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Right Turn signal not working

kennyo1

Member
Joined
December 25, 2006
Messages
17
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0
City, State
Louisiana
Year, Model & Trim Level
2001
I have a 2001 sport tract. Noticed the fast blinking when I put on the right turn signal. Checked and found that the right rear was out. Replaced the bulb. Still no signal. Switched the left and right sockets and had the same result. The bulb will light with the taillights so I know power is getting through the wires. I opened up the column to look for the loose connections but everything looked good.
My next option is to replace the turn signal switch. Could the switch be defective? Anything else that I should check before replacing the switch?
 



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Does it light as a brake light?
 






Tilt the wheel up a few notches and it will work. Wires are pulling loose from the multifunction switch connector.

Same thing happened to me the other week, changed the bulb and no blink. Then it hit me, DUH ! Raised the column a notch and it works, not repaired the connector yet.

Common problem and I should have realized it immediately!:banghead:
 












I tried tilting the wheel. It still doesn't work

Tilt the wheel up a few notches and it will work. Wires are pulling loose from the multifunction switch connector.

Same thing happened to me the other week, changed the bulb and no blink. Then it hit me, DUH ! Raised the column a notch and it works, not repaired the connector yet.

Common problem and I should have realized it immediately!:banghead:
 






Pull the column shrouding off. If it's not in the connector then the multifunction switch must be the culprit, IF the right brake light works.
 






Pull the column shrouding off. If it's not in the connector then the multifunction switch must be the culprit, IF the right brake light works.

Checked it again today. I replaced the MF switch but it still is not working. I checked the lights again to make sure what is working to make sure. The break light and 4 way is not working on the right rear. I looked at the connectors but did not see any loose wires. Pulled on each wire and pushed them back in the connector. I also wiggled the wires but nothing started working. I swapped sockets and bulb with the working left side. What am I missing???
 






The MF switch was based on your statement:
Yes the brake light works
Since:
The break light and 4 way is not working on the right rear.
then you will have to check each connector , with a test light, to locate the fault. Start at the black connector behind the rear bumper on the left side.
SportTracTailLightConnector005.jpg

TailLampHarnessConnectorC421-1.jpg

You should have power to pin 2, green in the diagram. (Orange/Lt.Blue wire)

Try that then we can move on towards the front.
 






Not saying it is, but could nit be where the trailer harness is spliced in. Not remember what it looks like of hand.
 






I will not have access to the truck for a few days. It is actually my sons truck. I sent him your instructions on checking the connector. As soon as he checks it and calls me back I will post our findings. About 2 months ago he was hit from the back on the left side of the rear bumper. The left side of the bumper actually broke off. It was repaired by a body shop but I am wondering if the connector could have been damaged during the wreck.


The MF switch was based on your statement:

Since:

then you will have to check each connector , with a test light, to locate the fault. Start at the black connector behind the rear bumper on the left side.
SportTracTailLightConnector005.jpg

TailLampHarnessConnectorC421-1.jpg

You should have power to pin 2, green in the diagram. (Orange/Lt.Blue wire)

Try that then we can move on towards the front.
 






Steve, i called my son last night and he insisted that the rear brake was working before we changed the MF switch. Thinking back He is correct. Does that make any sense? The brake light worked before the switch was changed, now nothing on the right rear is working. Could we have disturbed a wire or loose connection in the column? All of the wires were tight into the connector.Could it be a connection in the connector itself that is bad?



The MF switch was based on your statement:

Since:

then you will have to check each connector , with a test light, to locate the fault. Start at the black connector behind the rear bumper on the left side.
SportTracTailLightConnector005.jpg

TailLampHarnessConnectorC421-1.jpg

You should have power to pin 2, green in the diagram. (Orange/Lt.Blue wire)

Try that then we can move on towards the front.
 






IF the brake light was working then the the wiring from the MFS to the bulb is good, IF. You installed a new MFS and while defective new parts aren't common it can happen. BUT if it was the MFS neither the brake light nor the turn signal would work now. Likewise, as initially mentioned the problem could be in the security of the wire terminals in the MFS connector and the results be the same. Those connectors are famous for failure........

From http://mysporttrac.com/shared/projects.

One repair solution

MFS CONNECTORS:
02MFSC202a.jpg


02MFSC202b.jpg


Check the Orange/Lt.Blue wire where it comes out of the connector.
 






Just to clarify things, your 2001 Sport Trac is a Job 1 or a Job 2? There is a slight difference in the connectors and the MFS's.

First item to FAQ. The Job 1 / Job 2 crossover date. There were some significant changes made between the Job 1 and Job 2 Sport Tracs. It's important to know when ordering parts for the early models.

#1 - Job 1 / Job 2 crossover date = June 24th, 2000.

If you change your own oil do you use a FL1A (Job 1) or a FL820S (Job 2). If your oil fill is on the passenger side it's a Job 2, drivers side Job 1.

Since you're new here I'll ask you if the cruise recall has been done. It's a fire hazard if it hasn't been! The switch on the Brake Master Cylinder, red or black? If it's red does it have a recall harness attached to it?The harness with the blue label on it in this photo.

STCruiserecallphoto.jpg
 






The oil fill is on the drivers side. I believe that the oil filter is a FL1A. The recall on the Master cylinder has been done at a Ford Dealership.

The MF switch that I replaced was new. It came from Auto Zone. All of the connectors lined up and snapped into place.

Just to clarify things, your 2001 Sport Trac is a Job 1 or a Job 2? There is a slight difference in the connectors and the MFS's.

First item to FAQ. The Job 1 / Job 2 crossover date. There were some significant changes made between the Job 1 and Job 2 Sport Tracs. It's important to know when ordering parts for the early models.

#1 - Job 1 / Job 2 crossover date = June 24th, 2000.

If you change your own oil do you use a FL1A (Job 1) or a FL820S (Job 2). If your oil fill is on the passenger side it's a Job 2, drivers side Job 1.

Since you're new here I'll ask you if the cruise recall has been done. It's a fire hazard if it hasn't been! The switch on the Brake Master Cylinder, red or black? If it's red does it have a recall harness attached to it?The harness with the blue label on it in this photo.

STCruiserecallphoto.jpg
 






I haven't had access to the truck for a while but my son is out of town and I have the truck for a week. I need to start this troubleshooting again. I verified that the tail light and reverse light is working. The right turn, stop and hazard is not working. Should I start checking at the turn signal switch or the connector behind the bumper???
 






I just checked the connector at the left rear bumper On the female connector I have power to the tail light pin and both the right and left stop light pins( yellow and Green) when I press the brake. Where do I go from here?
 






You mentioned (or did you?) that a trailer plug was wired into the harness. I'm assuming that was done between the plug that you've verified to be working properly and the tail lights. I'd dig into that. If you " have power to the tail light pin and both the right and left stop light pins( yellow and Green) when I press the brake" then my bet would be the problem is at the trailer plug splice-in. I mean it HAS to be between the connector and the actual tail light bulb.

OR

If you remove the tail light assy, take the stop/tail/turn bulb out, disconnect the bulb holder from the harness you should get power on the #3 pin, OG/LB. You can check that first if you like. Those holders do go bad.

Taillampconnectorrt.gif


You can also see here where the wiring runs along the bottom of the bed. It may be damaged there somewhere due to the accident.

SportTracbed004.jpg
 






I think that I just found the problem. He was in a wreck a few months ago. He was hit in the left rear bumper.
I had no power on the "Major" pin of the bulb socket, only the minor. I started tracing the wires back to the connector on the left rear that you told me about. I found the wires damaged. It must have been making connection from a few strands and finally broke. I am going to solder them back together now. I will post in a few minutes, but I am confident that this is the problem.
 






Ha! Looks like you found it while I was gathering more info.
 



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Steve- are there any areas of a Trac that you DON'T have a picture of? LOL. I'm gonna bet not. You always seem to come up with a topical pic when its least expected! And the pics are 2 years old. How did you know? Are you psychic?
 






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