Lumina sedan turn signal working intermittently

[kat75]

Okay, this is weird. '96 Lumina sedan--My left turn signal was working intermittently. At first, it wouldnt come on at all and made a few clicking noises. Then I could get it to come on properly every once in a while. And sometimes it would come on but click really fast, like I had a bulb out. I figured out that if I wiggled the turn signal frontward and backward a little while the signal was on (as if I was trying to turn on my high beams), it would come on and flash properly. No problem at all with the right turn signal. Front right-side lights came on as well as rear. I wondered if there was a loose wire in the signal switch.

Well, I stepped outside just now to check the four-way flashers. The rear ones came on but the front ones did not. The dashboard signal lights did not come on. After that, I tried the signal lights again and couldnt get either the left or right to come on.

Since the light did work sometimes, I dont think the bulbs are bad (unless the connection is dirty). Could it more likely be a relay or a wire? Any ideas?

[cnilkyrclit]

im have a similar problem with my blinkers. the front work however the rears dont work. same with my hazards, fronts work but the rears dont. i have changed all of the rear bulbs, and tested the all of the wires going into the rear fixtures and the is power going through them. i used one of thos elittle cheap diode testers. im not sure if this is the correct name of the tool. it has a needle like point and have to push it through the protective coating on the wire. about a year ago while i was driving home from work, there was smoke coming from my steering column. then the smoke just went away. it only lasted about 5 seconds. acouple of shops have told me that the switch in these cars go bad and they have to be replaced. the rate that they quoted me was just way to high. its a 93 lumina eurosport. is this a hard fix or should i let the shopo fix it? please help, im tired of using my arm as a turn signal. if this is a hard fix (the switch) is there another way around it i.e. some how run a wire from the front blinkers the the rears. and i have replaced all of the fuses for the blinkers and the flashers. thanx

[Manny_boy]

The turn signal switch is a common problem among our cars. There is a easier fix than paying $175.00. The contacts inside the switch can be cleaned and rebent to make correct contact. The smoke you saw from your column was the grease they used from the factory for the contacts. You have to remove your steering wheel (for those of you with airbags, remove your airbag fuses before you take off your steering wheel. You can use a pencil eraser to clean up the contacts (just like the good ole slot cars (remember your racing sets?)) and just use a light coating of dielectric grease on the contacts. No problem since

[cnilkyrclit]

now i have another question, will removing the steering wheel be difficult? i have stories of people removing them and then they cant get it back into place. how hard is it to do this? so the contacts just need to be cleaned? dirty contacts will cause the rear blinkers not to work but the fronts will?? thats very wierd if so.

[Manny_boy]

Very possible... your turn signal switch has two separate sets of contacts. each set has three contact points.

[7T9Shark]

Originally Posted by Manny_boy

Very possible... your turn signal switch has two separate sets of contacts. each set has three contact points.

I bought a switch cable assembly, removed the air bag and steering wheel, along with that coil that is mounted inside the column, now I have the steering wheel locking plate staring me in the face with no possible way of removing that C ring, the way it's embedded below the surface of the plate.

You make fixing the switch sound so easy, but you have to get that plate off the column before you can do anything. How the heck do you do it?

This is beginning to look real serious.

Any ideas???

[kat75]

Shark--
I emailed your post to my husband and he said to fix ours, his dad did some research in the Chilton or Haynes manual and online, and removal of the plate requires a special tool you can rent from AutoZone. Not sure what it's called. Hope that helps!

[Manny_boy]

It's called a lock-plate removal tool... its shaped like a U, and it actually compresses the lock plate rearward enough so that you can remove the lock ring.

[7T9Shark]

Originally Posted by kat75

Shark--
I emailed your post to my husband and he said to fix ours, his dad did some research in the Chilton or Haynes manual and online, and removal of the plate requires a special tool you can rent from AutoZone. Not sure what it's called. Hope that helps!

Thanks Kat75. When I saw that "C" ring recessed in the locking plate my heart just sank. However, I scratched my head for awhile and made a tool out of a large washer and a couple of 1/4" bolts that that worked great. Job is done!!

I posted detailed instructions that might help anyone else who wants to save some $$.

[kat75]

Originally Posted by 7T9Shark

Thanks Kat75. When I saw that "C" ring recessed in the locking plate my heart just sank. However, I scratched my head for awhile and made a tool out of a large washer and a couple of 1/4" bolts that that worked great. Job is done!!

I posted detailed instructions that might help anyone else who wants to save some $$.

No problem!
Thanks for posting the instructions. I'm sure anyone who runs across this board will be glad to have them. Obviously it's a recurring problem with this car.

[cadgear]

When you 'rent' tools from Autozone, you are, in all reality, purchasing the tool with intent to return it. You get the full amount back if you return the tool, if you choose not to return the tool then its yours for whatever you paid.
Weird, eh?

As far as the lockplate goes, yeah, its a charm to get off if you don't have that tool ;P Just make sure the steering shaft doesn't rotate too much when the coil is off; you'll need to realign everything just-so before tightening the shaft nut down on the wheel. Why? Because that's your airbag's contact to the control module. Its your friend.