"Sometimes" turn signals

[Grandpa]

They work sometimes. Sometimes they don't. On the ride to Sturgis, they worked all the way there and all the way back until the last 50 miles. Yesterday they worked on the way to the club then didn't work on the way back.

 

Hazard flashers work.

 

When the turn signals don't work, none of the turn signal lights come on.

 

I hate intermittent electrical problems. They are a b**** to track down. Anybody ever run into this before? Any ideas? I've practically taken the bike apart and put it back together again looking for a solution.

 

Thanks.

[Squeeze]

Hi,

 

just clean all the Switches in the left Handlebars with a firm Contact-Cleaner, CRC 2-26 or an other good Brand, and be happy.

 

If you find it all functionall afterwards, don't hesitate to get the right side Switches also cleaned in the near Future.

[GeorgeS]

Also, squirt the cleaner into the Hazard SW. It must make good contact in the " OFF " position. This sends power to the Turn Signal circuits.

[Guest Vermincelli]

Also, squirt the cleaner into the Hazard SW. It must make good contact in the " OFF " position. This sends power to the Turn Signal circuits.

 

 

I 2nd this. Had the same thing happen with mine and it was the hazard switch causing a sometimes short in the system. Even though the hazards worked fine I kept hearing a little noise in the switch that sounded "electrical". Cleaned it out and no more problems.

[CrazyHorse]

I understand how you feel. My signals would light up but not work on turn signal. Hazards worked fine. Heard a buzzing noise come from the hazard flasher uint. Used the shop manual troubleshooting it said my switch was bad. Totally took the switch apart and hand cleaned all contacts and then sprayed them with CRC. Still didnt work. I used the turn signal switch anyway as if it would work. Then a couple days later the signals worked fine. I had the same thing happen with the horn switch. Horns wouldnt work disassembled the switch hand cleaned all the contacts then CRC, still didnt work. Then a few days later the horns work and still work. I'm not really sure why they work now to be honest.

[Skid]

Mine quite last year after riding through the rain at Vogel. I sprayed some cleaner into the switch and fixed my problem. Just another thing to deal with about riding a twenty year old scoot.....

 

[Grandpa]

Great. Did you just squirt cleaner into the switch or did you take the switch assembly apart to clean the contacts? If you took the left assembly apart, how did you get it apart? I can't see how to open it.

[CrazyHorse]

Great. Did you just squirt cleaner into the switch or did you take the switch assembly apart to clean the contacts? If you took the left assembly apart, how did you get it apart? I can't see how to open it.

 

I have a 1990 I assume the procedure is the same. You take the 2 phillips head screws from the bottom of the switch out. The switch then breaks in 2 and separates from the handlebars. You can now disassemble it further with various screws the trun signals and horn are towards the bottom half of the switch. . I ended up taking it all apart for both the horn and the turn signals and physically sanding the contacts a little to clean the corosion off and spray in some CRC and then reassembled them.

[Bubbajbi]

Also check ALL of your grounds. I find that 90% of my electrical problems are ground wire issues.