Question"We just bought a used 97 chrysler sebring conf. jx and the blinkers intermittenly work. Works one day, not the next, etc. Any idea of how to fix it? Also, the tach/odomo does the same. Are they connected? I've seen on here posted a step by step on the tach/odom and don't they they are connected, I could care less about tach/odom, but I cannot license this car without the blinkers working, it will not pass inspections and it also had an oil leak, which I just fixed and funds are now limited. Any help would be greatly appreciated. My heartfelt thanks if you can offer a fix. Thanks."
AnswerHi Candy,
I see only one common electrical connection between the turn signals and the tach/odometer: they both share a common ground current return pathway to the battery which if that were loose could cause an on-again/off-again kind of behavior so lets first check that out. The location of their connection is the metal body panel just to the left of the driver's left leg called the 'kick panel'. Specificlly it is just in front of the door opening, under the dash, and closer to the floor than to the dash. You may have to remove a decorative covering to see it (the manual doesn't show that detail). In any case there is a gathering of several black wires on that panel which is held in by a common screw. If that screw were loose or the wires' eyelet attachments were corroded then the return current from the two systems that are giving you trouble could be interrupted. So start by checking that ground point for thoses possibilities.
I don't see any electrical connection between the current sources for turn signals and the tach/odo. Let us then focus on the turn signal issue only. It may be that fuse 6 in the power box under the hood (20 amp) has a crack in its internal wire that is spontaneously opening and closing which would give that intermittent behavior. So take a close look to see if you so such a crack. It is the middle one of three fuses in the 3rd row from the front of the box. If it were doing that you would also find that the rear lights were not working when the turn signals didn't work.
The second possibility is that the 'combination flasher' unit is broken. If that were the case then not only would the turn signals not flash but so to the hazard lights would not flash. So check the operation of both the turn signals and the flashers (when the turn signals are and are not working) and if they go out together (but the rear lighting is mostly working, i.e. running lights) then that would show that the fuse is ok and the problem is the combo flasher. So check those functions to see which combinations are working/not working. If we conclude the combo flasher is the problem I can describe how to get to that unit which is on the back side of the multi-function switch on the steering column.
The last possibility is that the internal contact of the multifunction switch which connects the turn lever switch to the flasher is oxidized and not making good contact. You could try pushing on and off the hazard flasher button to 'exercise' that contact in hopes of improving it, or you could spray electrical contact cleaner into the hazard switch by spraying in the crack that surrounds the button, hoping one way or the other to improve the contact. Try this last after checking the earlier listed possibilities.
There are ways to trouble-shoot the turn signals that involve use of a voltmeter-ohmmeter to assess these components so if it isn't clear what is wrong and you have that device we can consider putting it to use.
Roland
