1989 Ford Escord - Bizarre Rapid Turn Signal

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fixed2fly@gmail.com - 28 Oct 2006 17:49 GMT

Hi all,

My 1989 Ford Escort (1.3L) is having some problems while signaling.
Its behaviour can be summed up as follows:

1. Without brakes applied or headlights turned on signaling works
perfectly.

2. With brakes applied OR headlights turned on, the turn signal
indicator blinks rapidly but the turn signals themselves do not flash.
With just the brakes on, the brake light on the same side as the turn
signal will pulse in the same rhythm as the turn signal indicator.

3. With both brakes applied AND headlights on the indicator doesn't
blink and the turn signals do not flash.

Can anyone point me in the right direction as to what needs to be
fixed/checked to solve this problem. I've checked all the bulbs and
none of them are burnt out.

Thanks for any suggestions,

Mike

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Comboverfish - 28 Oct 2006 18:25 GMT

> Hi all,
>
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
> fixed/checked to solve this problem. I've checked all the bulbs and
> none of them are burnt out.

1989 Escort 1.3? Do you have an Escort with a 1.9l or a Festiva with
a 1.3l? (Assuming yours is a US production car)

Assuming (also) that this problem is more likely the type that would
happen on turn signal systems that share one bulb circuit for both turn
and brake duty per side, I will guess you have an Escort of that era.
Your problem is likely a faulty turn signal switch assembly in the
steering column. It seems like there is a voltage drop to an
inappropriate circuit depending on what position the switch is in.
Brake light current goes through the switch on the Escort as well,
explaining how brake operation could effect your problem.

Toyota MDT in MO

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TeGGeR® - 28 Oct 2006 18:39 GMT

>> Hi all,
>>
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> 1989 Escort 1.3? Do you have an Escort with a 1.9l or a Festiva with
> a 1.3l? (Assuming yours is a US production car)

"fixed2fly" is in Italy.
(NNTP Posting Host: 213.209.179.124)

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TeGGeR®

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Comboverfish - 28 Oct 2006 18:43 GMT

> >> Hi all,
> >>
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> "fixed2fly" is in Italy.
> (NNTP Posting Host: 213.209.179.124)

Thanks, I wasn't sure due to the gmail address. I guess I don't know
what a 1.3l Escort looks like. Sounds like the worst of both worlds.

Toyota MDT in MO

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Chuk - 28 Oct 2006 22:46 GMT

Usually these problems are caused by a bad ground connection at the
lights. On many American autos the light is assumed to ground at the
mounting screws. This ground can fail over time as the screws corrode
or rust. The turn signal then grounds itself through the brake or
light wires. When the brakes are used or the lights turned on the
wires the turn signals are using for ground change from negative to
positive and the turn signals can not work. The solution is to change
or clean the mounting screws for the light body. Better to run a wire
from the light to a ground on the chassis. This may be attached at the
mounting screw making sure there is good connection at the light
assembly. If there already is a ground wire clean the connections at
both ends. Chuk

> Hi all,
>
[quoted text clipped - 19 lines]
>
> Mike

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fixed2fly@gmail.com - 04 Dec 2006 14:02 GMT

Thanks for the good advice. I did at first check the connections in
the rear tail-light assembly and what I found there led me to fixing
the problem.

I first of all found that one of the rear break light bulbs had not
been put in either at the factory or during a replacement of the right
hand tail-light assembly. There was a piece of plastic over the place
where the bulb would enter. I broke off the piece of plastic and added
a bulb.

Secondly, it seems that some sort of short occured during the car's
life as the plastic around one of the connectors was melted and the
connector itself was bent out of shape with black plastic melted to it.
I bent the connector back into it's proper shape, cleaned both sides
of the connector and voila! everything was working great again.

Thanks for the suggestions folks. It helped me solve the problem!

Mike

> Usually these problems are caused by a bad ground connection at the
> lights. On many American autos the light is assumed to ground at the
[quoted text clipped - 33 lines]
>
> > Mike

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