Rear Taillights: Center Running Light Flashes On Both Sides With Amber Turn Signal

[kings1527]

Here's a new one that just started after I put my engine back together from doing some completely unrelated work to this. When I use my turn signal, my center running light in the middle of the rear marker will flash in conjunction with my turn signal. The running light will flash on BOTH sides. For example:

-I signal for left hand turn.
-My left rear amber flashes
-My left rear running light flashes with my left rear amber
-My right rear running light flashes with my left rear amber and left rear running light.

I have some PJ Grady upgraded boards on their way but I'm not sure if that's entirely the issue. I have converted to LEDs but I haven't had this problem. It just started all by itself, quite possibly after a car wash but I'm not sure if this was going on before or only after the wash.

I've swapped the boards around and no matter which side, they do the same thing.

Any thoughts? Grounding issue?

Thanks!

[kings1527]

So apparently, my car DOES have the flashing side marker mod and I seriously never noticed it before. I haven't done any messing with that wiring since I got the car but I find it interesting that I just noticed it, along with the lights not functioning right. Anyways, now I just need to locate where the PO made the mod and see what's going on.

Is there a common location?

I wouldn't mind restoring it back to its regular configuration if it improves reliability. I hate having these issues. I don't have a working ice pick here at work so I'll have to wait until I get home tomorrow to really isolate the problem. But I think it's safe to say that since I have the flashing side markers, this is a good place to start as far as figuring the problem out.

[Ron]

Try right at the front turn signal light fixture(s).

[kings1527]

Thanks Ron. I'll take a look.

As I just found out, if I have both my front and rear side markers flash (which mine do), then I'd have to mod both the front and the back. So I'll look in both locations.

[kings1527]

So I took a look. I undid all kinds of markers and couldn't find any splicing in any of the wiring. I put everything back together and tested everything, and now my side markers don't flash. I knew I wasn't crazy. Here's what I have:

Headlights and running lights on
-Turn signals work fine
-Side markers don't flash with ambers
-Everything's fine here

Headlights and running lights off
-Turn signals work fine
-Side markers don't flash with ambers
-Center running lights on rear markers flash on both sides when signals are used. They don't flash as bright as when the running lights are on, maybe 50% brightness which is interesting because they're LED.

I never had any issues before with all this. I still have to run through some stuff with an ice pick.

Psycho car....:dunno:

[Bitsyncmaster]

Those side flashing wire changes seem to only work reliably with incandescent bulbs. I decided to use electronic circuity to make my side markers flash.

[kings1527]

So my Grady boards arrived tonight and I went down and installed everything. But the problem is still there. :-/

Possibly a bad LED causing a problem? I think I left my old bulbs at my work so I'll check tomorrow. Some things I was thinking about today:

-The flashing side marker wiring mod didn't become popular until 3-5 years ago, correct? My car sat for about the past 5 years before I bought it. I haven't found anything funky that the PO had done to the car so I highly doubt I'm looking at a mod gone bad. I doubt he even did it and like I said, I've never seen my side markers flash until that one weird time.

-I'm wondering if I'm looking at a bad ground? According to Bill's master ground diagram, it looks like the rear lights are grounded to the frame just below the expansion tank/coolant pipe on the passenger's side?

-What about a problem with the turn stalk? Probably unlikely?

[DrJeff]

When I moved to LED in all the indicators, once I also changed to a flasher unit for LEDs the indicators flashed but the side market lights flashed too - but in opposing sequence to the indicators. When I changed out just one of the indicator bulbs for an incandescent they would flash again properly.

[kings1527]

When I moved to LED in all the indicators, once I also changed to a flasher unit for LEDs the indicators flashed but the side market lights flashed too - but in opposing sequence to the indicators. When I changed out just one of the indicator bulbs for an incandescent they would flash again properly.

Thanks Jeff. And just to be sure, which indicator bulb was the problem? Was it the side running lights or was it the front flasher?

[DrJeff]

Thanks Jeff. And just to be sure, which indicator bulb was the problem? Was it the side running lights or was it the front flasher?

I already had LEDs all around in the indicators and the marker lights. I had to change out one of the front indicators to incandescent to get it to work. I tried multiple LED lights in the indicators and several flasher units - but always the same problem.

The idea of something being driven via a ground might have merit?

[kings1527]

Ok, perfect. I'll give that a shot as soon as I find my old bulbs.

[DMC5180]

"I have some PJ Grady upgraded boards on their way"

Alex,

Did you get the boards from Rob? I was not sure if he was still selling them. At least I have not seen them on his site for a long time. I could have just missed them though. I have a 90's era set of his boards. I have one socket (RH reverse) that has a flakey center contact plunger that needs to be replaced. Everything is nice and clean with no corrosion. I figure it must be a slight defect in the socket itself.

[kings1527]

Alex,

Did you get the boards from Rob? I was not sure if he was still selling them. At least I have not seen them on his site for a long time. I could have just missed them though. I have a 90's era set of his boards. I have one socket (RH reverse) that has a flakey center contact plunger that needs to be replaced. Everything is nice and clean with no corrosion. I figure it must be a slight defect in the socket itself.

Hi Dennis,

I actually did get them from Rob. On a total wing and a prayer, I called the shop and he said he had a couple left over. I haven't any idea if he has any left but it'd definitely be worth a call. In your situation, it'd definitely be worth a call. I could've sworn I saw somewhere that he offers a lifetime warranty on them.

I had a chance a little over a year ago to get a set on eBay for about $70 for the pair (used but great shape) and I had been kicking myself ever since, particularly when my issue here started happening. His boards are beautiful and I'm glad I'll never have to worry about them again. Hopefully!

On another note, I just remembered that the only place I put cheap Chinese-made LEDs were the front turn signals. That's GOT to be the problem I'm having. I'll figure it out in a few days.

[kings1527]

Bad LED! I put in a new incandescent 1157 bulb and the problem was solved immediately. It was my passenger's side front marker. Just for fun, I put the LED back in and sure enough, the problem came right back.

So no funky PO mod or bad board (even though I'm ecstatic to have some Grady boards in my car now).

Thanks again!

[Bitsyncmaster]

Alex,

Did you get the boards from Rob? I was not sure if he was still selling them. At least I have not seen them on his site for a long time. I could have just missed them though. I have a 90's era set of his boards. I have one socket (RH reverse) that has a flakey center contact plunger that needs to be replaced. Everything is nice and clean with no corrosion. I figure it must be a slight defect in the socket itself.

I may have a spare socket if I can find them. I removed a few sockets when I installed my LEDs (three rows for the running lights). But it takes a large soldering iron (lot of heat) to do a good job replacing those sockets.