Turn Signal Problem

[MilkMan1218]

Ok so I have a 1995 BMW 325i and recently my right side (passenger side) signals have stopped blinking. They turn on when I cut my lights on but when I flip on my turn signal it wont blink. My left one (driver side) works fine. Also when I turn on my hazards . . . only left side blinks. I have checked all fuses and connections to the bulb and all are good and I have replaced the bulb with the right one if you have any knowledge on what is going on I would greatly appreciate it.

[e36fiend]

Do you get the "fast blink" effect when you use the right turn signal? By that I mean does the blinker sound and indicator on the dashboard blink faster than normal?

[projectXe36]

Check the harness in you trunk.. That could cause all kinds of problems if the wires back there are shorting out.

[MilkMan1218]

no i get no blinky blinky at all and my green arrow doesn't come on in the dashboard and doesn't make the sound

[randomy]

check the switch in the steering column. Micro-switch may not be making contact for some reason (broken, bent, etc..). I've never had to do this, so my advice is just off the cuff, but I would try b using multimeter to check for a circuit when the switch is activated. I would first test the left signal, so I have a known success, and then see if the results are the same when testing the right side.

[MilkMan1218]

so theres nothing behind the gauges that i need to look at?

Do you get the "fast blink" effect when you use the right turn signal? By that I mean does the blinker sound and indicator on the dashboard blink faster than normal?

i get no sound or blinking at all on my right side

[BMWMPow3r]

sounds like the switch is going. when you use it try to put some pressure or wiggle it around alittle to see if you get it to turn on.

[MilkMan1218]

bump

testing out banner


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[MilkMan1218]

sounds like the switch is going. when you use it try to put some pressure or wiggle it around alittle to see if you get it to turn on.

didn't work man got nothing


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[JDStrickland]

The switch is broken, OR the ground wire to the front turn indicator is broken. The trouble with the broken ground diagnosis is that the running lights should also be off if this was true.

That leaves the switch as the most likely problem.

[Albertan]

I'd look at switch as well. When I have my headlights on on my 95 and turn on the signal lights, it turns the bright lights on as well. Rattling the stalk back and forth turns the brights off. I think these switches are pretty trouble free, I can't think of another thread with your or my issue.

[MilkMan1218]

The switch is broken, OR the ground wire to the front turn indicator is broken. The trouble with the broken ground diagnosis is that the running lights should also be off if this was true.

That leaves the switch as the most likely problem.

So do i have to take my steering wheel off to get to the switch or is their an easier way?



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[flyfishvt]

you have to remove the upper and lower steering column trim right behind the steering wheel. The turn signal switch is part of the stalk assembly that snaps into place.

[e36thach]

well at least yours is turning on mine dont turn on or blink fml

[MilkMan1218]

i should probably throw this info out there too at one point before i got my new headlights my cornering light that we are talking about used to fall out sometimes and hang there by the wires . . . and one day i went out there and one of the wires was disconnected. I re soldered it and it worked fine but if that could of caused anything then maybe its not the switch


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[JDStrickland]

Well duh! Yeah, you should throw that out. And you should check your work to be sure it had not fallen apart.

We are talking aobut the light on the front of the car, what about the lilght at the rear, does it work -- turn on, whether it blinks or not.

And, you should test the blinkers with the lights on and with the lights off. If the results of the test change, then you have a bulb/ground issue.

Sheesh! At the very least, you have to make sure the repairs you already performed are still made. You have to check the stuff that was already broken earlier to remove it from the list of causes for why stuff doesn't work now. That's ALWAYS the first step in any diagnostic process.

[MilkMan1218]

Well duh! Yeah, you should throw that out. And you should check your work to be sure it had not fallen apart.

We are talking aobut the light on the front of the car, what about the lilght at the rear, does it work -- turn on, whether it blinks or not.

And, you should test the blinkers with the lights on and with the lights off. If the results of the test change, then you have a bulb/ground issue.

Sheesh! At the very least, you have to make sure the repairs you already performed are still made. You have to check the stuff that was already broken earlier to remove it from the list of causes for why stuff doesn't work now. That's ALWAYS the first step in any diagnostic process.

ok so when the wire had broken the front signal wouldn't even turn on with the parking lights so when i put it back on it came back on and blinked like normal . . . now as for the back one it does not blink either the whole right side of the signals do not blink but parking lights still work and the right side still doesn't come on if i turn on my hazards only the left side blinks. (so recap right side works as parking lights but as signals no front doesn't blink side doesn't and back doesn't even with hazards on)



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[JDStrickland]

That brings you back to the turn signal switch.

Okay, new plan...

The turn signal switch gets power from F23. It feeds into the Hazard Relay on Pin 7 (BLU), and outputs on Pin 5 (BLU/BRN) to the right side binkers.

If you can find the connector of the turn signal switch, you can check Pin 6 (BLU) for voltage when the right side turn is selected. (Power feeds into the turn signal switch on Pin 9 (GRN/YEL), and comes out on Pin 3 (GRN) for the left side, and Pin 6 for the right side. If there is no power out on Pin 6, then the turn signal switch is bad. If there is power out on Pin 6, then you have to locate the Hazard Relay, Pin 7 (BLU) to be sure there is power into the hazard relay -- if not there, then a broken wire. If there is power into Pin 7 of the hazard relay, then you should see power out (and it will be flashing by now) on Pin 5 (BLU/BRN). You can check the results against the left side, Pin 4 (BLU/GRN).

You said the right side lights that are not bllinkers are okay, but those that are blinkers do not work. This removes a poor ground as the problem because the blinkers and the steady-on lights share the same ground.

[MilkMan1218]

ok thanks i will be seeing my friend who is good with circuits and that junk on friday so when fiday comes i will be taking a look at everything you just said and post my findings but if there is anything else i can check then let me know and yes the parking lights work on both sides but right side does not blink . . .


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[Lej]

JDStrickland, do you have any pictures you could supply me with? .. Just to lead me in the correct direction..

[JDStrickland]

I don't have any pics. I have a Bentley Manual and a scanner, so I could make a pic. But there's really nothing to look at in the diagram that I have not already described. I followed the supply voltage into the turn signal switch, gave the pins for left and right inputs into the hazard relay, and the pins for the output of the hazard relay.

Hazard Relay is a bit of a misnomer here because by the diagram it provides all of the flashing, not just the hazard flashing. By my best guess -- many years as an electronics troubleshooter and a factory representative testing and validating prototype equipment -- I see the signals out of the turn signal switch as a constant voltage that is converted to a flashing signal by the hazard relay that is then sent to the respective side of the car that flashing is desired. I have not physically tested my best guess, but I see no circuit that would make the flashing happen ahead of the hazard relay.

Before I owned BMWs, my limited experience with turn signals was that the flashers for turn and hazard were separate -- two different flashers.

[jopina7807]

Anyone know what's a good price to pay for a bc stalk?

[5OnTheFloor]

I don't have any pics. I have a Bentley Manual and a scanner, so I could make a pic. But there's really nothing to look at in the diagram that I have not already described. I followed the supply voltage into the turn signal switch, gave the pins for left and right inputs into the hazard relay, and the pins for the output of the hazard relay.

Hazard Relay is a bit of a misnomer here because by the diagram it provides all of the flashing, not just the hazard flashing. By my best guess -- many years as an electronics troubleshooter and a factory representative testing and validating prototype equipment -- I see the signals out of the turn signal switch as a constant voltage that is converted to a flashing signal by the hazard relay that is then sent to the respective side of the car that flashing is desired. I have not physically tested my best guess, but I see no circuit that would make the flashing happen ahead of the hazard relay.

Before I owned BMWs, my limited experience with turn signals was that the flashers for turn and hazard were separate -- two different flashers.

So would replacing the hazard relay fix the problem? I have the exact same problem as the OP, except it's my left flashers that aren't working

[bigscripdog]

Do you get the "fast blink" effect when you use the right turn signal? By that I mean does the blinker sound and indicator on the dashboard blink faster than normal?

What you described here is happening on the left side of my 328i. No blinker, no hazard but when it's used as a running light it works properly. Help please!

[sjpgoalie]

Are you guys using dual filament bulbs and did you check the three wires that go to the connector that the bulb sits in? I bit a pot hole so hard about a year ago, that something flexed and tug a wire off the connector. So, I had a blinker, but no running light. I reattached the wire, boom, running light was back. Then I lost the running light again at some point and lost my patience, doing a running light delete on the front corners.

Of those three wires that go into the back of the corner bulb connector, one is ground, one is power for the blinker, one is power for the running light. I snipped both wires for my running lights. Snip the ground, neither will work. Snip the blinker wire or tug it/poor connection and you've got a running light, but no blinker. If that isn't the problem, check fuses 11 and 33.

Hope that helps!