Help me Oppo-Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope!

"WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe" (wesbarton89)
03/05/2015 at 10:53 • Filed to: None

My Durango has yet ANOTHER problem. The right turn signal bulb on the dash is acting funky. I turn on the signal, it blinks fast (because the headlamp is busted), but when I turn it off, the green arrow on the cluster doesn't shut off, unless I have the lights off, and if the lights are off while the stalk is pushed up for a right turn, it makes a hissing sound, blinks for a moment, and stays solid thereafter. If the lights are on, there's no sound, and the arrow light indicator stays solid.

Is this likely a wiring issue, an issue with the busted headlamp, or something else altogether? I can post a video if anyone wants to see what I'm talking about, but the quality isn't great, as it's hard to drive and film at the same time.

DISCUSSION (6)

ArmadaExpress drives a turbo outback > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe
03/05/2015 at 11:03

Maybe a relay? But my guess is that it is electrical.

When you say the light is busted, is it physically damaged or is the bulb just burned out?

WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe > ArmadaExpress drives a turbo outback
03/05/2015 at 11:10

Kind of hard to explain. I hit a tree, and knocked it out, to where it was hanging. The main light portion still works, but the blinker on the passenger side front is busted. The physical light isn't broken, but the wires tore a bit and the assembly is damaged, so it kind of just sits in the housing, and every once in awhile, it'll fall out, and we'll have to set it back in there.

ArmadaExpress drives a turbo outback > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe
03/05/2015 at 11:16

This is very likely the reason you have the issue.

WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe > ArmadaExpress drives a turbo outback
03/05/2015 at 11:19

Boggles my mind though, because I did the damage at least a month ago. I mean, it's gonna be fixed soon enough as it is, but still, seems like it took some time to show up. But we've had other electrical gremlins as well. (power seat moving on its own, lights only come on with the driver's door open or hatch open) It's just unusual.

Hope that's all it is though.

cbell04 > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe
03/05/2015 at 11:46

Once on my wifes civic long ago we stuck (unknowingly) the wrong bulb in a blinker and all kinds of similar havoc ensued. I'd at least throw some fresh bulbs in any of the exposed to the weather lights. I'd also protect any exposed broken sockets with some plastic and zip strips or something like that if possible.

WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe > cbell04
03/05/2015 at 11:54

That's good thinking. We haven't had to change any front bulbs at all since we got it over a year, but new bulbs would help, but it needs a whole new mount anyways. The grille, mount, and fender on the passenger side all need replaced. Just can't right at the moment unfortunately.