Steering Column Repair: Turn signal switch, light bulbs, signal switch

Question
QUESTION: 1998 Chevy S10 4 cyl., two-wheel-drive pickup.  

I have a problem with my Turn-signals.  When I put the Left signal on the Right signal also blinks.  The light is dimmer than the Left signal. The reverse is true when I put the Right signal on.  

Both of these problems are in the front of the vehicle the rear works properly.   I checked fuses, changed the light bulbs in the front and the blinker under the dash, as well.

I thought it may be the turn-signal-switch. My problem now is removing the plastic around the steering column.  It appears that I don't need to remove the steering wheel.  But that area is difficult to work in even with the dash removed.  I can get the top almost off and the bottom, not at all.  

Any suggestions will be appreciated.
Thanks,
Walt

ANSWER: Hi Walt:
The problem is not in the steering column or in the turn signal switch.  The problem is  a wrong bulb in one of the sockets (or a bad socket).  The feedback is coming because the ground is not allowing the current to finish the circuit, therefore it goes through the other filament and travels to the other bulbs.
Here's how you find the culprit.  Turn on the 4 way flashers.  One of the bulbs will illuminate dimmer than the other side.  That's the bad bulb or socket.

Lastly, check the ground connection from the wiring harness near the battery to the body.  sometimes that gets rusty and doesn't ground the sockets so they feed back.

Good luck
Doug


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Douglas,

Thank you for the quick and well informed answer.  I did the above as instructed.  Unfortunately I still have the same problem.  The truck has two sets of lights on both sides of the vehicle.  The forward-light and the side-light.  I removed the bulb from one of the forward-lights and tried the blinkers.  Both blinkers worked properly with one bulb removed.  I reversed the process by replacing the bulb and removing the other bulb with the same result.

All four bulbs are new, so I checked the condition of the sockets.  The socket and the wires attached to the sockets seem to be OK.  

Test:  I have a multimeter, is there a continuity test I can do to check the ground?

Possible fix:  I would like to cut the ground wire to the socket and make a new ground connection on the chassis away from the wiring harness.   

I will wait until you respond before I do anything to the sockets.

Any further suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Walt  

Answer
Walt.


Using the continuity tester, just check the side contact inside the sockets for continuity to the ground.  If it's goo on all 4 sockets, then the sockets are good and so is the ground connection to the body.
Usually it's the ground contact inside the socket that goes bad, but at this point, I don't have any more information to give you.  If the lights all illuminate with the same intensity with a bulb missing, then you've got me.
Lastly, are you sure you have double filament bulbs in the sockets where they are required?  If you use a single filament bulb (and some will fit) then the bulb is causing the cross-circuiting.

I wish I could be of more help.

Doug