Ok, I have a 91 accord with 245k on it....everything runs perfect. All the electronics work and everything....

Recently, my left turn signal seems to pick and choose when it wants to work. Sometimes it will come on...other times it won't....most of the time it works....

Tonight on my way home was the worst instance yet....it wouldn't come on for five minutes or so....then I had to make a left turn and voila, as if the car had eyes, it worked!

I don't like not having a turn signal some of the time though...i'd hate to get a ticket for failure to signal...

I'm guessing it is a bad connection somewhere....all bulbs are in working order...

Only mod is an intake.

Thanks for any input guys.

 

I would say check your socket connectors (the metal spring like things in the bottom of the socket may have gotten beaten down), check your wires going to the socket too. Just a starting point.

 

Good idea....I think I can explain this differently...just to make sure everyone understands....

The bulbs physically work fine when they come on...but when they don't, I dont' have the green arrow or anything. When they weren't working, I put my 4 way flashers on and only the right arrow and the right side blinkers came on...

So it's not just the blinkers themselves, it's also the little green arrow that you get when you put your signal on. Hope that helps a bit more...

 

I would lean towards a relay or bad ground then.

 

I have a 91 accord and about two years ago I had the same problem and it ended up being my combination switch. But that would be the last thing I check because the combination switch is a little costly.

 

Yikes! Where's that at and how much are we talking?

 

I'm gonna check the whole wiring route...I've never heard of a combination switch though...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by itr 00 0108 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I'm gonna check the whole wiring route...I've never heard of a combination switch though...</TD></TR></TABLE>That's your turnsignal/headlight/highbeam switch all combined together.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JimBlake &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">That's your turnsignal/headlight/highbeam switch all combined together.</TD></TR></TABLE>



hondaautomotiveparts.com lists the switch at 92 bucks...I would investigate all your other possibilities first

 

I'm guessing it's number 14 on there? I'll have to do some investigating....

 

Yes number 14....but again check out your wires and your bulb socket, they are common problems (at least with mine) it may solve it, if it doesn't then I would investigate in your switch, hope this helps.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by VRDrvr &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">... but again check out your wires and your bulb socket...</TD></TR></TABLE>Yes. I always like to rule out all the cheap easy stuff first before I start buying expensive parts.

 

I've often thought combination switches could be fixed by just giving the whole thing a good cleaning and cleaning up exposed contacts (using sandpaper or an eraser)

Jim...any input on that?

Bad connectivity many times can be blamed on "grime" as I learned from emission repairs.

 

When my switch went out the actual contacts for when you use the turn signal broke (since its a combination of plastic and metal), when I looked at it just the plastic pieces broke the metal connectors looks fairly clean.

 

Never had a turnsignal switch go bad, really. Closest thing was the little mechanism that cancels the turnsignals when you turn the steering wheel back to center. That had nothing to do with the contacts...

Sometimes(?) you can't even take the case apart without breaking something. But I've cleaned up other switches. Burnish the contacts with something like a pencil eraser. Sandpaper can cut thru the plating, then it'll corrode real quickly. Grease helps for corrosion, too, but old grease gets hard & opens the contacts. Usually all they need is clean out the grease & put new grease in.

Reminds me of the saying... 'you know you're an engineer if you've ever spent 3 hours trying to fix a $10 radio'

 

Well the car has 245k so I guess something is bound to go wrong every now and again...you all have been of immense help. I really appreciate all the suggestions.