Question: The turn signals on my 1966 Thunderbird have been acting funny lately. The left signals work properly and flash sequentially as they should. The right turn signals do not work at all. When I lift the directional signal lever to make a right turn, all of the lights on the back of the car light up but they do not flash. The front directional signal does not light up at all. When I turn on the hazard lights, the left side works properly. The right side rear lights up, but the front does not light up at all. This problem started happening intermittently a few weeks ago. For a while when I tapped on the directional signal lever I got the right side to work, but now it will not work at all. Do you have any ideas?
Answer: Ordinarily I would suggest that a burned out bulb, bad flasher unit, or defective sequential-flasher unit would be the usual suspects, but the system in your car is so complicated that I had to check the wiring diagram. Your last statement about tapping on the directional signal lever gave me a clue, but I wanted to confirm my suspicions before giving you my answer. All indications point toward a defective directional signal switch. Replacement of this switch requires removal of the steering wheel to gain access to the switch. It is not a particularly difficult job, but you will need patience and a “steering wheel puller” in order to avoid damaging the steering wheel or the steering column. I would recommend ordering this part from a supplier that specializes in Thunderbird parts since the specific part may differ depending on your cars options such as a tilt steering column.
Answer: Ordinarily I would suggest that a burned out bulb, bad flasher unit, or defective sequential-flasher unit would be the usual suspects, but the system in your car is so complicated that I had to check the wiring diagram. Your last statement about tapping on the directional signal lever gave me a clue, but I wanted to confirm my suspicions before giving you my answer. All indications point toward a defective directional signal switch. Replacement of this switch requires removal of the steering wheel to gain access to the switch. It is not a particularly difficult job, but you will need patience and a “steering wheel puller” in order to avoid damaging the steering wheel or the steering column. I would recommend ordering this part from a supplier that specializes in Thunderbird parts since the specific part may differ depending on your cars options such as a tilt steering column.
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