Electrical problem: flashers and turn signals

[streetstang67]

Something has been wrong with the horn wiring on my car since I got it. I ended up just unpluging both horns and taking them out, rendering the horn button useless. Well I was driving the other day and noticed that when I turned the steering wheel to a certain spot, the steering wheel backing would rub the column causing a short somewhere, the radio and lights flickered. Soon after I noticed this, I pulled the horn button off to look and the two horn wires were flickering (sparks) and eventually touched causing smoke and orange wires. So in order to get home, I cut those two wires. When I got home, I find that a wire from the steering column harness has melted to other wires or whatever it could touch as well as more stuff all the way to the turn signal flasher. So I guess this is the turn signal wire which would explain why they weren't working on the way home. I replaced the flasher (silver thing) and taped up the entire length of the melted wire. Well, turn signals still dont work. What in the world is going on here?

I should mention that the steering wheel column wiring harness was replaced a few months back b/c I had broken some of the plastic around horn contacts and such. The emergency flashers work, and everything else in the car electrical works. I've tried to be real organized with any/all wiring/electrical stuff in the dash.

Thanks

 

[pabear89]

You might have scraped the wires reinstalling them in thru the colume,
Don't ask how I know.

But your troubles lay there.


But on the brightside.............you already know how to take it apart.



PB

 

[grego37]

you should try to replace wires that have melted instead of taping them up.
maybe carry a fire extinguisher to be on the safe side.

 

[MustangMatt1966]

not to hijack the thread here, but i have a problem with my flasher too, but its just the right one, when i put the flasher on and then step on the brake, the flasher stops blinking and then when i let off the brake it starts blinking again, its just the right one and not a major problem, but im just curious as to what might cause this?

 

[pabear89]

Matt,
your prob is possiably the signal switch internally.
poor/worn contacts are most likley the cause.


PB

 

[Tim65GT]

I would guess the turn signal switch on both issues. The contacts are probably the weakest point. After heating up a wire to the point of melting the insulation, it can become a resistor itself. This can be hard to troubleshoot sometimes. Make voltage checks with the switch on. Don't rely on resistance checks with an ohmmeter.