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Turn Signal Switch from Hell

Doorkicker

Doorkicker

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Ok.. 66 Charger.

Part 1 (2yr ago) - Limited lights working, etc. Replaced turn signal switch, boom.. everything works... break lights, turn signals, etc.
Part 2 (1 yr ago) - Brake lights stop working and one turn signal. Replaced turn signal switch, boom... everything works.
Part 2.5 (6 mo ago) - I decide to rebuild the entire real light assembly and put in new brake pedal switch. Lights looks amazing, works like a champ. Me = happy.
Part 3 (1 mo ago) - Brake lights stop working. Replace fuse, boom, start working.
Part 4 (today) - Brake lights stop working. Turn signals work, running lights work... no brake lights. Check fuse - fuse ok. Check brake pedal switch, works fine.

Starting to think turn signal switch again... but dayum... 3 new switches in as many years? Does that seem even logical? I checked the hi-low beam switch too... seems fine.
 
After that I can see why you have that name!! That said those aftermarket switches are junk BUT I think like said above a bad ground can overheat things, burn fuses and wreak havoc on what works and when.. I had a loose ground on one of my mowers and if it was wet out NO problem when it dried out the starter failed to turn the engine over. Took me a week to figure it out after dealing with it as it was intermittent...
 
Last edited:
Doorkicker said:
Ok.. 66 Charger.

Part 1 (2yr ago) - Limited lights working, etc. Replaced turn signal switch, boom.. everything works... break lights, turn signals, etc.
Part 2 (1 yr ago) - Brake lights stop working and one turn signal. Replaced turn signal switch, boom... everything works.
Part 2.5 (6 mo ago) - I decide to rebuild the entire real light assembly and put in new brake pedal switch. Lights looks amazing, works like a champ. Me = happy.
Part 3 (1 mo ago) - Brake lights stop working. Replace fuse, boom, start working.
Part 4 (today) - Brake lights stop working. Turn signals work, running lights work... no brake lights. Check fuse - fuse ok. Check brake pedal switch, works fine.

Starting to think turn signal switch again... but dayum... 3 new switches in as many years? Does that seem even logical? I checked the hi-low beam switch too... seems fine.
Click to expand...
You would have to diagnose the loss of signal at the TS switch connector at the base of the column with a test light, multimeter, or a Power Probe. That will tell you if the switch is bad. I could almost bet the switch is bad. Those aftermarket switches are often junk. But luck is in your favor. Slantsixdan has a new batch of quality switches for sale. See here. FOR SALE - New OE Turn Signal Switches '62-'63 and '64-'69 (They're baa-aaack!)

Just curious, what brand are your switches and where have you been buying then?
 
dadsbee said:
You sure it's not the connector in the, wait for it, kickpanel??
Click to expand...
Something I need to check. Do the brake lights go through there or all the rear lights?
 
Hey Doorkicker.. Last year I posted this, may help..

Recently had problem with L rear brake lamps not woking when braking on my 66 Charger. Looked over the schematics and decided had to be a problem with the turn signal switch which is original to the car. Shop manual has little detail on the switch or schematic of the switch. Thought I would do a write up on the process of removing steering wheel and the repair of the switch. The info on the switch is likely applicable for many other same era Mopars. I did purchase a proper replacement, but since I was able to repair the original, I'll just keep it with my spare electrical parts in case ever needed.
Here is a link to DropBox where you can down load the PDF I created. When you go to the link below, it can be viewed or downloaded by clicking the down pointing arrow in upper right bar. Another window will pop up asking to join or sign up. At the bottom click on "Or continue with Download only".
Hope it helps someone out..
Dropbox
 
Doorkicker said:
Ok.. 66 Charger.

Part 4 (today) - Brake lights stop working. Turn signals work, running lights work... no brake lights. Check fuse - fuse ok. Check brake pedal switch, works fine.
Click to expand...

I believe the brake lights and turn signals share the same filament so it would seem the grounds and connections to the rear are ok. Do you have 12v coming out of the brake switch (white wire???) when the brake pedal is pressed?
 
QuickBpBp said:
After that I can see why you have that name!! That said those aftermarket switches are junk BUT I think like said above a bad ground can overheat things, burn fuses and wreak havoc on what works and when.. I had a loose ground on one of my mowers and if it was wet out NO problem when it dried out the starter failed to turn the engine over. Took me a week to figure it out after dealing with it as it was intermittent...
Click to expand...
LOL! Too true :) I'm starting to think there is a ground issue. And man those are brutal to chase down.
 
dadsbee said:
You sure it's not the connector in the, wait for it, kickpanel??
Click to expand...
Ok... So... I have NOT checked that... and I will do exactly that today as soon as I can sneak out to the garage. I will say this... I didn't check it because turn signals and running lights work... so I ASSUMED that if those are working, certainly the brake lights should... I'm really starting to think that's absolutely not the way to think about this. Thanks for the note!
 
toolmanmike said:
You would have to diagnose the loss of signal at the TS switch connector at the base of the column with a test light, multimeter, or a Power Probe. That will tell you if the switch is bad. I could almost bet the switch is bad. Those aftermarket switches are often junk. But luck is in your favor. Slantsixdan has a new batch of quality switches for sale. See here. FOR SALE - New OE Turn Signal Switches '62-'63 and '64-'69 (They're baa-aaack!)

Just curious, what brand are your switches and where have you been buying then?
Click to expand...
I don't know the brand or manf., but I bought them from Year One (no dig on them...) https://www.yearone.com/Product/chrysler-b-body/fd47801

I'm 10000% going to get one from Slantsix... because... fcuk it... Even if it's not the switch now, it will be one day. I'll still troubleshoot and confirm... I would hate to drop in a new switch and toast it because of a bad ground... So, I'll get the TS from Slantsix, but do everything else first. If I find that the current TS is fine... and I fix the actual issue... worst case I have a perfectly good TS on my shelf and I have two other Mopars... odds of needing it are virtually certain.
Thanks!
 
twecomm said:
Hey Doorkicker.. Last year I posted this, may help..

Recently had problem with L rear brake lamps not woking when braking on my 66 Charger. Looked over the schematics and decided had to be a problem with the turn signal switch which is original to the car. Shop manual has little detail on the switch or schematic of the switch. Thought I would do a write up on the process of removing steering wheel and the repair of the switch. The info on the switch is likely applicable for many other same era Mopars. I did purchase a proper replacement, but since I was able to repair the original, I'll just keep it with my spare electrical parts in case ever needed.
Here is a link to DropBox where you can down load the PDF I created. When you go to the link below, it can be viewed or downloaded by clicking the down pointing arrow in upper right bar. Another window will pop up asking to join or sign up. At the bottom click on "Or continue with Download only".
Hope it helps someone out..
Dropbox
Click to expand...
Holy smokes! That's awesome! Thanks! I'll print that sucker out right now.
 
Sam69sat said:
I believe the brake lights and turn signals share the same filament so it would seem the grounds and connections to the rear are ok. Do you have 12v coming out of the brake switch (white wire???) when the brake pedal is pressed?
Click to expand...
Yes! I checked that as well.

The part that is confusing is the brake lights were working just fine. I had spent a long time getting everything working consistently. The car currently (winter) spends 95% of the time in the garage and 5% on a short trip to a C&C or some local show if the weather permits - which hasn't been for the last several months. I went to a C&C Saturday and that's when I noticed no brake lights.

I'm wondering what and how anything changed. Parked... lights worked... deep freeze, horrible weather, car sits... one decent day opens up... no brake lights.

Anywho... the brake pedal switch wires we're top of my list to check... with so much electronics, the space under and around the steering column is super packed... so I assumed I bumped/broke a wire. But everything was good to go.

Thanks for the note!
 
In the 16 years I owned Baby Blue (unrestored) I never had a grounding issue. When the original turn signal switch broke, I replaced it with one from Slantsix, still worked perfectly several years later when I sold the car. On the other hand, the restored GTX I bought in 2016 kept me busy. Everything worked when I inspected the car, but I had intermittent electrical gremlins as soon as I got it home. One was in the kick panel harness connector, but many others were brought on by new paint under grounding locations. After I got those diagnosed, I still had to go over the contacts in the bulkhead connector before the car became gremlin free.
 
Hey everybody... I just wanted to provide a update into the thread so it can close out.

Got the document from @twecomm and started testing all the wiring. I tested wiring to and from the car to the switch, I tested the wiring at the rear, the harness, fuse block, even for fun checked some of the terminals in the dash. Pretty easy... And everything checked out except one. Basically when the turn signal is in neutral it should make the connection from the brake light switch on the pedal to the positive in the switch to illuminate both right and left rear. And that circuit fail when I put power into the switch and back out.

So I bought a new signal from @Slantsixdan installed it and everything worked great!

I took the old switch.... Again chinesium... And attempted to take it apart to figure out what really went wrong. Here's the funny thing is I can't actually find what's wrong. Whatever broke broke deep inside that plastic up inside where the wires are pushed through. There are these little metal terminals and metal wire that makes the connection And they all looked okay. But none of them would survive an ohm test or a circuit test.

So the moral of the story is... By quality stuff.
 
Hoorah! Always happy to hear of a repair gone right.

Also hoorah for quality stuff.
redbeard.gif
 
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