TURN SIGNAL SWITCH

[B'cuda]

So my old switch was wore out but would still work, I had to hold the lever up or down, no auto cancel, brake and flashers, all lights ok.
So I got a replacement switch from Van's, and after installing it and trying the right signal, I couldn't see or hear the blinker, but the interior lights were going bright and dim, I looked out front, the signal lamps were not lighting and I returned to find the switch smoking inside the column. I unhooked the battery, checked the switch, it melted the plastic around the contact and now while I have brake and flasher lights I don't have either signal.
Do you guys think I just got a bad switch or do I have a short and if so how do I diagnose it? I don't want to buy a better switch only to burn it up.
Thanks for any help

 

[67Dart273]

You can easily check "the rest of the car" side of the harness by jumpering at the connector. Here is what you have:

Power TO the TS switch:

You have switched brake lights power in
Feed from the hazard flasher
With key on, power from the TS flasher

OUT you have
Left front flasher and turn indicator
Right front flasher and turn indicator
Left rear turn/ stop lamp
Right rear turn/ stop lamp

Simple, right? Look them up in the shop manual (colors at the TS connector) and just jumper power to each one at a time. A few ways to do this........run power with a wire from a battery source in series with a LARGE wattage bulb.......like a turn signal. That way if you short something or have a short, all that will happen is that your series bulb will light.

Now just clip/ jumper that to each of the TS outputs and see if the appropriate bulb lights

INPUTS equally simple. With a test lamp each one should show power, the TS flasher one needs to have the key on, the brake pedal has to be depressed for brake switch, and the hazard should be "hot" at all times

 

[TrailBeast]

So my old switch was wore out but would still work, I had to hold the lever up or down, no auto cancel, brake and flashers, all lights ok.
So I got a replacement switch from Van's, and after installing it and trying the right signal, I couldn't see or hear the blinker, but the interior lights were going bright and dim, I looked out front, the signal lamps were not lighting and I returned to find the switch smoking inside the column. I unhooked the battery, checked the switch, it melted the plastic around the contact and now while I have brake and flasher lights I don't have either signal.
Do you guys think I just got a bad switch or do I have a short and if so how do I diagnose it? I don't want to buy a better switch only to burn it up.
Thanks for any help

Not to minimalize Dels post but, it worked before you changed the switch except you had to hold it in position right?
Need I say more?

 

[mopardude62]

It costs a little more but might I suggest if you do buy a new switch to get a quality switch from Slant Six Dan. Don't but Chinese junk when you could have a new switch manufactured by a quality supplier and duplicate what was in there originally. Scroll down to the bottom of this page: Daniel Stern Lighting Consultancy and Supply