I opened up my dash to change some bulbs in the gauge cluster. Now my turn signals aren't working. My hazard button still makes the turn signals flash (in the gauge cluster and on the outside of the vehicle). All 4 wiring harness plugs are connected to the back of the gauge cluster. No fuses are blown. What else should I check?

 

bump!

I downloaded the factory repair manual, but unfortunately, it downloads as a disjointed mess of folders with no central search capacity. I bet there's a troubleshooting section, but I can't seem to find it in all those PDFs.

 

Trace back the steps you took. Unlikely that something magically failed. Likely you forgot to plug something in, or popped a fuse by not unhooking your battery first. I made that mistake one time. Fried the circuit board on the back of the cluster, that was a long and spendy fix.

 

I'll go back through all the connections. I checked the fuses, but I'll double check them again. I thought I heard a popping sound when I was fiddling around in there, so I may have shorted something. I guess if that doesn't work, I'll pick up a used gauge cluster from the local boneyard and try that. I bought a new auto-ranging multimeter, but I haven't learned how to use it yet.

My truck runs great, except for lots of little electrical issues. The rear defroster doesn't work. My power mirrors don't move. My reverse indiglo layover dash gauges have stopped lighting up. My externally mounted reverse lights have a wiring or ground issue. All fuses were good when I check the other day. I've let lots of small issues pile up, and now I'm determined to solve at least some of them. I must get my turn signals back first, though, for safety.

 

You unplugged (or otherwise disabled) the turn signal switch (on the steering column). The control for the hazard light is wired directly across the turn signal switch, so if the hazard lights work the problem is limited to the turn signal switch.
http://personal.utulsa.edu/~nathan-b.../4lighting.pdf

 

Thanks, Scope for your post and the schematic. After reviewing that document, I rooted around my dash again today, and found my blinker switch (or maybe hazard switch; I’m not sure what it’s called). I tracked it down by listening to the clicking sound made when using the hazard button. It is pictured, circled in yellow below, in case this might help others.



I’m not sure what I did, but my blinkers are working again. Yea!
Now I just have 2 final issues to resolve and I can put my dash back together.

1. My indiglo gauge layover kit isn’t lighting up. It’s been on the blink for months. I can barely make out my speed or fuel level at night with just the blue LEDs. I bought an auto-ranging multimeter, but I’m not sure how to test the indiglo dimmer switch and its inline inverter. All connections are solid, so I’m guessing it’s a problem with one of those. Any ideas on testing it? Maybe I should start a new post on that issue.
From better days, when the indiglo layover worked:


2. When I installed my blue LEDs, my low fuel light stopped working. Maybe it was a coincidence, maybe not, but I’d like to get that working.

 

Ok I found this post when looking for the same problem in my 93 truck. I change all the bulbs in my dash out and when to check and see how they looked and make sure everything still worked right. when I first turn on my light nothing.....Hmmmm wait I read some where on here about the dimmer switch doing something with the dash lights. When and got that trim piece plugged in dimmer switch dash light worked. But no turn signals so I came inside and looked on here, and read up on what to check. I when back out to the garage to see it the hazard lights worked. Wait the switch is not on the steering column hooked that up and the turns signals now work. So if you do not have turn signals make sure hazard switch is plugged in.


Thanks for giving me ideas on were to look for problem.

 

Good result!