turn signals stopped working

[tacomagabe]

I've got a hunch some other glitches in the car have been leading up to this so I'll start from the beginning:
A couple months ago the hazard lights came on and wouldn't go off. The hazard button was on and wouldn't stay pushed in to turn them off. Weird thing(to me) was that when we took the fuse for the hazards out the turn signals wouldn't work even though they seem to be controlled by a different fuse. Anyway, my dad happened to have another switch, we put that in, and problem solved.
Then a couple days ago I drove home and the hazards were on again. Same thing, hazard switch wouldn't stay in. I thought it was weird they both would die in such short time but figured they were just old parts.
I took the second switch apart and in doing so broke the tiny metal arm that holds the button in against the spring. So I took the spring out so the button would stay down and off. Seemed to be ok until the blinkers stopped working the next day....
From what the fuse box says the hazards and the wipers are the same fuse and the wipers work and then stop when I take that fuse out so I'm pretty sure that it's not the fuse.
I also noticed that there are some 25's in my fuse box in place of 16's(the blinker fuse is a 16 though) so that's something I want to fix.

Any ideas? I'm starting to suspect there is an electrical gremlin unless there is something I'm overlooking...
Thanks in advance.

[T.Hanson]

You can Google search fixing the hazzard switch yourself. Drop the kick panel, the switch is held in the dash by two plastic tabs at three and nine, that have to be squeezed in, to push the switch out the front. ( You can't pry it out by a screwdriver under the front plate.)

The clear cover on the fuse box calls out the amps and colors. Not uncommon for Gomer mechs to switch around. The flasher box is up under the dash, left side, hangs on a metal plate with a tab.

Common for turn signals to go weird if the bulbs all around are not exactly the correct ones. Good idea to clean all grounds ( brown wires and braided straps ), under dash, engine bay.

Last is the lever, but unless it feels crunchy or real sloppy, probably fine.

[Karl in KS]

Make sure the hazard switch button is still all the way down. Might have vibrated up just enough to interrupt the turn signals. Redneck solution is to wedge it there with a toothpick

Yes, the turn signals are dependent on the hazard switch. When the hazard switch is on it takes over the turn signals directly and cuts the turn signal switch out of the circuit. You may be in some intermediate position (thanks to removing the spring) where the turn signals are cut out but the hazard light circuit is not quite connected.

The other thing is to make sure the connector on the back of the hazard switch is still firmly seated.

[1st 5er]

I'm agreeing with the hazard switch diagnosis.

[GripGreg]

Go to page 3 in the Tech Forum. John in Simi took the time to do a better write-up than mine. I learned this from Don Daynes, but, many have done this. John did it with pix's. Nicely done. Sometimes I'm all thumbs. This is when I reach for a Sam Adams. Then all is well. Good Luck,Greg

[tacomagabe]

I would adjust the claw pin but it broke while I was taking apart the hazard switch. Are the pictures still working on that how to for you guys? They don't come up for me. I'm trying to source another hazard switch now. my dad has one I could borrow to see if that's what's taking out the turn signals. Thanks for all the help!

[GripGreg]

Your local Pik-A-Part works too. Get some extras to practice on. Just make sure there are seven male plug-ins with one off set in the middle. They shouldn't cost more than $5. It's been awhile for me; I have four extras. Good Luck,,,,Greg

[alotawatts]

Or bite the bullet
http://www.autohausaz.com/search/produc ... g%20Switch

[GripGreg]

Just left BavAuto.com. The hazard switch is $37.95. Good Luck,,Greg

[tacomagabe]

Ordered a hazard switch from the car Pierre was parting out, and after a fast transaction(thanks Pierre!) installed it and the turn signals work again! Good to know that if one goes, so does the other. Thanks for everyone's help.