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I recently bought a 96′ Plymouth Neon. Currently it has 132k with the 2.0 engine. The problem is the turn signal (front and back) and brake light on the passengers side do not work at all. If the headlights are off, the little marker light on the front bumper will blink fast when the turn signal lever is put in the up position but the rear (brake light) and front (headlight) signals do not do anything at all. As soon as the headlights are turned on, the marker light stops flashing and the green right turn signal light will stay illuminated on the instrument cluster all the time even if the turn signal lever is not in the up position. I don’t know how to diagnose electrical on a car but it seems like something is majorly going wrong. The driver side lights are all functioning properly regardless if the headlights are turned on or not. Also when I hit the brake pedal, the brake light on the passenger side does not work even if the headlights are off. Both tail lights (but not brake light or turn signals on pass side) work if the headlights are on. If I put the hazard lights on it just appears as if I were about to take a left turn. Just want to throw it out there that none of the bulbs on the car are blown. Thanks in advance…
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Here is how your lights are wired up:
Some components of interest would be the “combination flasher” and also the “turn signal/hazard switch.”
Without being too overly technical, just briefly looking over your symptoms vs. schematic, the first place I’d probably look at would be the turn signal/hazard switch; I believe this device (according to the schematic) could have influence over all the affected devices you have indicated:
Of course, you could save a lot of money by pulling this part from the local salvage yard.
I don’t know if it would be the flasher because if it were, then the turn signals would flash when I put the emergency signals on. And if it were the turn signal switch why would the little marker light flash (quickly) with no headlights but not flash when the headlights are on. I was thinking maybe corroded sockets but it wouldn’t explain why all of the lights work. I even triple checked all of the fuses.
From first principles, check all the fuses.
Second, most of these strange light problems come from poor shared earth/ground contacts. Expose the affected light clusters and, with the indicator/turn signal or brake light turned on (press the brake pedal and hold it there with a piece of wood), give the light cluster a known good earth. Do this by running a jumper wire from battery negative to the earth track/wire of the relevant bulb. Be very careful not to touch the earth to a positive contact or you’ll blow a fuse.
This is worth doing before you start shelling out for a new switch or flasher.
To me it seems like you’re loosing a ground somewhere. I’d be checking that rear tail light to see if theres an issue in the socket or something. Look for corrosion or damage in the light socket. I’d also check the front just to be on the safe side. For more information on electrical testing and diagnosis, check out this article.
http://www.ericthecarguy.com/faq/solving-automotive-electrical-problems
You need to have some basic knowledge of electrical and some basic testing tools if you’re going to be successful. So if you don’t find something obvious, you might consider taking it to a professional.
Good luck and keep us posted.
Today I gave the car a “redneck fix”. All I had to do was take out the bulb for the marker light and jiggle the front and back turn signal wires and now the turn signals work wonderfully.
Today I gave the car a “redneck fix”. All I had to do was take out the bulb for the marker light and jiggle the front and back turn signal wires and now the turn signals work wonderfully.
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