RH Turn Indicator Illuminated When Lights Are On

[4tiresngas]

Okay, maybe I'm just picky, but this little light bugs me. When I turn my lights on, the right hand turn indicator is illuminated. I thought it might just be missing the cardboard tube around the buld, but I took the dash apart and it was there. The blinkers work fine, anf the turn signal indicator blinks when I turn it to the right. Any ideas? Here's what it looks like when I just have the lights on:

[sneakysnake]

You have a broke or bad connection on a ground wire.

[70c10]

Pull the bulbs in the TL's and check them.

[cdowns]

bad bulb

[4tiresngas]

Are you saying a bad bulb in the dash on on one of the turn signals/side markers?

[4tiresngas]

I replaced that bulb and the socket in the dash. No change.

[67ChevyRedneck]

I have the same problem, all lights work fine inside and out, but my right blinker light only stays on when I have the lights on the "parking light" setting, and it turns off when I pull it out to the "headlights on" setting. Like yours, when I turn the right blinker on it blinks correctly. Weird, huh?

[cdowns]

one of the turn signal marker lights has a bad filament

[sneakysnake]

Its a back feed, searching for a ground.
Check your grounds on the core support, fire wall, bed and under dash.

If it was only doing it with the blinker "on" then a bulb is out and not causing the blinker relay to open and close.but since you said all bulbs light and blinkers work check your grounds.

[Stocker]

I think sneakysnake may be on to it, but PLEASE let us know what you eventually find.

I have owned my truck more than 28 years, and it does that exact thing, though only on very rare occasion - and I'm pretty sure only during wet weather. All other lamps operate correctly.

[Putter]

That would indicate a bad park-light bulb (some folks call them running lights)....in grill or tails. Either burned out or not making good connection.

[chickenwing]

Originally Posted by Putter

That would indicate a bad park-light bulb (some folks call them running lights)....in grill or tails. Either burned out or not making good connection.

Really? I put in a painless harness and the problem has followed me. Mine is the left blinker. I ASSUMED I had a problem in my column as that is practically the only original wires left in the truck. My dash IS well grounded. I am using original tail lamp housings too, side markers and parks are new.

I've been meanin to look into it... but you know me.

[pjmoreland]

There's a black grounding wire that clips to the back of the metal dash, near the oil gauge. Try sliding the clip around to help it bite into the metal.

[pjmoreland]

Good point chickenwing. I had a 69 that had all kinds of problems with the bezel lights and turn signals. Turned out that the brass contact plate inside the turn signal mechanism in the column had all of the little bumps worn off of it, so all of the terminals were getting shorted together in strange ways.

[4tiresngas]

I'm thinking it is the turn signal harness inside the steering wheel also. I actually have another one and could swap them out, but I need a steering wheel puller. Maybe, next time I'm at AutoZone.

I did check the sidemarker bulbs. They all work with the running lights on. I replaced the back ones anyway. The back ones do not blink at all. I'm not sure if this is by design or not.

Also, I figured out that the RH turn signal will not blink with the lights on. I guess I just have to turn left at night.

I'm open to more suggestions.

[bejay]

thats probably the bulb that is shorted the right rear bulb filaments are shorted and feeding into the turn signal pull the bulb and see if the turn signal light is on with the bulb out and the lights on.

[4tiresngas]

Pulled the bulb. No change. Uuughhh.

[cdowns]

Originally Posted by 4tiresngas

Pulled the bulb. No change. Uuughhh.

you can pull all you want what you NEED to do is put in a NEW BULB

[bejay]

remove the front and rear right side turn signal bulbs and then try it, if its still on the socket or wiring would have to be shorted somewhere if the right rear doesnt work and the right front does more than likely the problem is in the wiring going to the rear you could use an ohmeter and disconnect the battery and with the light switch on and the bulbs removed ohm the tail and turn signal wires and it shouldnt have any continuity you can then start disconnecting harness and recheck at each connection to narrow down where the short is at if it has a trailer connector spliced in you should check there for problems also.

[70STOVEBOLT]

Mine was doing that for a while, seems like it was only in damp/wet weather. I did have a trailer harness spliced in and after I took it off and taped up the area where the wire was spliced, it hasn't come back on.

[Longhorn Man]

the light staying on is to indicate that that side blinker (not parking) light is not working. The side markers have nothing to do with it either, and also, since it was brought up, the rear markers do not blink.
You either have a bad bulb in the front or rear parking light/turn signal light...or the dreaded bad ground at the lights not the dash. If the dash had a bad ground, it would act crazy on more than one bulb.
Pull both 1157 bulbs, one front one back...throw them away. They are cheap enough that there is no need to get a headache trying to look at the itty bitty wires in there...esp since the open or shorted circuit can be in the base of the bulb.
Then, with thye bulbs still out, and the parking lights and turn signales in the OFF position, grab a battery terminal cleaning tool, and get in there and scrape it all clean. Grab a can of electrical contact cleaner, or brake clean...either or, and hose out the socket.
Then, on the tail light, remove the 2 bolts that hold the tail light bucket or backing plate or what ever. You'll need a 5/16 socket. 1/4 inch drive rocks for this type of work. gently pull the housing/backing plate/bucket out of the way without tugging on the wiores, and clean up the back of the metal where the 2 bolts go through, then, inside, where those two bolts get secured to the bed.
Reasemble the rear light assembly and install a brand new bulb.
I can't tell from your avatar, if you have a 69/70, or a 71/72. Either way, remove the lens on the passenger side marker and do the same to this. I have seen in the past where nasty poor condition 69/70 grills won't carry a ground. Once you have cleaned the socket in the same mannor as the rear, and cleaned where the light assembly is bolted to the bumper (71/72 only) then put the new bulb in. (leave the lens off at this point)
Now, on the back side of the radiator core support, (on the engine side) on both sides one behind the battery tray, and another in the same area on the drivers side, locate the ground wires that are bolted on. You'll probably need to remove the battery or batteries (if so equipped) to get to the wire. Remove the wire...I'm thinking this is also a 5/16 head...maybe a 3/8...it's been a while for me, but we are dealing with small stuff. Now, sand the eyelets, and then sand the area that the bolt went through the metal. Reinstall the ground wires, and reinstall the battery if removed.
Test the lights.
If still acting stupid, then (esp on a 69/70) take a length of wire, and slip it into the battery terminal on the negitive side. With the blinker on, take one of the lens mounting screws, and screw it in, and wrap the temp/test ground wire to it..and now check to see if it is goofy.
If this jumper wire fixes it, then you'll most liklely need to hook up a perminant jumper like that. it is kinda trickey, but I have done it and it not be visible.

There is a chance that the added resistance is comeing into play at another point in the truck...undear dash harnes, the turn signal switch, the under bed harness....however, if you go through and do what I listed...this will fix this sort of problem 75 - 90% of the time.

[Bob Moore]

I just had this happen to me when I put a new grill in the 69. The right park/turn lamp was dim and the indicator was on when the lights were on(park and headlights both). Took the park lens off and fiddled with the bulb - problem solved for me.

Could be bad bulb/bad ground/bad connection.

Good luck - Bob

[4tiresngas]

Okay, I pulled all the bulbs and I pulled the besel off my dash so I could see the light and was sure it was not just light slipping through a crack somewhere. I put one bulb back in at a time. The right front sidemarker/blinker was the culprit. I used 4 or 5 different 194 bulbs. When I got it fixed, I immediately noticed the bulb was brighter than the others.

Okay, now riddle me this....Now, a different problem popped up. When the lights are on, the left front blinker (in the grill) does not blink. It works fine if the lights are not on.

[cdowns]

Buy New Bulbs

[4tiresngas]

That's just it. Every bulb on the truck is brand new. I bought everyone last week before I started installing the new harnesses.