QuestionI changed the turn signal switch, after I completed the installation, the horn and turn signals stopped working, both worked correctly before changing the switch. I tried to replace the square relay on the hood, right wheel well. Problem, still no horn or turn signals, when I turn the engine off and remove the key, the engine try's to restart and keep running, not dieseling. The only way I can get the engine to stop running is to disconnect the battery by pulling the negative cable. Then battery cable is also hot to the touch. I did not disconnect the battery when I changing the relay.
AnswerHi Fred,
Why did you change the switch if the turn signals and horn worked correctly? Why did you try to replace a relay and what do you mean by "tried to replace"?
I found that when working on any electrical problem is it best to pick only one circuit to trace when you have several problems.
Trying to diagnose an electrical problem by symptoms is a waste of time as symptoms will only tell you an area not a specific fault. The best method is to pick only one of the circuits that has failed and trace that circuit only from load (item that don't operate) and with your wiring diagram and a test light or volt meter start checking for power at the load and follow the diagram a connection at a time moving toward the source (battery).
When you have several items that don't operate like you have I always pick the easiest circuit to trace and in your case that would be the horn circuit. Most of the time when I use that method, when I correct that one circuit it will lead you to the problem with the other circuits.
Start at the horns and check the purple wires for power as the horns are powered by #8 position on the fuse panel. If you have power on the purple wires, then move to the harness side of the turn signal switch. Test the purple w/black tracer wire by touching it with a ground test lead. The horns should blow. If they do then the car harness and the fuse and the horns are ok. That means that the problem is the horn push or you have no ground on the black wire to the horn push.
There is nothing you can do to the wiring to make a battery cable get hot unless you did something with the starter motor solenoid or starter motor. However, if it was cable end not the cable that was hot to the touch that was another problem (usually a poor connection on the battery post)
The method I use to correct electrical problems is a 100% correction method and if you follow it, you can not fail to correct the problem.
If you don't have a wiring diagram let me know and I will post one on my web site for you to copy.
Let me know,
Howard
