Only starts with the turn signal engaged

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Righty Tighty

Righty Tighty

Blame it on the dog
FABO Gold Member
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Location
Sahuarita, AZ
‘74 Barracuda.

Last few months I’ve noticed my car’s ignition getting more and more finicky. I could jiggle the wires underneath and it would start, but one day that trick stopped working. So naturally, instead of fixing the problem, I resorted to jumpering the starter relay every single time.

“One day” I would fix it.

Well, today I finally removed the steering column bracket. Jiggled some wires while keeping the key turned — nothing. I twisted the column a little back and forth, and the car started! I tried to repeat it, then realized it will only start with the turn signal engaged (left or right).

I’m happy it starts with the key, and this is kind of a neat security feature, but has anyone experienced this? I do plan on digging further into this, but I have such little free time that this was all I could do today.
 
I'm sorry, Im LMAO about your start with turn signal issue, this might qualify for "truth is stranger than fiction "
 
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Brooks James said:
about your start with turn signal issue, this might qualify for "truth is stranger than fiction
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Put you key in your pocket
Turn on the flashers
Turn on the turn signal left or right
Press the brake pedal
Turn on your stock radio
Enjoy!
 
CFD244 said:
LOL......Until it shorts out and burns your car to the ground. :poke:
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Haha!! Well, maybe this won't be a permanent fix then... But as mentioned before, nobody wants a car that's on fire, right?
67Dart273 said:
MAN you can come up with more STUFF!!
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Del, this is just the "stuff" that I post....y'all don't even know the stuff I find that doesn't get posted here...haha.
 
Righty Tighty said:
Haha!! Well, maybe this won't be a permanent fix then... But as mentioned before, nobody wants a car that's on fire, right?

Del, this is just the "stuff" that I post....y'all don't even know the stuff I find that doesn't get posted here...haha.
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So, do you find the "stuff", or does the "stuff" find you? :lol:
 
CFD244 said:
LOL......Until it shorts out and burns your car to the ground. :poke:
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Yeah no kiddin. That chit would be splattered all over my shop floor fixin it.
 
I'll be glad to help if I can, but not sure what to suggest. I think I'd tear down the column, and pull the harness/ ignition switch out and inspect it for damage/ bare wiring. Maybe there's been "melt" damage. That is ALWAYS difficult, because shorts can heat up the harness, melt wiring together and cause all kinds of nonsense
 
CFD244 said:
So, do you find the "stuff", or does the "stuff" find you? :lol:
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Good question! I think if I was a little more proactive in repairing things before they get this far, I wouldn't be dealing with this stuff in the first place...
RustyRatRod said:
Yeah no kiddin. That chit would be splattered all over my shop floor fixin it.
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You guys are right. I'm gonna park it until I can pull apart the column. Incidentally, after I drove it home from the shop, I tried starting it again using my neat little turn signal trick, and it didn't work. Things must've shifted back so that I'm back to jumpering the starter relay.

If it's the ignition switch, I'll be in luck because I already have a new one on the shelf.
 
Thanks fellas. Soonest I can disconnect the battery will be tomorrow morning when I’m off shift…
 
Kind of off topic but kkind of not. I once had a grant weheel on a 71 Pontiac. I made a left turn and the horn came on and stayed on..I had to pull over yank the horn button and rip the wire off the contact plate...:)
 
Years ago I was the used car mechanic at a dodge dealer. We'd gotten a ~78/79-ish F150 in that I had to do the 128 point used car inspection on before it could go out on the front lot. That thing would only crank with the right turn signal on. Otherwise to try and turn the key to "crank" would only get the horn to honk. I went up front to ask one of the more "senior" techs and one of our service advisors happened to be near and heard me asking about this truck.
The service advisor interrupted and told that when he worked previously for this one certain ford dealership, they would install some kind of "security system" that would respond exactly this way. Yup, as it turns out this truck had been sold at that Ford dealership new/..... So I was told to leave it be and they would tell anyone that came to look at that truck about it..... It got sold that way and it wasn't on our lot long, before it was sold.
 
Pulled the steering wheel, and now we’re back to starting with the turn signal. I guess with all the jostling, a wire must have made contact again somewhere.

Stay tuned.
 
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