Turn Signals Do Not Work

[Enoytsur]

Hi there ... 1990 Buick Reatta Coupe ... Turn Signals stopped working. Symptoms: 1. Neither left or right work 2. Fuse in kick-well tests OK 3. When the Turn Signal Lever on the Steering Column is pulled down for left or pushed up for right nothing occurs nor does the Indicator Light on the Dash illuminate 4. When the Lever is pulled for a left turn or pushed right for a right turn the Brake Lights on that side go dark.  

 

I have a Service Manual but for some reason I cannot locate useful info about the Turn Signal in it. Is there a Relay somewhere and if so where.

Thank you, John

[Enoytsur]

Hi Guest, thanks for answering. Nothing illuminate when activated. Where is the Flasher located? I looked in the trunk where the Relays are. John

[DAVES89]

Do your emergency flashers work? 

[Enoytsur]

Hi Dave, thanks for responding. Yes they Flashers do work.

[DAVES89]

There are two flasher "cans" One for the Emergency flashers and one for the directionals. They are located on the drivers side under the dash between the steering wheel and console. You have to remove the bolster. Turn on the working emergency flashers and reach up under the dash listening for the flasher "click". You may as well pull both down when you get your hands on them. For ease of accesibility you may want to remove the drivers seat as you may not be flexible enough. There are directions on Ronnie's site. Look under lights interior.

[Enoytsur]

Thank you, Guest ... that is worth pursuing because everything else seems to be OK. I picked a couple Turn Signal Flashers earlier ... will go out into the oven [garage] later tonight when it cools down to miserable. Thank you, again! John

[Enoytsur]

Dave, on Ronnie's site you gave instructions for removing the Instrument Cluster [1990]. Once the Instrument Cluster is removed can you see straight through to the Turn Signal Flasher? If so, it seems it would be a lot easier to replace the Flasher. We could not get the Turn Signal Flasher out, it was so tight up there and the Flasher was in a bracket that we spent nearly two hours simply getting it out of the bracket. Once out we could not unplug it. So, I could not replace the Flasher. Fortunately all of the jiggling trying to remove it caused it to start working again. We couldn't get it back in the bracket but could get a long ty-wrap around it to ensure no rattling. In all likelihood the problem will reappear so I would sure like an alternative to getting it out so I can replace it. Thanks again all for the assistance. John

[DAVES89]

Removing the Instrument Cluster will NOT give you access to the flashers. Once you have the flasher can "down" don't try putting it back in the bracket. You did the right thing by zip tie to keep it from rattling. I am not able to get two hands up but had the dexterity to remove it with on hand. I hold the harness with my thumb and forefinger and press down with my third and forth finger. 

Edited August 8, 2016 by DAVES89 (see edit history)

[Enoytsur]

Thanks, Dave, you've been a tremendous help. I'm going to leave it alone for now since it is working. However, if or when it stops working again I am going to cautiously try the removing the Instrument Cluster method though I must admit it makes me nervous fooling with the Instrument Cluster. John

[DAVES89]

Of all the words to not type. You CANNOT access the flashers from the Instrument Cluster. I don't know how I didn't type that and then that I did not catch it on a proof read. I edited my previous post.

 Sorry about that.