Rear turn signal bulbs always on

[TwistedD85]

The past few days I've had a strange issue where the rear turn signals stay on, solid and not blinking, even when the car is off. If I use the turn signals or emergency flashers they flash like normal, but as soon as I stop it's back to solid. I checked all the other bulbs for a burnout bulb, but despite the side turn signals not working removing the bulbs didn't help. Alarm isn't the culprit either, I managed to disable it and everything's still the same. All I can do is disconnect the battery for now. Anyone have any idea what it is or where the problem might be? If it's a ground issue I'm boned

Thanks for any help.

 

[rubydist]

my first guess is a short somewhere in the wiring harness.

I would start by measuring voltage on the hot side of the bulb both when the blinker is working and when it is off, and then measure resistance to ground on the ground side of the bulb in both situations. And then go from there, depending on what I learned.

 

[SHOdded]

No LEDs involved, I'm assuming?

 

[TwistedD85]

my first guess is a short somewhere in the wiring harness.

I would start by measuring voltage on the hot side of the bulb both when the blinker is working and when it is off, and then measure resistance to ground on the ground side of the bulb in both situations. And then go from there, depending on what I learned.

I'll give that a try tomorrow when the sun is up.

No LEDs involved, I'm assuming?

Nope, good old fashioned light bulbs.

Sitting here thinking about it I was wondering why the lights still completely turn off when using the turn signals or hazards, if it was a ground issue wouldn't it just stay on regardless of what the flasher is telling it to do? Can a flasher get stuck in the on position and still function when told to?

Edit: I just remembered when using the turn signal the other side still stays solid, if that's anything.

Edit 2: Thinking about it, about the only thing that should cause that should be the turn signal switch assembly, I think. Maybe the short is in there or leading up to it. I thought it was a fluke, but I think I managed to make it go away the last time by pressing the hazards button a few times.

 

[SHOdded]

Might as well take the multifunctionswitch apart while you are at it, if nothing else pans out. The stop lamp switch also fails sometimes.

Devin put up some wiring diagrams at http://www.shopowered.com/diagrams/

 

[TwistedD85]

Might as well take the multifunctionswitch apart while you are at it, if nothing else pans out. The stop lamp switch also fails sometimes.

Devin put up some wiring diagrams at http://www.shopowered.com/diagrams/

Where would the stop lamp switch be?

Edit: Wait, would that be the BOO switch? If so I've had that break and the lights just didn't work.

 

[TwistedD85]

Just to add I did replace the combination switch in the column a few years ago with one from Advance Auto, I'll be checking that first tomorrow.

 

[SHOdded]

Where would the stop lamp switch be?
Edit: Wait, would that be the BOO switch? If so I've had that break and the lights just didn't work.

That's the one. Since you mentioned rear lamps, thought I'd throw that in the mix.

 

[TwistedD85]

That's the one. Since you mentioned rear lamps, thought I'd throw that in the mix.

Yeah, its only the turn signal portions, I will give it a look though.

 

[TwistedD85]

Hm, took the BOO off and checked for continuity, pressed or depressed its the same. So it just might be the BOO, strange though.

 

[SHOdded]

Is the BOO always on, then?

 

[rubydist]

that would cause the symptoms you describe.

 

[TwistedD85]

Ah, sorry, after I fixed it everything left my mind. Yes, it was the BOO switch, it was always closed so the outer taillights were always on. Swapped it out and bam, fixed. Thanks for the help!

 

[SHOdded]

Awesome!