Turn Signal Problem

[86charcoalsierra]

i have a 86 gmc sierra with a 305. my left turn signal wont flash when i put on the turn signal it just lights up but wont flash the right turn signal works fine and when i turn on the hazard lights they both flash fine. i changed the flasher and the turn signal switch and the light bulb. still have the problem has anybody had this problem before or have any ideas what could be the problem.

[zieg85]

Make sure you changed the turn signal flasher and not the 4 way one.

[Donut]

Switch the 2 flashers around and see if the problem goes to the hazard lights.  If it does, you did what zieg85 said.

[86charcoalsierra]

i switched them around and it started to flash so i went to go buy new ones i went ahead and just changed both of them. now it flashes but only with the lights off. when i turn on the lights the left turn signal lights up real dim and i turn on the left turn signal and all it does is get brighter it dont flash. could it be a bad ground somewhere i checked all the grounds i can find with out a wiring diagram. any ideas???

[86charcoalsierra]

also noticed that when i take the turn signal bulb out front the instrument cluster the left side light thats on the fender turns off im guessing they might be shorted together somewhere? checked the right side and the light dont turn off when i take the light out.

[Fairlane514]

You can buy a self powered test light from an auto parts store and it will find a short.  Disconnect your battery and remove the bulbs from the circuit (fuses also if the wire goes through one) if it lights up, there is a short.

[Farm boy]

it sounds like the positive wire to the front light and the back turn signal are connected/shorted or somehow touching. Now i am not the most knowledgeable person with this stuff, but it's worth checking.

[bd]

i switched them around and it started to flash so i went to go buy new ones i went ahead and just changed both of them. now it flashes but only with the lights off. when i turn on the lights the left turn signal lights up real dim and i turn on the left turn signal and all it does is get brighter it dont flash. could it be a bad ground somewhere i checked all the grounds i can find with out a wiring diagram. any ideas???

also noticed that when i take the turn signal bulb out front the instrument cluster the left side light thats on the fender turns off im guessing they might be shorted together somewhere? checked the right side and the light dont turn off when i take the light out.

Probably have a "floating ground" at the left front - ground wires are connected together, but not making good connection to the radiator support, or the radiator support is not properly grounded to the battery negative terminal.

Disconnect the ground wires from the body panel and clean the metal with 80 grit emery, then reassemble with a little antioxidant paste or grease.

[Crob]

I don't know if this will help any but on my 82 my sidemarker worked but my blinker in the bumper didn't.  I took the light out of the bumper and scraped some corrosion off of the connections in there and it worked fine.

[Irish_Alley]

bad grounds will do funny things