my car blinker stopped working - ideas?

   I've got a '96 Buick Century, and the right turn signal is not working.
Both the interior signal and the exterior light just come on and stay on
when I signal.  Actually, I noticed it was just the outside of the two turn
bulbs that came on and stayed on.

  I remember having a similar situation on the left side last year.  I
replaced both bulbs on the left side, and all was well again.  Since this
worked last time, I did the same on the right side.  It didn't work.

  Now, when I put the turn signal on, the interior indicator still stays on.
When I look outside, the far right light is on and bright, and the center
right light is on, but dimmer.

  When I use the hazard lights, the left 2 are working fine, and so is the
far right one.  However, the right one towards the center is blinking fine,
but very dim.

  I figure that a fuse is unlikely, because my understanding is that they
usually put both right and left on the same fuse, and if the lights are
working at all, then the fuse is probably ok.

  Anyone have any ideas on what might be causing this?  I really can't think
of any further troubleshooting steps to try at this point.  Thanks!

 
Turn signals in older/cheaper cars use a bimetallic switch, which operates
by the bimetallic element opening the connection when it heats up; it heats
due to current passing through the element to the bulbs. When a bulb burns
out, less current flows, and in your case, the element isn't opening. (In
some cases, it will open a little bit and close quickly, causing rapid
flashing.)


Sounds like a bad connection on that bulb; try pulling it and cleaning the
socket contacts with a brush. Coat the bulb with dielectric grease to cut
down on oxidation.


The socket may be removable from the inside; if so, pull it out and make
sure it's making good contact with the chassis or ground contact. Clean
and apply dielectric grease to make sure.


Gary

--
Gary Heston  gheston@hiwaay.net   http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/

"Behind every successful woman there is an astonished man"
    General of the Army (four stars) Ann Dunwoody

   Turns out that the old set of bulbs I used was not EXACTLY what my car
needed.  I noticed that although they said they would work as turn signal
bulbs, and although the filament inside looked like a match, and they fit
perfectly, they just didn't work.  The system was evidently wanting an exact
match for resistance and such, and once I put in a name brand set of
Sylvania replacement bulbs, it worked fine.