Turn signal problems
AnthonyC.
01-07-2007, 09:32 PM
OK heres something for all youguys and gals that are having or may have a problem with your turnsignals on you 97-98 Windstar.
I work in a shop and this Winstar came in that had no working turn signals or hazards. No lights came on on the dash or outside. Naturally, you check the easiest things first, the fuse or flasher. I noticed that the covers for the fuse panel were off and figured the customer was also trying to fix it.I found out that there is two fuses for the system, fuse number 25 and 27. They checked out good. I looked for the flasher and couldnt find one. I found an empty hole where one was and put one in, still no turn signals or flasher. Well the next thing I figure it may be the multi-function switch because I see these alot sometimes. I pull the cover off of the steering column and tested the wires at the switch. I had power into the switch but nothing out. Well that tells me the switch. I ordered a switch and installed it and still no dice. I retested and still had power into it. No the hard work began.
At the flasher relay, it is supposed to have only two powers, one ground and two outputs, one for turn signals and one for hazards. The hazard side though was powered up, and this is with the flasher out of the fuse box. Ok, short on that side of the circuit. By looking at the wire diagram, the White with Red tracer wire is for hazards. It goes from flasher to switch. An other wire of the same color is spliced off from the same terminal and goes to the instrument cluster.
Now to back a bit, when I first diagnosed this problem, I did notice that at the top right of the cluster was a triangular red light that flickered when I played with the hazard switch. That was another reason I thought it was the multi-function switch.
Now, being that the only wires that shoud be hot are the orange wire to the flasher and the red wire, the white wire with a red tracer should not be hot. It was still hot when I disconnected the switch too. So the only thing left was to figure out where the other white wire/red tracer went. According to the wire diagram, it went to a connector at the cluster. Now when it identified the connector by number(I cannot remember what the number was, I think it was C201), this connector did not exist. There was only A and B connectors on the cluster according to the diagram. I pulled the cluster and saw only two connectors but the white/red tracer wire was there, on connector A. I followed on the printed circuit board where it went to off of the connector and it went to the red triangled indicator I mentioned earlier. It went back out to the connector to a wire right next to the white wire. The wire for one thing is green with a red tracer and does not show up on the diagram. According to the diagram, that hole in the connector is supposed to be vacant. This wire was hot all the time and back feeding through the bulb and powering the relay. Simple fix, remove the bulb in this fixed it. I put the van back together and it went out the door.
Now I appreciate everyone who read this but it still baffles me. I fixed this van by not really fixing this. I have several questions if anyone can answere them.
1. Where did this wire come from (green/red tracer) and where did it get its power from?
2. Why didnt it show up on the diagrams?
3. Apperently this cluster is an export cluster because I did find out that the triangle red indicator is only for exports. Most emergency flasher indicators flash through the turn signal indicators. Is there a schematic for this set up?
Thank you again for reading all this and I would appreciate any input from one or all.
I work in a shop and this Winstar came in that had no working turn signals or hazards. No lights came on on the dash or outside. Naturally, you check the easiest things first, the fuse or flasher. I noticed that the covers for the fuse panel were off and figured the customer was also trying to fix it.I found out that there is two fuses for the system, fuse number 25 and 27. They checked out good. I looked for the flasher and couldnt find one. I found an empty hole where one was and put one in, still no turn signals or flasher. Well the next thing I figure it may be the multi-function switch because I see these alot sometimes. I pull the cover off of the steering column and tested the wires at the switch. I had power into the switch but nothing out. Well that tells me the switch. I ordered a switch and installed it and still no dice. I retested and still had power into it. No the hard work began.
At the flasher relay, it is supposed to have only two powers, one ground and two outputs, one for turn signals and one for hazards. The hazard side though was powered up, and this is with the flasher out of the fuse box. Ok, short on that side of the circuit. By looking at the wire diagram, the White with Red tracer wire is for hazards. It goes from flasher to switch. An other wire of the same color is spliced off from the same terminal and goes to the instrument cluster.
Now to back a bit, when I first diagnosed this problem, I did notice that at the top right of the cluster was a triangular red light that flickered when I played with the hazard switch. That was another reason I thought it was the multi-function switch.
Now, being that the only wires that shoud be hot are the orange wire to the flasher and the red wire, the white wire with a red tracer should not be hot. It was still hot when I disconnected the switch too. So the only thing left was to figure out where the other white wire/red tracer went. According to the wire diagram, it went to a connector at the cluster. Now when it identified the connector by number(I cannot remember what the number was, I think it was C201), this connector did not exist. There was only A and B connectors on the cluster according to the diagram. I pulled the cluster and saw only two connectors but the white/red tracer wire was there, on connector A. I followed on the printed circuit board where it went to off of the connector and it went to the red triangled indicator I mentioned earlier. It went back out to the connector to a wire right next to the white wire. The wire for one thing is green with a red tracer and does not show up on the diagram. According to the diagram, that hole in the connector is supposed to be vacant. This wire was hot all the time and back feeding through the bulb and powering the relay. Simple fix, remove the bulb in this fixed it. I put the van back together and it went out the door.
Now I appreciate everyone who read this but it still baffles me. I fixed this van by not really fixing this. I have several questions if anyone can answere them.
1. Where did this wire come from (green/red tracer) and where did it get its power from?
2. Why didnt it show up on the diagrams?
3. Apperently this cluster is an export cluster because I did find out that the triangle red indicator is only for exports. Most emergency flasher indicators flash through the turn signal indicators. Is there a schematic for this set up?
Thank you again for reading all this and I would appreciate any input from one or all.
12Ounce
01-07-2007, 10:50 PM
I don't have a diagram for your model. But I do have a diagram for my '99 ... and I have found several errors in it ... and I'm sure there are many more I have not run into.
And what is super sad about the whole thing is ... You can't even help Ford correct the problem. They are not interested .... and don't even want to hear about it, especially if the vehicle is 5 years old or older.
I suspect they will soon be history.
And what is super sad about the whole thing is ... You can't even help Ford correct the problem. They are not interested .... and don't even want to hear about it, especially if the vehicle is 5 years old or older.
I suspect they will soon be history.
Automotive Network, Inc., Copyright ©2025