Instrument flashers out

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Golden Scamp

Golden Scamp

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I’ve been looking high and low to find out why my instrument flashers aren’t lighting. Both don’t light even though I hear the clicking and all exterior blinkers work fine. No electrical issues with this car, nothing altered from stock wiring. Where is the power source or a ground I need to check that these are tied to so I can start finding the cause. Maybe a fuse? I have the shop manual but still can’t lock down what the root cause is. Any thoughts on where to start? The instrument panel has been removed as I am restoring the heater box at the moment.
 
ok I assume signal tail lights work? If they do AND the bulbs are good in dash for turn lights, Just about the only thing I think it can be is in the turn signal switch. See, the front and the rear turn lights are on a different path n the switch, don't have to go thru the brake switch. but they get power from the same fuse. Do front lights work?
 
The turn signals get their power from the turn signal flasher and with them working front and rear on your exterior lights , switch should be good.

You should find on your schematic with your shop manual the power from the turn signal switch should split off from the turn signal outputs , usually the front ,to the instrument panel.

If the feed is good at the cluster connector , then check the bulbs and circuit board ground and power feeds on the instrument cluster,or a bad connector.

Should be able to use an ohm meter to check the printed circuit on the instrument cluster while its out and the bulb filaments for continuity.
 
If the car signals are working "it's in the dash." The two wires for the indicators come right off the turn signal switch connector along with the wires for the front left/ right signals.

This almost has to be (cluster ) sockets, bulbs, printed circuit issues, and possibly cluster ground. However a ground problem in the cluster should be causing other problems.
 
blown71duster said:
The turn signals get their power from the turn signal flasher and with them working front and rear on your exterior lights , switch should be good.

You should find on your schematic with your shop manual the power from the turn signal switch should split off from the turn signal outputs , usually the front ,to the instrument panel.

If the feed is good at the cluster connector , then check the bulbs and circuit board ground and power feeds on the instrument cluster,or a bad connector.

Should be able to use an ohm meter to check the printed circuit on the instrument cluster while its out and the bulb filaments for continuity.
Click to expand...

Yep, a test light and a multi meter would run that problem down in a hurry.
 
OK, I’ve got time this morning. I’m going to look it over again and let you know what I find. I thought bulbs too but both at the same time? And all other gauges are functioning and all exterior lights, flashers. I’m going after grounds and checking with the multimeter today. Thanks.
 
I'll lay my quarter bet on bulbs and sockets.
 
The front turn signals and dash turn signals use a different part of the switch as the rear. The rear has to go thru thru the brakelight switch and turn off either the left or right brakelight depending on which way the switch is positioned, the front just turn on and off the lights. I have opened the switch and it is a slick bit of engineering. That is how it works and the front might not work but the rear will and visa versa. Switch could still be bad. MT
 
Mopar Tim said:
Switch could still be bad. MT
Click to expand...

I assumed the OP meant the fronts were working, so to the OP:

Check that BOTH front and rear lamps are working. If fronts work it's not the switch. If they do not it certainly could be the TS switch
 
67Dart273 said:
I assumed the OP meant the fronts were working, so to the OP:

Check that BOTH front and rear lamps are working. If fronts work it's not the switch. If they do not it certainly could be the TS switch
Click to expand...

Correct, A lot of guys don't think to check the front turn lights. Just trying to help:burnout:MT
 
Golden Scamp said:
I’ve been looking high and low to find out why my instrument flashers aren’t lighting. Both don’t light even though I hear the clicking and all exterior blinkers work fine. No electrical issues with this car, nothing altered from stock wiring. Where is the power source or a ground I need to check that these are tied to so I can start finding the cause. Maybe a fuse? I have the shop manual but still can’t lock down what the root cause is. Any thoughts on where to start? The instrument panel has been removed as I am restoring the heater box at the moment.
Click to expand...

When I saw "instrument flashers out" the first thing I thought of was a guy in a trench coat out flashing his instrument.

Anyway, without knowing what kind of car you are working on, I would check for power to the instrument cluster when the signals are flashing. Check a wiring diagram for your car but it should be a light green wire for the left signal and tan for the right signal. Maybe. If you get voltage on and off on the wires going to the cluster then the problem is in the cluster. If I have to pull one out I change all the bulbs. Pull out the cluster, not the instrument.
 
I had my flashers on my 69 get weaker and weaker at the dash , replaced the flasher pod unit and all is good now
 
I had 2 instrument illumination twist-in bulbs missing, so I don’t know if the others wouldn’t work bc of the missing ones or what, but got all bulbs in now plus cleaned grounds and replaced fuse. Good as new.
 
Piece of trivia for you... First year of hood mounted signal lamps on Dart, Dodge decided to save money by leaving those 2 indicator bulbs out of the inst' panel.
The inst' panel wasn't changed so the non working green indicator lenses could be seen. Too many buyers complained about these not working. I forget time span and number produced before they added those bulbs back to panel production.
 
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