Turn Signal / Brake Light Issue

[Ajax]

Hello all, before I get into what the issue is, I must say that I have searched all past posts that are similar to this issue and in fact I have completed some steps that were suggested in other posts. The following are the symptoms and steps taken to narrow down possible causes. Also, I'm using the electrical schematic for my car that someone posted on this forum (priceless).
The car is a 1966 Belvedere II. The wiring is all stock. I hadn't driven the car in about 2 months and before then the lights worked.
The problem: rear turn signals AND rear brake lights do not work. Front turn signals work properly. When light switch is pulled, headlights and tail lights work, yet rear turn signals and rear brake lights continue to be inoperative. Using the schematic, I verified that the dark green wire (left rear light) and the brown wire (right rear light) have power all the way from the light bulb, up to the switch in the steering column (I removed the steering wheel to verify at the turn signal switch). I also verified the white wire (brake light switch) at the turn signal switch and the pink wire (brake light switch) at the brake light switch. I checked the rear light bulbs and verified that they are grounding to the light assembly. The filaments are fine and no signs of being burned out. I verified power to the flasher but I replaced it anyway. I swapped out fuses in the fuse box. Now lets talk about the black wire (ground wire that joins the rear lights and terminates at the light switch, the switch that also turns the headlights on). There is no power from the bulb up to where it goes into the light switch. Everything else in the light switch works properly. Could the light switch be the culprit? What other suggestions do you have?

 

[64BEL]

It could be your turn signal switch in the steering column. There's also a switch on the brake pedal for the brake lights. I don't remember if that would affect the turn signals, though.

 

[bigmanjbmopar]

I had intermittent connection on my turn signal cam switch, cleaned it up real good, made sue all the brass contact points were indeed making contact and it worked fine. With key one and steering wheel off have some one help you as you brake and use turn signals and look at the contact points. If it worked 2 months ago I highly doubt that a wire suddenly broke, what is the most used part in the whole connection string?

 

[tpodwdog]

FUSE ....i also have a 66 Belvy II and had probs. check the fuses and make sure theres no rust on the fuse clamps. do the easy things first......chances are its something simple. then get into all that schematic stuff. if it aint that . then start tearing things apart. I think theres a connector behind the drivers side kick plate that feeds the rear half of the car. check that also.

electricity is this:

POWER-SWITCH-LOAD-GROUND.....thats it!:headbang:

 

[Someotherguy]

FUSE ....i also have a 66 Belvy II and had probs. check the fuses and make sure theres no rust on the fuse clamps. do the easy things first......chances are its something simple. then get into all that schematic stuff. if it aint that . then start tearing things apart. I think theres a connector behind the drivers side kick plate that feeds the rear half of the car. check that also.

electricity is this:

POWER-SWITCH-LOAD-GROUND.....thats it!:headbang:

+1

I had close to the same issue with my RR, ended up being rusty contact points on the fuse prongs...

 

[mosquito13]

fixed same sunday . fuse block.

 

[Ajax]

Okay guys, I cleaned up my fuse box (it needed it) but it didn't fix the problem. After day two of wire chasing, my wife tells me that she hid the Christmas presents in the trunk and really jammed them in there. Sure enough, once I peeled away the old insulation, there was a break in the black ground wire. Those wires are really old and brittle. Reconnected wire and now all lights work! Thanks for your responses! Lessons learned: 1. remind wife '66 Bel is not a storage space 2. visually inspect wires before dismantling things! I took it for a cruise and had a blast!

 

[tpodwdog]

atta boy!

 

[64BEL]

Sounds good - always nice to get a problem fixed.

 

[bigmanjbmopar]

:hello2:

 

[hunt2elk]

Cool. Bad grounds sure do raise hell with these cars.

 

[martyk98]

like all old cars that just sit for a while, some times the ground goes bad

 

[Dragon Slayer]

So what was in the Christmas box? G

 

[nm9stheham]

Just to confuse you some more.... that black wire from the headlight switch is not a ground wire....if it is the one that runs from the headlight switch, that wire is the rear tail light and license plate light wire.. Grounds for all exterior lights are via the chassis. So this must be another black wire back there.....?

 

[martyk98]

Just to confuse you some more.... that black wire from the headlight switch is not a ground wire....if it is the one that runs from the headlight switch, that wire is the rear tail light and license plate light wire.. Grounds for all exterior lights are via the chassis. So this must be another black wire back there.....?

Now that you guys solved one problem, try this one. I press the brake pedal on my 67 GTX and the right front turn signal comes on instead of the r/r? Turn signals still work from the column.

 

[mopar 3 B]

Check your turn signal wiring at the steering column for melt down.

 

[bigmanjbmopar]

turn signal cam worn out replace / rebuild it.

 

[martyk98]

I previously installed a new turn signal switch. Like previous posts, my repop assembly doesn't have original colored wires. I guess it's a likely possibility that the manufacturer crossed two wires in the harness. A good place to start, thanks. My OEM restored GTX deserves an original replacement but they are hard to find.

 

[bigmanjbmopar]

Why would it need to be a original part? These were one of the many hundreds of items on cars that would wear out and need to be replaced, likely long before we owned the cars, so long as it's listed for your car and works I would think you're good to go even at a 1000 point concours judging event lol?

 

[martyk98]

Why would it need to be a original part? These were one of the many hundreds of items on cars that would wear out and need to be replaced, likely long before we owned the cars, so long as it's listed for your car and works I would think you're good to go even at a 1000 point concours judging event lol?

Maybe, this car was judged the 2012 Mopar Nationals in Ohio and got a silver. One of 5 that made it. Most of the "dings" have been corrected. They take off your wheels and check for OEM brake parts. They take off your tail light bulbs and check for OEM. The aftermarket floor mats were left in on top of the OEM originals and got dinged for that. They're picky.