at the foot of the steering column. Couldn't hurt.

 

[Dragon Slayer]

This.
You could also check/unplug/clean/add dielectric grease and wire tie the plug at the foot of the steering column. Couldn't hurt.

If addressed to me, I did that. So maybe the Flasher switch is bad, but some how the column is feeding the driver rear despite the left side flasher switch not providing voltage.

 

[Lionized]

If addressed to me, I did that. So maybe the Flasher switch is bad, but some how the column is feeding the driver rear despite the left side flasher switch not providing voltage.

You could simply try swapping the flasher for the turn signal switch? Other than what has been suggested...I really can't help you.
Tough one.

 

[cdr]

it is a bad turn signal housing ground

 

[hunt2elk]

Chasing electrical gremlins on these old cars really sucks imo. I would still not rule out a bad ground somewhere. If I remember correctly, my blinkers worked. 3 hazards worked. When I turned on the driving lights, front right lamp stayed off, but the hood mounted turn signal and interior signal lamp came on dim right side only.

 

[miller]

On something like that, especially how all that mess is wired, and inter-connected, your best bet would be a wiring diagram. Those lights wirings are tied together, one working off another, and it will help alot to see how they are.
Unless you have a bad switch, could be a bad ground, a pinched wire, a feed wire grounded out...on and on. Probably something real simply, except finding it.

 

[Dragon Slayer]

I am using the manual diagram, unfortunately it does not show the turn signal switch wiring in detail. For reference, Power for turn signals come from turn signal flasher (one wire) and go direct to column harness to route power via turn signal switch in column. The path from the column is thru the same harness front and rear to activate the lights.

The emerg flasher is different in the switch takes power from the emergency flasher relay and routes it left and right (2 wires) to the same steering column connector. The front are on the firewall side (same wire needed to run a turn signal). The rear go though go up from the same two left and right feeds to the turn signal switch in the column and than back down the column wiring to the rear connectors. (that is why the manual tells you the turn signal lever needs to be in the off position when emergency flashers on, other wise you do get weird lighting effects on the dash). So either the turn signal switch routes emergency flash to both rear or I do have some short in the rear wiring and a defective switch that is not providing left side power. If I had the turn signal switch wiring I could figure that out, but it is not in the manual.

 

[miller]

I only have a 69 Plymouth book, but it has the turn signal wiring diagram in the electrical section, under Turn Signals/Flashers section.
Might be worth a look in your Dodge book.