Turn signal and other light bulb issues [SOLVED]

Gotta love that wiring . . .
Vandrid
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Your car is a: 1979 Spider 2000
Location: Troy, OH

Turn signal and other light bulb issues [SOLVED]

Postby Vandrid » Thu Jun 08, 2017 7:33 pm

So I just bought my car less then a month ago and I'm starting to find quite a few electrical problems. (Suprise surprise)

I replaced all the bulbs in the car and I still had a few lights out ( mainly the running lights and the rear tail light). I then replaced the fuses and found all the running lights and tail lights now work.

The problem comes with a few things, now my left turn signal blinks both tail lights as well as the turn signal light, however when the lights are on the turn signal doesn't work at all. The right signal works fine. On top of this the reverse lights and hazards are still not working. Not sure if that is related but driving at night is pretty much off the table for now. Any help is welcomed with this problem.
Last edited by Vandrid on Fri Jun 09, 2017 6:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Dave-O Supreme-O

1979 Fiat Spider 2000 "Fiona"

spider2081
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Re: Turn signal and other light bulb issues

Postby spider2081 » Thu Jun 08, 2017 9:50 pm

I would remove the left front signal/parking light buld. Inspect the light socket to be sure the contacts in the socket are not shorted together. If they look ok replace the bulb itself. If one of the filaments breaks it could short to the other and then the parking lights will flash with the signal lights

profcucchi
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Re: Turn signal and other light bulb issues

Postby profcucchi » Thu Jun 08, 2017 10:54 pm

Hi there,

I have a similar issue right now: left turn signal (front and back) works perfectly; whether the head lights are on or off.

My right signal (front) only works when the head lights are off; rear signal works like a charm. Likely a ground issue, so I'll trace it back and see.
1979 Fiat 2000 "Luigi"

Vandrid
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Joined: Thu Jun 08, 2017 2:40 pm
Your car is a: 1979 Spider 2000
Location: Troy, OH

Re: Turn signal and other light bulb issues

Postby Vandrid » Thu Jun 08, 2017 11:16 pm

spider2081 wrote:I would remove the left front signal/parking light buld. Inspect the light socket to be sure the contacts in the socket are not shorted together. If they look ok replace the bulb itself. If one of the filaments breaks it could short to the other and then the parking lights will flash with the signal lights


The parking lights do blink with the left signal if the lights are off, also I just replaced every bulb on the car... all the bulbs work (except reverse...)
I also have noticed the front turn signal is much brighter then the right when they are on but not blinking
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1979 Fiat Spider 2000 "Fiona"

davery
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Re: Turn signal and other light bulb issues

Postby davery » Fri Jun 09, 2017 8:10 am

Vandrid wrote:
spider2081 wrote:I would remove the left front signal/parking light buld. Inspect the light socket to be sure the contacts in the socket are not shorted together. If they look ok replace the bulb itself. If one of the filaments breaks it could short to the other and then the parking lights will flash with the signal lights


The parking lights do blink with the left signal if the lights are off, also I just replaced every bulb on the car... all the bulbs work (except reverse...)
I also have noticed the front turn signal is much brighter then the right when they are on but not blinking



I had the same issue. I cleaned the ground on the driver's side in the trunk, but the issue was still there. I finally figured out the grounds were bad on the driver's side circuit board. And since the passenger side ground's run through the driver;s side board, parts of both were not working. I rewired the grounds on the driver's side board and everything works now.

Here is a post about the circuit boards.

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=35314
Don Avery
Dayton, OH/Sarasota,FL
1985 Pininfarina
2011 Eos
2012 Mercedes E550 Cabriolet

Vandrid
Posts: 49
Joined: Thu Jun 08, 2017 2:40 pm
Your car is a: 1979 Spider 2000
Location: Troy, OH

Re: Turn signal and other light bulb issues

Postby Vandrid » Fri Jun 09, 2017 6:28 pm

First of all, thank you all for your help! This community really is awesome.

I found the issue and I feel dumb... the front turn signal bulb I replaced was only a single filament, I checked the working bulb and sure enough, every works. I've got the new bulb on order.

Thank you guys again for your help
Dave-O Supreme-O

1979 Fiat Spider 2000 "Fiona"

profcucchi
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Your car is a: 1979 Fiat 2000
Location: Toronto, On

Re: Turn signal and other light bulb issues

Postby profcucchi » Sat Jun 10, 2017 1:42 pm

Vandrid wrote:First of all, thank you all for your help! This community really is awesome.

I found the issue and I feel dumb... the front turn signal bulb I replaced was only a single filament, I checked the working bulb and sure enough, every works. I've got the new bulb on order.

Thank you guys again for your help


You'll notice, as I did, that the simplest solution is likely the solution. And, no, it's not you.

My bulbs are good so I'm tracing a ground this afternoon. Maybe the circuit board.
1979 Fiat 2000 "Luigi"

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Re: Turn signal and other light bulb issues [SOLVED]

Postby spider2081 » Sat Jun 10, 2017 3:16 pm

I would look at the ground for the right front dual filament bulb. When your lights are on so are your parking lights so power would be applied to the parking light filament The parking light and the signal light share the same ground wire which connects to ground on the passenger fender under the hood, if this connection is bad or if t he light bulb is not making good contact with the socket shell your signal light filiment will have voltage on both sides of the filament. I would clean the socked with a battery terminal brush. Bend the socket to put more tension on the bulbs outer round piece with the little tits on it and check the ground on the passengers fender pod.

davery
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Re: Turn signal and other light bulb issues [SOLVED]

Postby davery » Sat Jun 10, 2017 4:45 pm

spider2081 wrote:I would look at the ground for the right front dual filament bulb. When your lights are on so are your parking lights so power would be applied to the parking light filament The parking light and the signal light share the same ground wire which connects to ground on the passenger fender under the hood, if this connection is bad or if t he light bulb is not making good contact with the socket shell your signal light filiment will have voltage on both sides of the filament. I would clean the socked with a battery terminal brush. Bend the socket to put more tension on the bulbs outer round piece with the little tits on it and check the ground on the passengers fender pod.

So am I correct to assume the grounding pod on the driver's side fender serves the driver's side lo/hi beams and markers while the pass side serves the pass side lo/hi beams and markers? Also, you mentioned the ground for the headlights and markers are the same, is this for both lo and hi beams? The reason why I ask is that currently I have hi beams and rear markers, but no lo beams or front markers.
Don Avery
Dayton, OH/Sarasota,FL
1985 Pininfarina
2011 Eos
2012 Mercedes E550 Cabriolet

spider2081
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Re: Turn signal and other light bulb issues [SOLVED]

Postby spider2081 » Sun Jun 11, 2017 7:29 am

you mentioned the ground for the headlights and markers are the same, is this for both lo and hi beams?


Yes the headlight bulb has 3 connections, HI beam, lo beam and a common ground for them. The signal/parking light assemble has 3 connections Signal light power, parking light power and a common ground. Both ground are connected to the grounding pod for the side they are on.


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