turn signal woes

[mikkelstuff]

The left rear turn signal quit working in my 2002 Ranger XLT. I checked and the bulb was definitely bad. So installed a new bulb.

The new bulb worked for a short time and then quit working. I then replaced the new bulb with a second from the package. Again all worked for a short time and then quit working.

Today I removed the bulb socket, made sure the bulb was in place and checked with an external 12V power source. The bulb worked so I assume the socket and bulb are ok.

Then I inserted paper clip ends into the wiring harness connector hoping I might find a flashing 12V signal with the turn signal switch powered and on but got no reading. This could be an iffy connection with paper clips however.

So where else to check? A fuse? Can the turn signal switch suddenly go bad once a bulb burned out? Any other options?

 

[djfllmn]

Does the front signal work

 

[mikkelstuff]

Yes, front turn signal bulb works correctly.

 

[Rick W]

Check for a bad ground. You can splice into the ground that goes to the light bulb, and just crimp an eye connector on the other end, and run a sheet metal screw into the sheet metal underneath the lens cover.

You can switch to an LED bulb, which takes far less electricity than an old-fashioned incandescent bulb. So if you’re getting a weak signal, that may buy you an awful lot of time. You’d probably have to change both the left in the right if you want the lenses to look the same.

Also, there’s a connector somewhere behind the license plate, and I believe there’s another connector over by the gas cap. You could pull those. and clean them up and try that.