Directional Problem

**Dukeschevy** · 10-19-2009, 06:47 PM

Sorry if this is a repeat but I couldn't find an answer. I have an 88 Chevy Cheyenne with directional issues. All directionals work fine all around until I turn my head/parking lights on. When I turn on my lights my left side directionals don't blink they just get brighter. The right side still works fine. I have checked all the bulbs they are all good. Could it be a ground wire? Fuse? Also my trailer harness has been played around with(electrical tape and cut wires) Any help would be great thanks
-Dave

**Jimmiee** · 10-19-2009, 07:01 PM

Since the blinkers work OK with the lights off I would suspect a short in the trailer wiring. Cut the tape open with a razor blade and separate the wires. You will probably find the problem there.

**Dukeschevy** · 10-20-2009, 04:24 PM

I disconnected all the wires and checked the wires and it doesen't look like there are any shorts or ungrounded wires. But it was a mess. I wish people would install things correctly. Thankyou for the help anyway
-Dave

**Dukeschevy** · 10-20-2009, 05:19 PM

Also I forgot to mention that the left directional indicator light on the dash lights up when you turn on the headlights but the right sidedoes not?
-Dave

**brianj** · 10-20-2009, 06:32 PM

just a guess- but it almost sounds like a ground problem.Check your neg post to body and frame to firewall grounds. I suspect the problem is in the grounds to the headlights . The marker lights may be either grounding themselves through the directional wiring, or the headlights may be trying to ground through the marker/directional lights.Also, do the directionals work with the parking lights turned on, but not the headlights? that may help to tell you which circut to chase.

**Dukeschevy** · 10-21-2009, 05:16 PM

No the directionals don't work with parking lights on either, they just get brighter.I have looked at everything, tried grounding wires to different spots, cleaned up corroded wires, disconnected things that may be the problem...Nothing!! I feel like this is impossable, I don't know anything about electrical and even this 1988 seems too complicated! Any other hints? I may have to take it to someone who can fix it before I blow fuses or light the truck on fire. But thankyou everyone for your help.
-Dave

**Greg84** · 10-22-2009, 11:30 AM

With your headlights on test the hazard/warning lights. If those work and your turn signals don't, its the flasher unit for the directional lights. The hazard lights use a separate flasher from your normal directional lights. Its a cheap little part to replace, but usually buried under the dash.

**Dukeschevy** · 10-24-2009, 05:02 PM

Well I found the problem, after a few frustrating days and fixing old corroded wires I realized that my real problem was that the person before me had put in the WRONG bulb in! Someone had put a different bulb in the front parking light socket. The bulb was shorting out the socket causing everything to be grounded making everything to stop working properly. I'm kind of embarresed but at least Its fixed. Thanks everyone
-Dave