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  1. #1
    Saab Fan
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    20 Oct 2011
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    Nampa, ID
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    Saab(s)
    1986 900 S

    Turn Signal Switch Help

    I have a 1986 Saab 900S. Just got it a week ago. Been having problems with my turn signals. First, there were no signals at all. No hazards. Put in a brand new flasher and it worked great. Half a day later, whenever I used signals, all the indicators would blink, as if the hazards were on. Hazards worked fine. So I replaced all the bulbs. No fix. I thought it might have something to do with the switch. Not realizing the mess I was making I unplugged all the wires off the switch. Well now I realize each of those wires goes to a specific prong. So now I have two questions:

    1) What color of wire goes in where? I have 7 prongs. Wire colors are white/brown, double blue/white, green, red/white, double red/white, gray, and purple/red. I found a couple layouts online but not have worked. I have tried these set ups:

    pur/r | | bl/w double

    br/wht | | gn


    r/w --- gy --- / r/w double

    and reversed it. I have also tried:

    bl/wht pur/r
    grn br/wht
    gray double r/wht r/w

    And then some random variations. When the r/w wire is in the bottom right spot I have brights. But that's all I've gotten.

    2nd question. Once my switch is hooked up properly, what can I do to get the signals to work properly. Any input on my situation would be much appreciated!

    Cory

  2. #2
    Sam Carlson
    Tutorial Bot euromobile900's Avatar
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    14 Aug 2010
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    Saab(s)
    '90 900 LPT with a flat-nose conversion
    I'm sorry I couldn't get online to answer this sooner. My wiring diagrams were all far away from me. So now that I have them at hand, here's what I've got.
    Your turn signal switch will have some numbers and letters marked on the back of it, where the prongs are. These letters and numbers should make it lots easier to figure the wiring out. Your bottom right one, as you say, is the red/white wire, which triggers the high beams. This one's pin is marked with an S. The other pins are as follows:

    LOOKING AT SWITCH FROM FIREWALL SIDE, SO PINS ARE STICKING AT YOU:
    R (bottom row left pin): red/white double - this is right signal wire.
    2 (bottom row middle pin): grey - this is right cornering light wire.
    54 (second row, left pin): green - this is feed from flasher relay.
    1 (second row, right pin): brown/white - this is feed from power.
    L (upper row, left pin): blue/white double - this is left signal wire.
    3 (upper row, right pin): grey/red - this is left cornering light wire.

    I might suggest that what you call "purple/red" is actually grey/red.

    Once you get your turn signal switch hooked up, try it out and see what happens and we can go from there in diagnostics. You could have some short in either the hazard switch or the turn signal switch, but probably not in the wiring itself, as this is all safe from weathering and abrasion under the dash. You never know, though--the 1985 and early 1986 cars were known for having brittle and flaky wire casings.

    I'm sorry in advance for any formatting issues. Dial-up internet, you know.
    Last edited by euromobile900; 22 October 2011 at 07:26.
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  3. #3
    Saab Fan
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    Saab(s)
    1986 900 S
    Great info and the formatting was just fine. So got the wires back on. Still just high beams. No cornering lights either. Took flasher out and put back in to check that. One thing I noticed is when the switch is hanging the brights didn't work but when the switch was up in place they did work. Not sure if that means I have a short somewhere. I appreciate your help!

  4. #4
    Sam Carlson
    Tutorial Bot euromobile900's Avatar
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    Saab(s)
    '90 900 LPT with a flat-nose conversion
    I hate to ask this painfully obvious question, but have you checked the fuse? You could've blown it by connecting the switch wrong, I suppose.

    I've never seen a turn signal switch fail like that, so I doubt your problem is the switch. Nonetheless, if you have an ohmmeter, you can test the switch and rule that out. When switching left, you should have continuity between L and 54. When switching right, you should have continuity between R and 54. Likewise, when switching left, you should have continuity between 3 and 1, and when switching right, you should have continuity between 2 and 1.

    Do the hazard lights work when you hit the hazard switch? I'm starting to think it has to do with that, because I've never met a turn signal switch that has failed, and a short would probably blow the fuse. You could check the plug behind the hazard switch for starters. See if any of its pin-receivers have somehow been shoved out the back and are making contact. Do you have any degrading wiring elsewhere?

    One thing I noticed is when the switch is hanging the brights didn't work but when the switch was up in place they did work.
    That's perfectly normal! The way the high-beam switch works is by momentarily grounding out a contact on the headlight relay. It thus has to be connected to ground.

    If you like, I can post the turn signal and hazard wiring diagram when I have access to decent internet tomorrow. You'll have a WAY better idea of what's going on. As it is, this stuff's fresh in my mind because I just built the signals and hazards for a small antique British car using SAAB 900 components.
    Last edited by euromobile900; 23 October 2011 at 02:43.
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  5. #5
    Saab Fan
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    Saab(s)
    1986 900 S
    I checked the fuse at the very beginning hoping it would be a quick fix. I will check it again. I think my friend has an ohmmeter. I will have to test it.

    The hazards work fine. As soon as I put the flasher in they've worked fine. I will pull that out and look at it. The wiring going to the switch all looked fine.

    You could post the wiring diagrams. Not sure I will be able to tell what's going on but it's worth a shot. Other people with similar problems might find it useful.

  6. #6
    Sam Carlson
    Tutorial Bot euromobile900's Avatar
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    Saab(s)
    '90 900 LPT with a flat-nose conversion
    Allright, I'll post the wiring diagrams this afternoon.

    You can also test the hazard switch. Even when the hazards are not being used, the feed for the signal goes through it. There's a small chance this switch could have failed in such a way that the hazards would work but signals would not. There should be continuity between pins 1 (yellow/red wire) and 2 (red wire) when the hazards are off. If you like, you can remove the hazard switch and stick a small wire in between those two sockets in its plug. Be careful not to bend the sockets too badly. Stranded wire or very small solid wire will do the trick. This will simulate a functioning switch, so you can test the signals.

    When you put on the signal, do you even get cornering lights up front?

    Fuse 20 is cornering lights, fuse 7 is signals, and fuse 27 is hazards.
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  7. #7
    Sam Carlson
    Tutorial Bot euromobile900's Avatar
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    Saab(s)
    '90 900 LPT with a flat-nose conversion
    Here you go! First page is keys and second page is wiring diagram.




    https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/phot...eat=directlink
    Here's a link to a high quality version of the diagram itself. If you have trouble with any abbreviations, just ask me!
    Last edited by euromobile900; 24 October 2011 at 03:21.
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  8. #8
    Sam Carlson
    Tutorial Bot euromobile900's Avatar
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    Saab(s)
    '90 900 LPT with a flat-nose conversion
    Any luck with your signals? I'm itching to know how it all turned out!
    Ask me a question about your c900! I promise I either can answer it or know someone who can

  9. #9
    Saab Fan
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    Saab(s)
    1986 900 S
    Sorry been busy. Fuse was blown. Got it switched out. So now I am back to all four lights going when I use signals. Pulled out the hazard switch. It looked fine. I haven't been able to test with a meter or anything.

  10. #10
    Sam Carlson
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    Saab(s)
    '90 900 LPT with a flat-nose conversion
    It's almost got to be either a switch or wiring. I would try to eliminate the switches as possible causes by using the jumper test I described first (remove hazard switch and jumper between Yellow/red and Red), and then go from there. In fact, you can simulate the signal switch with pieces of wire now that you have that wiring diagram. For right, just jumper between contact 54 and R, and for left, jumper between 54 and L, with switch disconnected of course. No need for a meter if you don't have one. However, it's a good thing to have around, and this is a good excuse to buy one.
    Ask me a question about your c900! I promise I either can answer it or know someone who can

 

 

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