Turn signal switch...

[trwp72]

Well yesterday my left turn signal started to act up... it was clicking real fast... with no lights showing... So I checked the bulbs. all fine... Then I noticed the brake lights weren't working... backed up in front of Advanced... Noticed they were not on in the reflection, off the windows on the front of the building... So I checked the fuse... sure enough, it was blown... replaced it, the left turn signal started to work, and the brake lights worked... So I pull out on the street, and the left turn quites working again... and the four ways are out, So I know the brake lights are out too... By now I am on the way home, on the interstate... So i very carefully drove home... To keep someone from running over me... since I had no brake lights... So I went to my Advance here in Gulf Breeze, and got a stoplight switch, figuring the stop light switch is shorting out.. and go over to my mechanics shop... (I didn't feel like being a contorsionist last night, trying to get under the dash!) he told me that the stoplights on the Ford Crown Vics are routed thru the turn signal switch, and he checked the stoplight switch, it was fine... So I took the stoplight switch back, and ordered a turn signal switch... It came in this morning... so today I put it in... I also found a loose wire in the plug... The wire snaps into the back of the plug, but this one was coming out of the back... Not sure if it was because of me pulling the plug... Or if this may have been causing problems.. So I glued the wire back into the plug, so it would not come out again... Works like a charm! I also didn't realize how faded looking the black part of the switch looked... So it looks like new now!!!
Also, since I had the column apart...
I fixed the rattle on my shifter... I installed a thin flat washer as a shim, to take up the slack in the area around where the shift pin goes in... and also applied a liberal amount of grease to the end of the shift lever before putting it back in... No more rattle! (I HATE rattles!)

So if anyone has a problem with your turn signals or brake lights... or a combination of the two... replace the turn signal switch... As a plus... the chrome was starting to come off of the end of the knob where you twist it... cut myself one about 2 weeks ago... solved that problem too!

Tom!

[P72Ford]

Been there, done that. Except, I changed mine because the wiper function was allegedly inoperable. It turns out that wasn't the case, but I enjoy the shiny chrome as an alternative to that old blistered peeling switch.

[gabegt90]

stupid 90-91 wiper washer high beam turnsignal switch. they get fucked up overtime. it gets rally sensitive the wipers don't turn on come on sometimes.

[79lincolnlover]

stupid 90-91 wiper washer high beam turnsignal switch. they get fucked up overtime. it gets rally sensitive the wipers don't turn on come on sometimes.

I have this issue with my '93 sometimes.

[gadget73]

93 has the same switch as the 90-91.

For some reason I was thinking those things had black levers. Lucky though, the box switches don't come with a lever, so you have to re-use the old nasty one.

[trwp72]

the box switches don't come with a lever, so you have to re-use the old nasty one.

Mine did... shiney new chrome and black...

And, it started acting up again tonight... so I must have a wiring issue... Damn it! Guess I'll check it out Friday when I'm off again... I think it may be at the bottom of the wiring harness that goes down the column.... when i pulled up on it today to change the plugs to the new switch, it probably moved it away from where it is shorting out... then after driving it today, it probably settled back to the original position and shorted out again... popping the fuse.... Damn I HATE trying to find wiring issues!!!

So i will just have to drive to work, and not use the turn signals... because that is what triggers the fuse to short out... So I'll have brake lights on the way to work!

[trwp72]

Well, on the way to work today, it blew the fuse... even after not using the turn signals.. I turned a corner, saw a "flash" from under the dash, no more brake lights! (It was before sun up) So either the flash was the fuse blowing, or the spark from the "short"... So tonight when I go home, (which will be after dark...) I am going to put another fuse in that I have "blacked out" with a black marker... So if I see a flash... I will know what it is.. and it will narrow down where to look! I will not be able to do much in the way of time to try to find the problem... Since I work today and tommorow 12 hours... IF it "flashes" on the way home... I may try to take the time tonight and get under the dash when I get home and see if I can find it really easy... I will do something to temp. fix it until friday when i'm off.... (AFTER I get the turkey in the oven tonight...)

[trwp72]

Well, the car is fixed finnally... you are never going to guess what the problem was.... The FRICKEN TRAILER HARNESS WIRING!!! That is why I could never here the spark when it shorted out... because the short was out side underneath the bumper! My mechanic and I started tracing wires.. and when he pulled the trunk carpet back, he was like where does that wire go? (It goes thru a grommet to outside the car) I told him the trailer harbness... we just looked at each other like... No it couldn't be that simple... Well, it was..... looks like I ran over something and it ripped it...

Typical... something simple... That took hours to find! (Which i knew it would be!)

Oh well, I needed a new turn signal / wiper switch... it looks and feels like new!

Tom...

[gadget73]

Whats that theorum about the simplest explanation being the most likely? Glad you got it fixed.