Left turn signal lamp mystery

[lochsa]

I picked up my MH yesterday and noticed my camera was continuously looping through each view when I would use my turn signal. From a previous post, I noted that someone mentioned a burnt out turn signal lamp could be the cause. Sure enough, my front driver-side turn lamp is not lighting up.

The bulb is fine (I swapped it with the passenger-side working one). I then grabbed my volt meter and measured 10v on the turn signal socket. However, when I put the bulb back in place, the voltage drops down to zero. Other than two running lights (front top), all other lamps work fine when the parking lights are on.

The two wires quickly disappear into a nasty maze of wire wraps, so I'm hoping I don't need to undo it all.

I'm really stumped. Any suggestions?

[lochsa]

Correction:

Passenger front signal lamp = 11.75v
Driver front signal lamp = 9v (0v when bulb is connected)

[lochsa]

Okay, I took a measurement from the positive wire to the chassis/battery(-) and found 11.75v. So it seems my ground wire is faulty. I'll do my best to trace the ground wire back (only because I don't know what else is hanging off it) but if I can't find the issue, I'll just run a new wire to the lamp.

Sorry for the play-by-play, but perhaps this will help someone in the future.

[VinceU]

Originally Posted by lochsa

Okay, I took a measurement from the positive wire to the chassis/battery(-) and found 11.75v. So it seems my ground wire is faulty. I'll do my best to trace the ground wire back (only because I don't know what else is hanging off it) but if I can't find the issue, I'll just run a new wire to the lamp.

Sorry for the play-by-play, but perhaps this will help someone in the future.

Good troubleshoot Lou.....

[lochsa]

Well, not quite... Note the unlit light. Is that my high beam? I can't get either side to come on. Also, where would the fuse be for this?

[lochsa]

Never mind about the fuses... Found the F53 manual. I'll post the question about the high beams in another thread.

[lochsa]

Something still is not right. I ended up running a separate ground wire to the signal lamp.

Now the lamp lights when with my parking lights are on however it does not blink when signalling (the break lights do blink). Also, the left side camera never gets selected when signalling. The right does when signalling and the camera no longer loops through each of the views (which is better).

It almost seems like the blinker relay must break the ground circuit when signaling. Does that sound right?

[VinceU]

Originally Posted by lochsa

Something still is not right. I ended up running a separate ground wire to the signal lamp.

Now the lamp lights when with my parking lights are on however it does not blink when signalling (the break lights do blink). Also, the left side camera never gets selected when signalling. The right does when signalling and the camera no longer loops through each of the views (which is better).

It almost seems like the blinker relay must break the ground circuit when signaling. Does that sound right?

Not really the flasher unit is simply a heater switch which makes and breaks 12 volt thru the turn signal lever to the selected side. I'm confused whats not working signal bulbs or marker lamps or both? Any chance the lamps are double filiment originally?, maybe single now?

[lochsa]

Sorry Vince, let me try to clear it up.

I replaced three marker lights because they rusted out, but they all work now. The high beam issue was no issue, just my lack of understanding (Iggy cleared that up).

I'm still left with my original problem where something is still not right with my front-driver's side turn indicator (the back works fine). The original problem was that it the indicator lamp would not light when blinking or when the parking lights were on. I swapped bulbs with the passenger side to rule out the bulb.

With the parking lights on and the bulb in place, I measured zero volts. When I removed the bulb, I measured 9v. Almost like there wasn't enough current to handle the load of the bulb. I then measured from the pos side of the bulb straight to the negative side of the battery terminal and got the 11.75v. I then tested the bulb (which lit) using this path and assumed there was an issue with the ground wire. Great, the bulb now lights when I turn on the parking lights --- but it still does not blink when I use the turn signal.

The good news is, although the camera doesn't switch to the left view when turning left, it no longer rotates through the views while turning. The camera does show the right side when using the right blinker.

Later this week we're heading out on a 6500 mile trip and so I'd love to clear this up if anyone has any ideas.

[Iggy]

What is sound like is that you lost a good ground someplace and using one bulb for a path to ground. That is how you get 9 volts instead of 12 volts.
One bulb that is off the circuit is using the bulbs filiment to complete the circuit to ground and is dropping the 2-3 volts thru the bulb to ground. I don't expect you to understand completely but what I would do is find a long wire with try each light socket using it as an alternative ground to a good connection with the chassis or battery ground point.

You would try this one at a time for each marker light location until the additional ground wire until you find where the ground is lost from.

Does this make sense to you? It is not a problem with the battery but a loose ground point some wher ein the front end marker lights.

[VinceU]

Originally Posted by Iggy

What is sound like is that you lost a good ground someplace and using one bulb for a path to ground. That is how you get 9 volts instead of 12 volts.
One bulb that is off the circuit is using the bulbs filiment to complete the circuit to ground and is dropping the 2-3 volts thru the bulb to ground. I don't expect you to understand completely but what I would do is find a long wire with try each light socket using it as an alternative ground to a good connection with the chassis or battery ground point.

You would try this one at a time for each marker light location until the additional ground wire until you find where the ground is lost from.

Does this make sense to you? It is not a problem with the battery but a loose ground point some wher ein the front end marker lights.

IGGY cant agree completely cause any two loads in sieres like that should share the voltage. However your thought and his camera problem now makes wonder if the camera circuits are draining off the left signal power in the front?
Don't have schematics so can't check that. Looks like the grounds up there are common each side.

[lochsa]

Any idea how the the camera integrates with the MH? When I get back, I'll see if there is a wiring harness (or the like) that I can disconnect to isolate the issue.

[VinceU]

Originally Posted by lochsa

Any idea how the the camera integrates with the MH? When I get back, I'll see if there is a wiring harness (or the like) that I can disconnect to isolate the issue.

I've been under there a few times for other reasons, its an absolute rats nest of wiring. However Iggy has posted a few Ford chassis wiring diagrams, they may help with the stalk wiring and then the camera is pretty open for tracing. Key is to understand and locate the wires to the turn signals first.

[wmm1955]

OP, did you ever figure out why your front turn signal wasn't working. Everything you discribed that happened to you is happening to me. All side and rear lights blink on the dirvers side but the front one. Passengers side all work fine.

Thanks

[lochsa]

That is too weird! Sorry, no I have not had a chance to address it. I suspect it may have something to do with the camera integration, but really, I'm unsure. We just got back from an epic trip (will post about later) and lived with it. Please let us know if you figure it out.

[intercept]

I had the same thing happen and found and fixed it.

There are a bunch of crimped connectors marked lhsig, rhsig, etc. with white markers located just to the inside of the hood on the drivers side of the coach.

FR apparently heated the heat shrink too much and melted a couple of them together. The fix is easy and that is to separate the crimps and put a black loom around each of the wires to insulate them.

If you stand in the front of the rig. Just reach in with your right hand on the drivers side of the hood and the connections are eye height 5'8" on the support bar. The clue is that one or more of the white tape markers Is black on the edges.

Good luck.

[Iggy]

Originally Posted by intercept

I had the same thing happen and found and fixed it.

There are a bunch of crimped connectors marked lhsig, rhsig, etc. with white markers located just to the inside of the hood on the drivers side of the coach.

FR apparently heated the heat shrink too much and melted a couple of them together. The fix is easy and that is to separate the crimps and put a black loom around each of the wires to insulate them.

If you stand in the front of the rig. Just reach in with your right hand on the drivers side of the hood and the connections are eye height 5'8" on the support bar. The clue is that one or more of the white tape markers Is black on the edges.

Good luck.

Does this picture help identify what you are talking about.

[intercept]

Iggy,
That is the correct splice point.

Picture 1 has the shorted splices after being separated.
Picture 2 is following insulation with wire loom.

If there are several of us with this issue we should ask FR to replace the wire harness and correct their procedures for splices.
Thanks,

Intercept