Turn signals

Before I tear into my bike, I figured I would ask here first. I have good functioning right turn signals on my 81 maxim 650. I have non functioning signals on the left side. I checked the simple answer and the bulbs are fine. I notice I can hear the flasher clicking when my right turn signals are on but it does nothing on the left. Is this my problem? Should I replace the flasher? Maybe my switch is bad?

 

i had a problem almost like yours, mine would work left, but when i turned it to the right nothing happened besides the flasher clicking fast. Since it works left i dont see how the flasher would be bad. Get a test light and start tracing wires. I solved my problem when i found a wire broke off at the right rear turn signal.

 

1st - Make sure the right bulbs are in there. When I got mine the bulbs were wrong and they didn't work right.

2nd - Check your grounds.

 

The turn signals need to draw enough current to make the flasher flash.

Anything that prevents both bulbs from lighting correctly will cause a non-flashing condition on that side. It could be incorrect wattage bulb(s) or any number of a variety of wiring issues from corroded socket(s) to a broken or loose wire.

 

Does the turn indicator light and stay lit (instead of blinking) when you turn the switch left?

Take a wire and ground the turn signal casing (metal stem near the lens) directly to a known ground on the bike (frame bolt or such) -- maybe even the negative side of the battery if possible. Do that with the left turn switch on, first on the front blinker, then the back. If the bulbs are good and you have power to them, it should start blinking normally.
If not, you need to check power (12V) with a voltmeter starting at the blinker connection (under the seat for the rear blinker) and working toward the signal fuse.

Good luck.

 

replying to last post

my indicator doesnt illuminate at all on the left signal but works fine on the right.

 

The turn signal switch most likely has a bad solder joint. You could verify by checking power going to the switch and back out for that side. You know its going through the switch on the side thats good...

 

do you have the stock signals? i put aftermarket blinkers on and they were acting similar to how yours are, one side would work, the other either wouldn't work or would just light up and stay lit and all kinds of combinations of that. new flasher relay fixed it