Turn signals not working?

Tiny
FELISHA
  • MEMBER
  • 1999 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX
Interior problem
1999 Pontiac Grand Prix 6 cyl Automatic

cant get passager taillight on, have change bulb, nothing comes on, no signal or anything. What else could it be?
Monday, February 16th, 2009 AT 8:23 AM

47 Replies

Tiny
JDL
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,098 POSTS
Hello, use a testlite in the bulb socket, see if there is voltage, for the tail lites, turn on the park lamps. I have seen bulbs that didn't make good contact.

This guide can help

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/turn-signals-not-working-blinker

The brown wire is tail-lites, the yellow is turn/brake, black is ground, maybe a ground problem?
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Monday, February 16th, 2009 AT 8:44 AM
Tiny
DD19541
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1997 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX
  • V8
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 25,000 MILES
I turned my left blinker on and now it won't shut off and my right one doesn't work. The left keeps blinking.
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Tuesday, July 21st, 2020 AT 1:50 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,885 POSTS
If you can turn it off by hand, the switch needs replaced. There is a plastic tab in them that cancels the switch when the steering wheel returns to the straight position. If that breaks, it won't automatically shut off. If it stays on all the time and you can't shut it off, then there is a short in the multifunction switch.
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Tuesday, July 21st, 2020 AT 1:50 PM (Merged)
Tiny
UPMM019
  • MEMBER
  • 216 POSTS
  • 1997 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 120,000 MILES
On my 97 Pontiac Grand Prix GT - the left front turn signal does not work.

The right signal, front and back works. I hear the flasher working.

The left rear signal works but it flashes fast. I hear the flasher working.

I've checked all of the blubs and they are good. I took the front headlamp assembly out of the left and plugged it into the right and all blubs worked.

I took the left front headlamp assembly and checked all of the wires for continuity and did not find any faults.

The front left signal lamp is not entirely out. The lower element for drive lights works.

However, the actual signal part does not.

The driver of the car does say at times, the left signal works correctly. However, most of the time it does not work.

I did notice that if I have the front right headlamp assembly unplugged and I turn on the right blinker it blinks fast like the left. The dash right blinker lights up and blinks fast.

However, on the left with the front headlamp assembly unplugged and the left blinker on it blinks fast in the rear lamp but the dash signal does not light at all.

However, when the left does work, per the driver, the dash signal does light.

I have no clue where to begin to trouble shoot this issue.
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Tuesday, July 21st, 2020 AT 1:50 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,885 POSTS
The quick flashing indicates the circuit is open (bad bulb). Make sure the connectors are clean and tight on the bulb. Also, with a test light or volt meter, make sure the socket is getting power. It could be a bad socket. Check the wiring where it enters the socket.

Let me know what you find.
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Tuesday, July 21st, 2020 AT 1:50 PM (Merged)
Tiny
UPMM019
  • MEMBER
  • 216 POSTS
I've checked all of that.

I took the left front headlamp assembly and connected it to the right side and all function correctly when the right blinker is turned on.

So I think the socket is good and I know the bulbs are too.

I've checked all of the wiring that is close to the front left headlamp assembly and found good grounds, etc.

I still have no clue where to go next.
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Tuesday, July 21st, 2020 AT 1:50 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,885 POSTS
The only thing you can do is continue following the wiring. If the rear works, there has to be a break in the wiring to the front.

I realize this isn't what you want to hear, but if the rear is getting power, the switch is good. There must be a break in the wiring.
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Tuesday, July 21st, 2020 AT 1:50 PM (Merged)
Tiny
UPMM019
  • MEMBER
  • 216 POSTS
Yeah, it's been driving me crazy.

The one thing I forgot to mention is it does work sometimes, rarely.

I've not been able to pinpoint what condition needs to exist for it to work.

That said. Either it's a short for that particular wire or there is something bad in the multifunction switch at the column.

In regards to tracing it back. Is it fair to say that if I have my tester hooked to a good ground and then I touch the hot side wire that is sending the blinking signal that my test lamp should blink?

The socket has three wires. One is the ground and the other one is the driving lamp low element and then the other is the signal lamp, high element.

I probed around on the right that works and could never get my test light to blink. I could always get it to light if I was going with the ground and the driving lamp low element wire. However, If I switched to the other wire it did nothing. However, the right turn signal works.

This may be elementry work but I've never done it before so am learning as I go.
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Tuesday, July 21st, 2020 AT 1:50 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JKEEGAN84
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 1997 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX
  • 6 CYL
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 128 MILES
My left headlight is dimmer then my right headligh. I recently changed the bulbs and still teh same problem. When I trun my lights on my left turning signal indicator is always lite. What is my car trying to tell me?
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Tuesday, July 21st, 2020 AT 1:50 PM (Merged)
Tiny
BUDDYCRAIGG
  • MECHANIC
  • 2,262 POSTS
You have a ground problem with the light harness in that front corner.
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Tuesday, July 21st, 2020 AT 1:50 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JKEEGAN84
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Thank you very much, should I just change the whole wiring harness?
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Tuesday, July 21st, 2020 AT 1:50 PM (Merged)
Tiny
BUDDYCRAIGG
  • MECHANIC
  • 2,262 POSTS
Probably not.

The front left marker light and the front left headlight are spliced together at splice #S124.

And they ground at G108
which should be on the left upper radiator support.

Check those to places for problems.
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Tuesday, July 21st, 2020 AT 1:50 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JLMCRAE
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1995 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX
Electrical problem
1995 Pontiac Grand Prix 6 cyl Automatic

A brand new bulb was put in and it still doesn't work. All other turn signals work fine. The front driver's side blinker works but doesn't blink. What else can be wrong with it?
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Tuesday, July 21st, 2020 AT 1:50 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JDL
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,098 POSTS
I was just curious, when you turn hazzard flasher, do the lites flash? At the rear turn, yellow wire is voltage, black is ground, use a testlite. Make sure all the bulbs are good. Voltage for yellow wire comes from turn switch, can't be sure switch is faulty?
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Tuesday, July 21st, 2020 AT 1:50 PM (Merged)
Tiny
GODFATHER453
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1995 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
The turn signals on my 1995 grand prix stopped working. What could cause this?
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Tuesday, July 21st, 2020 AT 1:50 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JDL
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,098 POSTS
First, I'd check applicable fuse. Your owners manual should show the fuse and location, maybe your fuse block has a label on the lid. Your turn flasher could be an issue, as well as the turn signal switch. I can give you wiring diagrams. If you don't have an owners manual, I can tell you where to look at one, online for free. Let us know.
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Tuesday, July 21st, 2020 AT 1:50 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JDL
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,098 POSTS
I just wanted to add, your bulbs and turn signal sockets are ok?
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Tuesday, July 21st, 2020 AT 1:50 PM (Merged)
Tiny
LREOPS
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1995 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX
I am trying to get the turn signals working on a 1995 Pontiac Grand Prix. I've checked all fuses according to the owners manual and they all test good. The four way flashers work fine so it is not the bulbs. Is there a relay somewhere that I am missing or what is the possibility that there could be something wrong with the switch in the steering couumn. If the switch is bad, is there a way to check it before getting into the steering column to take it out?
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Tuesday, July 21st, 2020 AT 1:50 PM (Merged)
Tiny
LSUSSEL
  • MECHANIC
  • 252 POSTS
It is possible that the flasher itself might have gone bad. The 4 way hazard flashers will alwasy work no matter whats wrong with your car, thats a safety feature. Check the flasher itself before you take apart the steering column. When you turn on the right or left turn signal, does the green arrow light up at all in the dash?
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-1
Tuesday, July 21st, 2020 AT 1:50 PM (Merged)
Tiny
PUALIE
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • PONTIAC GRAND PRIX
I drive a 1995 Grand Prix with 132,000 miles, and I recently came upon a problem with the blinker, the blinker still works but it will only work on one spot so everytime I want to turn I have to find the spot that will turn the blinker on and hold it there. I was wondering if there was a broken piece I have to replace or if I would have to manually do something to repair it.
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Tuesday, July 21st, 2020 AT 1:50 PM (Merged)

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