Removing front turn signal housings

[x_atlas0]

Howdy!

As far as I can tell, somehow, my front left turn signal is actuating the parking light filament, and the parking light is activating the turn signal filament. I need to get access to the back of the light and see what to do. However, when I remove the 2 flathead screws securing the light to the body, I still can't pull it away. Is there something else holding the front turn signals in place?

Alternatively, if anyone has a different means to resolve my issue, I'd take that too. Right now I had to sub in a 25A fuse since the stock 8A kept blowing with the brighter light.

Thanks,
Matt

 

[Keshav]

Hi Matt,
there is a bracket holding the blinker to the fender….see pic. Access from behind the fender

 

[x_atlas0]

Thanks for the pictures, Keshav. I saw that bracket pop off when I removed the 2 flathead screws on the outside. Even with those screws removed, and the plate in my hand, the light didn't want to disengage from the fender. Is there anything else holding it in place at that point? I was pulling on it hard enough to move the car.

On a related note, there's only one light spade terminal on the back? I figured there would be 2, given it's a dual filament bulb. Or is that a US-only thing? My car was federalized in the 80s, (German market car originally) so I'm expecting to find some irregularities.

Thanks,
Matt

 

[HB Chris]

Euro coupes have one wire, US has two. They can be removed without removing the assembly but once that bracket is removed it should come right off.

 

[Arde]

I was thinking that the functional mix up could also be caused by faulty light switch or faulty turn signal switch.
The initial questions I would answer are:
1) Does it only happen on the left?
2) Does it only happen in the front? These lights are wired together per side across front and rear...
3) Confirm you have Euro wiring as I do not believe that federalization would change wire harnesses.

 

[Keshav]

Is there anything else holding it in place at that point? I was pulling on it hard enough to move the car

Hi Matt,
If the bracket is removed, there is nothing holding back the removal other than, previous person used some glue to affix the blinker frame/ gasket to the fender before attaching the rear bracket. Maybe stick a screwdriver in the two screw hole and try to pry it loose?
It must give way….

 

[Arde]

Hi Matt,
If the bracket is removed, there is nothing holding back the removal other than, previous person used some glue to affix the blinker frame/ gasket to the fender before attaching the rear bracket. Maybe stick a screwdriver in the two screw hole and try to pry it loose?
It must give way….

But the underlying question is what can you possibly find wrong there if there is a single wire...
A single wire can only create two faults: Open, Short. The short can only be to ground. You have none of those.
The problem is upstream of the lamp socket, in my opinion.

 

[x_atlas0]

I was thinking that the functional mix up could also be caused by faulty light switch or faulty turn signal switch.
The initial questions I would answer are:
1) Does it only happen on the left?
2) Does it only happen in the front? These lights are wired together per side across front and rear...
3) Confirm you have Euro wiring as I do not believe that federalization would change wire harnesses.

1. Yep, only on one side. I also switched the bulbs around, issue stays with the light fixture.
2. The rears have the side marker lights like the US cars, tied into the rear brake lights. They work fine.
3. Anything specific I could check to prove that? I know it's a German market car because I have the import paperwork from the 80s and some service records from Germany.

But the underlying question is what can you possibly find wrong there if there is a single wire...
A single wire can only create two faults: Open, Short. The short can only be to ground. You have none of those.
The problem is upstream of the lamp socket, in my opinion.

I had a similar thought; I stuck my head into the access hatch through the hood hinge and I only saw a single wire going to the back. Not the best look, hence the question to the forum. The left and right front housings looked the same, so I'm not sure what would make the light correctly activate one filament over the other.

 

[HB Chris]

The euro bulb holder base has a single spade, using a dual filament bulb will do nothing. US bulb holder has two spades. Converting euro to US required a new assembly with the two spade bulb holder. The wire to the headlight’s city light was removed and used for the parking filament in the new bulb holder. The wiring diagrams in our FAQ will show the correct wire color for each.

 

[HB Chris]

Driver side is green/yellow, passenger side is green/white, I think this is parking light. The other wires are driver side blue/red and passenger side is blue/black, I think these are turn signals. I may have them reversed, the copy is not very clear and I am not home to check the original diagram.

 

[Arde]

Well, I read your problem description again and Chris must be right, there has to be two wires for these symptoms to occur. The easy fix is to swap the cables on the left side. The real cause may be that the bulb cannot quite rotate into the socket for the right bulb contacts to mate.

 

[x_atlas0]

Following up:

I removed the headlights to get better access to the turn signal housing, and I found something unusual. It appears that whomever federalized the car back in the day swapped out the bulb holder (by cutting it off and screwing in a 2-filament holder + wire) and poorly routed my 'city light' wire to the wrong positive on the bulb holder. It was also hard-connected to the harness with crimps + heat shrink. I used a 2-pin deutsch connector and made it disconnectable. I also verified that I do have the euro harness, the colors and connections matched perfectly.

After doing all that, however, the bulb still only seems to use the low-power filament, for both turn signal and parking light. However, it does function both ways. So, now that it isn't popping fuses, I'm inclined to let this lie for now.

Thanks everyone for the help!