26 captured repliesDiscussion pagination complete · Source accounts, not a confirmed diagnosis
THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCHNo front left turn signal
Leading reported evidence
Check bulb and it was ok so i
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
Checked bulb and it was OK so I checked the fitment of the bulb socket and also gently pried the contacts - re-installed worked for a couple of hours then stopped.
Leading evidence: 'Check bulb and it was ok so i' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, the most frequently mentioned possible cause is 'heat has something' (1 discussions; 0 report identifying it and 1 suggest it). The most frequently discussed action is 'Check bulb and it was ok so i' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
Source reports, not a diagnosis or a success probability. Counts refer to discussions and can overlap.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
I gently cleaned off all of the contact points with high grit sand paper (180 or higher) and haven't had a problem since.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
I took the assembly out again and realized that I had not properly installed the bulb...
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
When I installed headers on my 986, it took me 2 hours - in fact, I installed them, decided I hated 'em, and removed them in one day.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
When I installed long-tube headers on my '96 Corvette, it took 2
These are separate views of the same evidence. Frequency alone does not establish a fix, and these counts must not be added together.
Check bulb and it was ok so i
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
Checked bulb and it was OK so I checked the fitment of the bulb socket and also gently pried the contacts - re-installed worked for a couple of hours then stopped.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
Checked bulb and it was OK so I checked the fitment of the bulb socket and also gently pried the contacts - re-installed worked for a couple of hours then stopped.
Counts describe captured discussions, not unique people or a diagnosis. Author identities are not reliably stored. Exact duplicate evidence is counted once across matching discussions; one discussion counts at most once per action/state. Multiple repairs reported together remain a combination. Suggestions and failed attempts do not establish a fix. Matches cover whole discussions and can include related faults, model variants and incomplete threads.
26 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
Rennlist: 1 discussions
0 evidence records excluded for query context · 0 excluded by outcome qualification · 1 adjusted by outcome qualification.
1 acknowledgements have no verified action link; they do not establish a repair result.
Outcome without a verified action link
I put everything back together and the thing still didn't work.
I pulled the headlight module and removed the turn signal bulb. Filament looked good, but replaced with new PY21W bulb and still does not work.
Car is 2003 996 TT. Any suggestions on where to look for a fix?
This is a common problem with these cars. The left hand turn signal on my 2003 Turbo has stopped working now a couple of times.
The fix? I'm not sure.
Thought it was a bulb. Went to the dealer and bought a new bulb and the tech installed it and claimed it was working. When I got in the car it was not working. I had no time to wait and the service manager pulled on tech off his assigned job to swap the bulb but he couldn't put him on my car for any length of time to address this so I left.
At home what I did was remove the head light and then the holder from the head light assembly. Seemed like it was tight and I didn't see any signs of corrosion. Some have reported signs of overheating and melting plastic or what have you. I saw none of that with m car.
I put everything back together and the thing still didn't work. Did this several times.
Thought maybe the connectors were not making contact. Some owners have said something about this. The metal contacts are pretty substantial and while I pried on them with the proper sized screwdriver I didn't pry much. I suspect if one breaks something the whole assembly would need to be replaced and the cost is very high. With this in mind I was pretty careful and didn't use that much force.
I think I managed to improve the contact force some with my prying but this could be more imagined than real.
In installing the holder one more time I sort of thought maybe I managed to twist it rotate it more than before and felt like the thing kind of locked in place better.
This time when I installed the head light the light worked so I was thinking I "fixed" it.
The turn signal was ok for a few months then stopped working one day almost to work. I suspect heat has something to do with it when it stops working. The holder gets warm and loosens or perhaps there is a marginal electrical contact at the holder and where it fits into the headlight housing. Or the thing just hates me.
Anyhow, I repeated all of the above and got the thing working again but I wonder for how long...?
I've had the same thing on my driver's side turn signal in my 02. I did nearly the same thing as Macster. I removed the housing, pryed on the contacts slightly (not a lot of force applied for the same reasons noted... didn't want to break it). Then I went in there w/ some light grit sandpaper and applied a tiny bit of dielectric grease to the contact points.
It's been fine ever since. I hope that helps.
I gently cleaned off all of the contact points with high grit sand paper (180 or higher) and haven't had a problem since. My bulbs were blowing out after one use. Went through 3 bulbs before taking the time to simply clean up the contacts which has worked like a charm for six months now.
Really NICE Write-up Mac. THIS has Always been a PITA for me, i can get it to work for a few days & then fix this or that & then it starts up again. That's one of the things about the 996 is it's NEVER just that simple to change out a bulb or a fuse to fix Anything!
I _LOVE_ working on the 996 / M96 compared to other cars. When I installed headers on my 986, it took me 2 hours - in fact, I installed them, decided I hated 'em, and removed them in one day. When I installed long-tube headers on my '96 Corvette, it took 2
weekends
- but having to weld up a custom tool to get to some of the manifold bolts and chopping a section out of the driver-side header so it would clear the transmission control arm slowed me down some.
To add to the previous comments... This problem occurred on my c4s.
I initially changed the bulb... It worked for about a week then flickered a bit... Then quit again.
I took the assembly out again and realized that I had not properly installed the bulb... It was not quite fully engaged.... And was arching (you could see where some of the plastic had begun to melt.
Reinstalled properly and it's been good for 6mos.so far.
Turn signal now works. Used Macster's gently pry out the spring contacts technique and put it back in and we have a working turn signal.
Thanks guys for your help.
George
2003 996TT coupe
2000 Boxster S
1972 914
1963 356 coupe
The symptom appeared again and I took the headlight unit to the lab at work and used a volt/ohm meter. It was clear that installing the bulb socket would have a good contact then none as I tightened the bulb socket.
With some gentle prying I managed to get a good contact as per the volt/ohm meter but decided to order the holder.
It arrived Friday but too late for me to pick up before work so I will pick it up Monday and install it.
BTW, I "priced" a new headlight unit on eBay and the price is nearly $3K. At the dealer, the parts manager quoted me a price of around $3300. The build socket lists for under $25.
You're on the right track. I couldn't find a direct replacement, so I fabricated my own. Easier than it sounds. Dorman & other brands are close. The key is getting a socket whose tabs fit the $3k assembly. Then tweak the pos/neg contacts if necessary. I'll find my pics & post tmrw. 12 months out daily solid.
I had some similar issues and it ended up being the plug that the headlight slides into. I had to ensure the headlight unit was engaging the plug completely, before my problems disappeared.
I can't find my pictures, but now I remember I reused the old socket and drilled out the bottom to put in a new contact. The side contact was fine. Reliable turn signals ever since.
I've been fighting this for a couple of weeks now - first replaced bulb, worked for a while then stopped. Checked bulb and it was OK so I checked the fitment of the bulb socket and also gently pried the contacts - re-installed worked for a couple of hours then stopped. Bought new bulb socket, installed with new bulb - worked for about 30 minutes while driving then stopped working. When I pulled into the garage I tired one last trouble shoot - I loosened the headlamp assembly and pulled out about a half an inch, pushed back in and then used the tool to lock down the assembly - having done nothing else bulb now works which makes me think it's a connection issue with the headlamp assembly and the plug in the body. It works now but we'll see how long especially while driving over bumpy roads. Anyone else have something I should be trying? Thanks.
Spray both socket and plug with electrical contact cleaner. Smear some dielectric grease on the socket and plug the headlamp in. I have heard once that a problem was one of the wire connectors came out of the back of the socket slightly and it was resolved by making sure all of the wire pins were firmly pushed into the back of the socket.
Headlamp socket...the socket that remains on the car when the headlamp is removed. Wires go into the back of the socket. Make sure all are pushed in correctly.
This is a source reference. Confirm exact model applicability in the original material.
