Author Topic: No Blinkers, no flashers, no park brake indicator - where to start?  (Read 1083 times)

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Offline priariecanary

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About a week ago the turn signals, flashers, and park brake indicator light on my 65 stopped working all at once. Fuses and flasher are both A-Ok. The turn signal indicator lights in the dash don't light up at all when the turn signals are actuated. Any ideas on where to look next to diagnose?

In a maybe (or maybe not) related phenomenon, The center two lights in the tail light panel appear to be in brighter "brake" mode all of the time. The adjacent light on either side appear to be dimmer.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Stacey
61 Lesabre bubbletop
62 Skylark Convertible 4-speed
65 Gran Sport 4-speed
67 GS400 Convertible
70 GS455 Stage 1

Offline sjfd04

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Re: No Blinkers, no flashers, no park brake indicator - where to start?
« Reply #1 on: September 11, 2016, 08:09:22 PM »
Might be a simple fix, check the plug at the bottom of the steering column. 
65 GS 4-Speed Hardtop
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Offline jmos4

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Re: No Blinkers, no flashers, no park brake indicator - where to start?
« Reply #2 on: September 12, 2016, 04:04:55 AM »
Hi,

If you have a 4 way on the car, it has a separate inline fuse, also I have had the rear main harness come apart from the ribbon harness usually clipped to the rear seat brase in the trunk.

Regards,
 
Jim

1965 Skylark post car (65 GS frame 401/4-speed, 2x4's)
1964 Skylark (future 430 stick)
1965 Special 4 door 300 4speed
1964 Special 2 door (future, GS 401 3 speed stick)

Offline Mister T

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Re: No Blinkers, no flashers, no park brake indicator - where to start?
« Reply #3 on: September 16, 2016, 11:25:53 PM »
Check the grounds as well.
Tom B

Currently bereft of Buicks.

Offline Loren At 65GS

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Re: No Blinkers, no flashers, no park brake indicator - where to start?
« Reply #4 on: September 17, 2016, 07:08:19 AM »
About a week ago the turn signals, flashers, and park brake indicator light on my 65 stopped working all at once. Fuses and flasher are both A-Ok. The turn signal indicator lights in the dash don't light up at all when the turn signals are actuated. Any ideas on where to look next to diagnose?

In a maybe (or maybe not) related phenomenon, The center two lights in the tail light panel appear to be in brighter "brake" mode all of the time. The adjacent light on either side appear to be dimmer.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Stacey

I'd look at the light switch as a possible culprit. Dash lighting goes through the dimmer of light switch. I have seen the rheostat portion burned.

"Park brake indicator" ? 

'65 didn't have it as a standard feature.  There was an option available from the dealer though. If you have that option, check for a pinched wire or a faulty switch.


"In a maybe (or maybe not) related phenomenon, The center two lights in the tail light panel appear to be in brighter "brake" mode all of the time. The adjacent light on either side appear to be dimmer. "

This does sound like a ground issue.  The interesting thing is that those center lights are 1157 bulbs like the other four, but the socket is only wired for the lower candle power element of the bulb. So it should not even be able to light.

 Loren
65 GS hardtop BCA Senior
 65 GS thin pillar coupe
 65 Skylark coupe v-6
 65 GS hardtop restoration project
 65 Sport Wagon
 70 GS 455 htp / original engine
 94 Roadmaster wagon
 96 Roadmaster wagon- parts car
 63 Riviera

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Offline priariecanary

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Re: No Blinkers, no flashers, no park brake indicator - where to start?
« Reply #5 on: October 18, 2016, 08:24:34 PM »
OK so I replaced 3 fuses (2 inline and one on the fuse panel) I don't think all were bad but I couldn't tell so I just replaced them all. Now the turn signals work but flasher doesn't. The park brake light is working now too. Ran out of time tonight to further diagnose.

On the tail/brake lights - are the all brake light bulbs supposed to be illuminated when the brake is applied or just the outer sets of bulbs?
61 Lesabre bubbletop
62 Skylark Convertible 4-speed
65 Gran Sport 4-speed
67 GS400 Convertible
70 GS455 Stage 1

Offline Loren At 65GS

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Re: No Blinkers, no flashers, no park brake indicator - where to start?
« Reply #6 on: October 18, 2016, 08:47:34 PM »
Sounds like you still need to replace the flasher unit.

The original configuration of the tail lights is for all six bulbs light for tail lights using the lower lumens element.  When the brake is applied, each side lights the center and outside lamps using the higher lumens element. The turn signal uses these same lamps as the brake and by going through the flasher unit, the lamps flash.
My reference to center lamp is to the bulb in the middle of each tail light housing. 

Loren
65 GS hardtop BCA Senior
 65 GS thin pillar coupe
 65 Skylark coupe v-6
 65 GS hardtop restoration project
 65 Sport Wagon
 70 GS 455 htp / original engine
 94 Roadmaster wagon
 96 Roadmaster wagon- parts car
 63 Riviera

 BCA 14371
 BCA 65 Gran Sport Division

Offline priariecanary

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Re: No Blinkers, no flashers, no park brake indicator - where to start?
« Reply #7 on: October 23, 2016, 08:12:46 PM »
the two inner bulbs were not the same same the outer 1157 bulbs. The previous owner must have installed single filament bulbs because there is only a single wire going to each inner socket. Got more 1157's and will install later.
61 Lesabre bubbletop
62 Skylark Convertible 4-speed
65 Gran Sport 4-speed
67 GS400 Convertible
70 GS455 Stage 1

Offline Loren At 65GS

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Re: No Blinkers, no flashers, no park brake indicator - where to start?
« Reply #8 on: October 23, 2016, 08:51:09 PM »
Both  inner sockets are the two filament type but only have a brown wire to one side, with the other side being empty.
If the previous owner installed 1156 bulbs in a 1157 socket, that may explain some of the issues you are having.

 Loren
65 GS hardtop BCA Senior
 65 GS thin pillar coupe
 65 Skylark coupe v-6
 65 GS hardtop restoration project
 65 Sport Wagon
 70 GS 455 htp / original engine
 94 Roadmaster wagon
 96 Roadmaster wagon- parts car
 63 Riviera

 BCA 14371
 BCA 65 Gran Sport Division