Found the ground, but why does GM do this?

[19Cutlass94]

Well Ive had this problem for about 2 days now. Ive been pulled over for it a number of times. The side marker, turn signal bulb, is very very dim. Ive had four or five brand new bulbs in and they all do the same thing. Ive checked the fuses and they are all good. Im leaning towards a ground problem. But what I need to know is where is the ground for a right side (passengers side) turn signal, side marker, on a '94 Cutlass Supreme SL? I need to get this fixed very soon because Im tired of getting pulled over for "failure to signal" because the bulb doesnt work so the right turn signal does work. Please help me on this one guys, I dont wanna have half the front end apart trying to look for it when I dont know where it is.

[GP1138]

Could this be a flasher problem?

[19Cutlass94]

I guess you could say that. I go to turn right, signal that Im going to turn right, and the arrow just stays on, its the side marker thats causing the problems, but i dont know where the ground is for that bulb.

[chadz34]

I think you can ground it anywhere you want. I'm no master with electricity but the frame is a ground.

[Psych0matt]

but he has to find where its ground factory in order to sfix it. theres no point in regrounding it if once you find the wire you can just follow it back anyways

[chadz34]

Yeah, I tried :oops:

[Turbocharged400sbc]

since you didnt specify location of the problem bulb the RF turn signal/side marker and parking lamp ground at the RF radiator support G109

the left side front stuff grounds at the LF radiator support G108

for the rear lamps (turn/stop/parking/backup) they all ground at G301 (UNDER RIGHT FRONT SEAT)

 

there are few splices all of them on the black wire going to the G301 ground location...

 

since all the rear lamps ground at that location look for a pinched/damage wire on the affected bulbs, you might just want to add a ground at the problem bulbs and see if that fixes the problem before going further...

 

Regards, James

[19Cutlass94]

RF turn signal/side marker and parking lamp ground at the RF radiator support G109

 

Thats what I needed! I thought I might have mentioned what one it was I needed but o well. Thank you very much for that. Should make my job tomorrow alot easier. Thanks again James.

[z34_nut]

yes, you definatly have excessive resistance in your circuit, obvious check your connections for corrotion, a commen problem for voltage drop.

[19Cutlass94]

Well I found the ground and found out what the problem is. The inner turn signal, the ground is at the radiator support. the side marker, the ground on that runs all the way under the dash and there it splices with the ground for the inner turn signal. Why does GM have to make that a bitch? Why couldnt they just spilce the two grounds right there instead of having to run two wires under the dash to splice them. If I want to fix it right, the dash has to come out. Ill end up just regrounding it

[GnatGoSplat]

Sure it's not a turn signal switch?

[19Cutlass94]

Na its not the switch. Because when I was looking at it, I hooked up a temp. ground, aligator clip with a wire, hooked the clip up the to studs on the strut tower, and the wire to the ground side of the bulb, and it lit up the way it should. When I took away that ground wire, it went back to being very very dim. So it is a bad ground.

[Frosty4477]

Are turns signals required by law on the side in additon to the front of cars? I have seen some older ones that don't look like they have them on the side.........anybody know??

[DaveFromColorado]

the law states (I had to learn this for my Z-34) that you need forward projecting lamps (headlights) forward flashing directional indicators (turn signals), rear flashing directional indicators (turn signals), stop lamps one on each side and one in the middle (CHSL as of 88 or something, can't remmeber the year) illuminated rear license plate holder, reverse direction lamps, hazzard flashing indicators, parking lamps.

 

the laws go into details about distance the headlights need to be illuminating (min, and max), headlight candlepower (min and max) colors you can and cannot use, stuff like that - nowhere does it say you are required to have corner markers on automobiles (although trailers are a different story) but if your signals do not flash, that's an other story, they can stop ya for that one.

 

--Dave.