• Hello Guest, welcome to the initial stages of our new platform!
    You can find some additional information about where we are in the process of migrating the board and setting up our new software here

    Thank you for being a part of our community!

Passenger side Front Turn signal not working

Patdon10

New member
Joined
Oct 29, 2007
Location
Fairfax, Virginia
'87 Volvo 240.

I've never seen a problem like this and it's left me pretty stumped. The turn signal doesn't work. It's not the bulb...obviously. The side marker doesn't work either. I pulled out the voltage meter and checked the blue wire that feeds the 12volts to the turn signal and that is getting no voltage. None. The green wire on the other side of the car is getting a good 12 volts (checked with the hazards on). I really don't want to start tearing up the wiring harness. Anyone have any ideas of what it could be? Similar experiences?

Right taillight works fine. Just the front.
 
Last edited:
The only way to find out is to start back probing and checking the rest of the harness. There isnt too much between the stalk and right corner.
 
ughhh. I was hoping you wouldn't say that. I guess that's my only option.
Yeah, fuse 16 is good.

*before* you start "back probing"...power up the RH FRONT *AT THE CONNECTOR*
under the washer bottle and see if the lights work....I've had those PARTICULAR
wires corroded INSIDE the insulation and spent hours running from the "combo
dip / turn" switch outwards only to find a funky wire UNDER THE WASHER
BOTTLE....*gob smacked* is the term...sheeesh...:oops:
WORTH a try.... :nod:
 
*before* you start "back probing"...power up the RH FRONT *AT THE CONNECTOR*
under the washer bottle and see if the lights work....I've had those PARTICULAR
wires corroded INSIDE the insulation and spent hours running from the "combo
dip / turn" switch outwards only to find a funky wire UNDER THE WASHER
BOTTLE....*gob smacked* is the term...sheeesh...:oops:
WORTH a try.... :nod:

I'm not sure I understand.
I tested for voltage in the wire up by the passenger side strut. It's not getting any voltage. The only thing to do is to move back from that point, correct? I'm not sure how moving forward towards the light would help me.
 
Does the right rear flasher work? It'll flash really fast if it doesn't have both bulbs working. If that isn't working. Then I'd suspect the turn signal switch on the column. Also the turn signals are wired through the four way flasher. Be sure to check that as well.
 
Electricity is just a matter of tracing it back to the source. It isn't all that hard, especially if you can locate a wiring diagram. Of course check all fuses and make sure that #16 is the correct fuse for that light.
 
I'm not sure I understand.
I tested for voltage in the wire up by the passenger side strut. It's not getting any voltage. The only thing to do is to move back from that point, correct? I'm not sure how moving forward towards the light would help me.

it lets you know *if* the system DOWNSTREAM is working (or possibly shorted out and the
"meltdown" occurred above the connector)....

if the system DOWNSTREAM works...then go to the LAST CONNECTOR in the chain from
the indicator switch and put your "test light THERE and run power "backwards" from the
"strut connection" to the test lamp...*if* the test lamp illuminates you know you have a switch
problem...I'm suspecting an open circuit between the switch connector and strut connector...
the problem with OPEN CIRCUITS is they often occur INSIDE THE INSULATION and thus
are NOT "readily visible" which makes THEM the "most difficult to find" (a "toasted circuit"
usually leaves you a trail of smoke and fire but not always...if the wire corrodes / frays
INTERNALLY / melts at a "crimp connector" - you don't always get a good VISIBLE "tell"...
 
Does the right rear flasher work? It'll flash really fast if it doesn't have both bulbs working. If that isn't working. Then I'd suspect the turn signal switch on the column. Also the turn signals are wired through the four way flasher. Be sure to check that as well.

rear flasher works. What's the 4 way flasher?
 
I'm really struggling with this one guys. I've never had to look for a short before. This is all new to me.

On the passenger side of the car, there is a blue wire which gets voltage every second or two to flash the turn signal. This is the right turn signal in the car. I, would normally have voltage in this wire. I have no voltage in it currently.

On the driver side of the car, there is a green wire that gets voltage every second or two to flash the turn signal. I have voltage in this wire.

Now tracing the wire, I have continuity from here:
IMAG0004-1.jpg

to here (the loose wire is where I spliced in for the sidemarker):
IMAG0008.jpg

to here:
IMAG0007-1.jpg


so there is no problem from the light to the spot I showed above the engine. The wire then traces back to here, and enters into the firewall.
IMAG0009.jpg


I looked at the turn signal stalk.
IMAG0010.jpg

It seems to make sense. Yellow has power. Green and blue wires. When you pull down, green wires get power. When you push up, blue wires get power. When I push up, my blue wires get power. So it seems like to me that I have a short somewhere between the stalk and the firewall. How do I check this without pull apart the dash. I don't see how I have clearance.

Thanks in advance guys. The car hasn't had working turn signals in months and I've never seen a problem like this in a 240 which makes it harder. I hate shorts : /
 
Did you ever solve this issue. I am having the same problem with my Mom's 88' 240. Park and indicator lights on the front drivers side does not work. Drivers side and rear(both sides) park aind indicator laps work without issue.
 
Did you check grounds @ fender??
Use a heat gun if you are digging in to that harness..helps when moving and bending to prevent cracks in brittle /hard/frozen shrouds..
 
same prob

bump!

just letting you know I got my hands on a 1987 740 and am having the exact same problem.

My front left brake lamp comes on when I turn on the running lights. My front right brake lamp does not.

My front left turn signal works fine. My front right doesn't work at all, though a functional bulb is in there. I get the high speed blinking clicking noise when I press up on the turn signal switch lever, but its normal - regular speed when I press down.

Guess I'll start with the loose ground terminal at the RF inner fender.

Uhh, actually where is that? Guess I'll have a look.
 
well i'm just a little mentally slow

Well partially disregard what I just posted above, because fuse #22 for the right side lights was somehow blown out. Swapping it for fuse #5 - both are 15 - gave me front end running lights as well as rear. Funny thing is I remember the rear side lights working... Turning, running, brake, reverse... But I guess I was hallucinating. Though I no longer have my clock ticking and radio running (fuse #5), I have left and right side lights for everything except -

My right hand turn blinker. It's still going berserk when I turn it on. Left side is paced normally, right side is clicking very fast - as I am not getting front right side blinking, but am getting rear right side at an accelerated rate. I checked the relay yesterday and it seems to be quite purple tarnished on 49a... There are 3 pins, both look fine except what appears to be the ground pin? that is 49a(?). I'm going to try swapping out my relay for a confirmed working one and see if that makes a difference. Though it works fine except for front right blinker, making me thing it's not the relay at all.

Anyway, I'll keep logging on this in case someone else finds it useful, as far as I'm aware the right front inner fender grounds are plugged in just fine, if those are the ones that are bolted to the side of the vehicle frame about 3-4 inches or so away from the front running lights. I didn't do much continuity testing on them, but seeing as how my previous issue was a fuse and not that particular spot, I doubt its a ground issue. I guess I will know more later.

On a side note: can anyone tell me what the deal is with the casing around the 12v outlet / cigarette lighter socket? It's right underneath the radio.. I ended up taking out the 2 screws and removing the cigarette lighter assembly in order to take the whole plastic frame out that was barring access to the fuse box section, but what I couldn't figure out was if the area by the 12v socket could be removed without taking the screws out. There is a panel that is made of plastic and is very "clicky" right underneath the cigarette lighter socket. If you can remove the plastic "floor" out, then I think you can access the fuse box locations without having to take out the whole assembly. Is this possible? Anyone know what I'm talking about? It's the plastic "floor" right above the fuses and fusebox assembly that cuts that whole area horizontally into 1/2.
 
Back
Top