Chevy Impala: Turning Signals All Goofy!?

[@kennethtibbitts6641]

IF I WAS OWNER OF IMPALA I WOULD BE PISSED OFF AT FIRST SHOP FOR JUST THROWING PARTS INSTEAD OFF DOING SOME LEG WORK AND FINDING PROBLEM ,GOOD JOB DR. O

[@xplorearizona154]

I'd ask for my money back.

[@ronyerke9250]

The owner of the car will mever know that the car was fixed someplace other than where it was taken in the first place. Mr. Os bill will just be tacked on to the original shop's bill, or the shop will just absorb the cost of their lack of competence.

[@Tedybear315]

No need to shout. I agree, "Test, Don't Guess"......

[@ethelryan257]

Sometimes, it feels good to shout. Everytime I hear the 'aftermarket remote must be the cause' nonsense, I want to shout, too. We do most of our own work, but when we're too busy, I take the cars to good shops. There's one in town which is on my nevah-evah list. I've put aftermarket remotes in several of our vehicles, never had a problem caused by one. The first thing they said when we had a broken ground (intermittent, of course, not clean like this one) was: Aftermarket starter doing it. Break wasn't anywhere near the remote start.

[@tjw8t1]

That's why it's important to always go with the most simple checks/fixes first.

[@stevendunn6255]

Diagnosing a problem is almost a lost art these days. It is good to see someone who almost does everything the same way I do when troubleshooting...as I live in Texas I do not deal with rust much, but heat and rodent damage are alive and well here...

[@unclemarksdiyauto]

As a long time viewer, I have never heard you trash a shop that has dropped of a vehicle they were having troubles diagnosing. That is class! As for this ground behind the headlight, it seems to be a common problem. As for not a good video, the other shop missed it, so what is simple for you is not always for others. I think after a point, people panic, fire the parts cannon, panic again and can’t see past a certain point. It happens to the best! I give them credit for stopping there and bringing it to you.

[@TheDisgruntledMechanic]

Never a waste of a video when a lesson can be taken away! And as for mentioning the other shop I see no problem in that. They couldn't complete the job and you did. You are just stating facts.

[@throttlebottle5906]

yeah, as long as you don't say their names and slander them. saying it came from "another shop" is plenty

[@jusb1066]

id slander them, they threw parts and didnt fix anything, still made money off it

[@chucktherepairguy1108]

So true.

[@EssenceofPureFlavor]

@@throttlebottle5906 It's only slander if it's not the truth. They DID screw up.

[@sterlingstephens7093]

but if u name drop,they might stop sending work his way,so fix it,send it,get paid

[@jeffjankiewicz5100]

Don`t change a thing, some people just need to bitch about something(they will never be happy). You never name the other shops, never throw them under the bus, that`s why they send you the vehicles they can`t figure out. Thanks for always being professional. Sometimes you can do it, but they cannot. Much respect for the way you treat people, I wish more people did the same.

[@wyattoneable]

Mentioning that a job came "from another shop" has always been the best videos. Not always because you find some hidden, hard to find fix, but because their is always a lesson. Such is the case here. If their is one thing I have learned over the years of watching your videos is that it is the "process" of how you attack your work, not the fix itself that is important. Learning how to identify the problem, research in the facts and apply solid workmanship applies to many other jobs and I think that is one thing why this channel is so popular.

[@stapleboss]

You hit the nail on the head.

[@defendermender4959]

Narrowing it down is the top thing I’ve learnt from him. So logical when you think about it like that.

[@mikeholt3545]

I agree 100% as a carpenter one of my least favorite things to do is coming behind someone else and figuring out what they did but its worth knowing someone else was there.

[@markatkinson614]

The nice thing , is when the guy who DROOLED ON THE ENGINE FOR A WEEK AND FOUND NOTHING ; SAW THE VIDEO AND STARTED A CONSTRUCTION JOB , SHORTLY AFTER.LMAO

[@mikeholt3545]

@@markatkinson614 what I can tell you is that I make well more than an auto tech at least in my area and being a union carpenter.

[@mr.h4714]

Eric O, please don't change your presentation due to a few viewers In my opinion (which I fully understand means a big ol pile of beans on KZbin) the "other shop" comments are incredibly valuable info and play a role in the overall story of some of your coolest repairs I've never heard ya slander or slam other shops to a degree I'd consider unprofessional....and ya never name the other shop..... Man....people will complain about anything......

[@Legotruck82]

agreed. Knowing that it has already been worked on, and what has been changed or replaced is part of the story. Sucks there are so many shops that just want to rack up a bill instead of actually diagnosing and fixing.

[@ethelryan257]

Eric a professional. It shows.

[@ignaciohugo1334]

dont know if you guys gives a shit but if you're stoned like me during the covid times then you can watch pretty much all the latest movies and series on instaflixxer. Have been streaming with my gf recently xD

[@carloscedric9827]

@Ignacio Hugo definitely, I have been using instaflixxer for years myself :)

[@89nissancrawler]

I think it’s more than fair to mention it was already worked on, as vehicle background. That’s one of the first things we ask when working on jets. I’m no ace auto mechanic, but a friend of my sisters wanted me to look at a light issue on her car that had all sorts of parts shotgunned. My first question was “what happened when this first started?”. “My left rear brake light was out, ever since they replaced it, it’s been goofy.” I opened the trunk, pulled the bulb out...single filament bulb in a dual filament socket. They jumped the brakes and turn signals together with the bulb, then started shotgunning parts... Another valuable part of this film is doing the damn job right. A: soldering to prevent corroding, B: sealing the probe hole in the wire, and C: spraying the ground to help prevent corrosion. 95% of places would’ve skipped at least one of those steps, got paid, car left, only for a new problem to show up from it in a matter of time.

[@ernestrodriguez4659]

Eric, I have to tell you that sometimes the most simple fixes (which you were hoping to be more complicated) can deliver a powerful message of what quality diagnosis and repair is all about. Think about it. YOU just posted another video of exceptional work. Plain and simple.

[@GlycerinZ]

He does indeed post great videos!

[@johnaclark1]

Don't apologize for a video like this. While simple to you, obviously it wasn't simple to everyone. The more like this, the better. Your diagnostic approach of finding one simple circuit that isn't working(marker lights in this case) and going with that first has served me well a few times and even got me some fixes that other shops couldn't fix, and I'm not even a professional shop--just a corporate pilot fixing cars for people, on the side, out of my garage. You did get lucky, though, in that you pulled the left headlight instead of the right headlight first.

[@shawjoe71]

I agree with this. To me it looked like a major problem and would not have guessed it was just a ground that could cause that behavior. Electrical issues can be intimidating for someone like me that has zero idea where to start. Good Video!

[@klwthe3rd]

I like when Eric O tells us when a car comes from another shop. The facts are the facts. If the car came from another shop, what's wrong with disclosing that the other shop threw parts at the job and it didn't fix the problem. Has nothing to do with intentionally trying to bad mouth the other shop. Their inability to fix the problem by shooting the parts cannon already speaks for itself. Love these wierd electrical issues because these are often the problems I encounter on my own vehicles. Great video.

[@DollarbillDollarbill]

I like when you tell viewers upfront that it has just come from another shop or dealer. It adds a bit more flare and drama to your videos. They may have even recommended you at someplaces.My reason is what many viewers said about how much money the owner has already spent. Your repair was a 2 dollar part and labor. I bet you have a customer for life. You probably already have a bunch of those. Great video. Thinking simple and the basics first

[@upman664]

Don't change your vids or the way you present yourself in them because of a few viewers. This is the very thing that brings the masses to you. Your candor and comfort level. The honesty etc. You can't make everyone happy so don't even try.

[@billfischer6464]

Liquid electrical tape really resembles bead sealer. Thanks for all the free info you give everybody.

[@joesmith332]

Wow, thanks so much. This just happened with my 2004 Chevy Impala. Same exact scenario with the turn signals and marker lights in the front. Took me no more than 15 minutes to fix after watching this video. It only cost me $3.99+tax for ring terminals. Thank you! Who knows how much my mechanic would've charged (if he even would've figured out it was a ground issue).

[@jameslovitt994]

I'd have assumed multifunction switch as well at first, but wouldn't have assumed it bad until diagnosing. Good catch.

[@jamesfarnham1976]

No issues for me with you mentioning the other shop stuff. You always do it respectfully any way. Thank you for showing the fixing of the pokey hole, good gravy I've seen some places go nuts with that poker poking wire after wire. Yikes! Thanks for all you do Eric.

[@JimWebsterWeb]

I really like this video, easy to understand. I have this problem now in my 2005 Impala. I will go through your steps and let you know how it went. Thanks, Jim

[@billmaxfield7831]

Commendable diplomacy that you show your colleagues, it doesn't go unnoticed and certainly shows that your inner spirit is in the right place. This is a trait that your children will inherit. It's really nice to see.Great job Eric and Vanessa!!!!Gee i'm feeling philosophical today....l miss the kids! lol

[@catap977]

I have been working on car's and truck's for more than 30 years, went to school at Rosedale Tec, I work in a shop where I get a lot of work from other shop"s all the time and I don't bad mouth any of them, but I did call bad ground LOL. Eric you are a top notch Tec

[@tallpaulsynd]

Your initial description of the light problem, both signal lights coming on at once, made me instantly think it was a bad ground. The light with a bad ground was using the light on the other side as a ground path, making both appear on. Another diagnostic trick is to turn on the park lights, the signals then will light dimly when they are supposed to be off and go completely off when they are supposed to be on. Brake/tail is similar, they turn on really dim when the tail lights are off and go out completely if you hit the brakes when tail lights are on. The bulbs with 2 filaments will all do this. If the ground is missing then both filaments will be powered in series with each other when one side is powered, but go out when both have voltage applied. Thus they will be dim but on when powered on only one side. I am an electrical engineer by trade but have worked on cars since I was about 13. Your tools are pretty sophisticated and cars can tell you what is wrong but only if all the connections are correct. I would love to have the nice tools and subscriptions to services you have, but it isn't financially viable for a shade-tree mechanic. You have sound troubleshooting methodologies.

[@MechShark]

My dad is a 30 year mastertech and it would get under his skin knowing the useless replacement parts thrown at this car after misdiagnosing something so simple. He actually has said for a few years now that it is to find mechanics to fix stuff like this, all the good ones are retiring or too old, and dealerships have always been scams. The age of computers has techs relying on OBD codes to fix anything at all (and they sometimes can't even do that right). Lots of horror stories with the 'throwing parts at it' strategy. The worst was a year or two ago, a $600 part + labor fix vs. the dealership asking for almost $10k to do a transmission replacement. Borderline fraud if you ask me. Good fix! I liked this simpler vid.

[@jdrs4214]

Regardless of the length of video material; your videos are always entertaining Dr. O!!! 👍🏻

[@mikecont9742]

Ground diagnosis and fix. That is a great video. I like the fact you are honest. Many shops just throw parts. People do not understand that there are few mechanics actually diagnose.

[@Slisher1]

I know you were hoping for a "more interesting" problem, but I'm glad you posted, my wife's 2006 impala had this exact problem. I think it was even the same wire, thanks for the fix!

[@michaelevans310]

Hey man, thanks a bunch for doing this video ...even for being 3 years old. I had this exact same issue on my 02 Impala.. the turn signals would blink at the same time in the dash and the two front turn signals would blink at the same time so i pulled the headlight ground plug off, stripped the wires and just bolted them back to the fram and it fixed the issue. You probably saved me a bunch of money at the repair shop. Thanks a bunch!

[@jdgimpa]

Whenever I got a vehicle from another shop I always figured if they knew how to fix it they wouldn't have sent it to me. Yes I was also yelling that you had a bad ground. I appreciate that you still followed the clues to find the problem.

[@mikekoerner1614]

Thank you for making this video, and thank you for having such a great channel. I just made the same repair on my mothers 2003. Windshield washers were not working, both front turn signals flashed with left or right, and she had a high beam fault warning on dash(high beams were working) Had the ground wire pull apart while testing. New ring terminal and all issues went away. Saved her a repair bill! Please keep the great content coming!

[@tommyj19751]

Had a similar issues years ago. Took me over a week of messing around in the evenings after work to find out that the rear tail and rear turn element had fused together in the left rear bulb. Nice diagnosis Eric O.

[@davescruton2829]

Like Eric I live in upstate N.Y. Rust and crust caused me to dislike vehicle repair and engineers that design cars made me totally dispise it. I ended up going industrial maintenance and electrician. I constantly have to go behind and fix others screw ups. Eric is the uper 10% of IQ in his profession so these things he teaches are probably impossible for the average mechanic to follow. The odd part is the guys that do this stuff almost always start in an advanced test, skipping by the basics and causing themselves huge issues. I have fallen into the trap when others tell me they have done a propper test way to many times and it always causes me an hour or 2 of frustration before I go back and check. This lesson is valuable, just because they are way up the line on tests you would do, don't assume anything based on another person's diagnostic style, because 9 times out of 10 if they call me in they skipped something simple.

[@mattmercilliott]

This short video saved me hours of grief. I didn't have a problem until I turned on fog lamps and the lights went goofy. The wires going to the ground all looked okay, but when I touched them they turned to dust. Just stripped the ends back and stuck them under the washer. All lights work great now.

[@WouterB76]

Mr O, fixed it like a pro.

[@manusamoaus]

Every video is good and informative, no matter how long or short. Still like them all. Even simple answers are good for someone who does not know the answer.

[@michaelkaler5448]

Dude you just saved me from starting my 04 Impala on fire I had the same exact problem to a tee and boom 🤯 fixed thank you.

[@tbag-2224]

Mentioning another shop worked on it is important information. There's a big difference between a problem that just rolled in and one that's been poked at first... sometimes to the point of desperation.

[@WBOS72]

Great video - a tribute to how excellent your skillset is at electric/electronic diagnosis and repair.

[@elcheapo5302]

This was a better video than you think, Eric. A very common problem here in the rust belt, and the simple no-nonsense way of troubleshooting it. Well done.

[@mikesworld60]

The problem was goofy, but the fix was defiantly not mickey mouse. Great skills on this one for sure.

[@rider9195]

Even at the dealer level we get work from other dealers that didn't want to marry a car. They know they won't get paid by the manufacturer and tell them to go else where. I have always learned over the years to keep it simple and go after what you have proved during a diagnosis. Good video Eric.

[@lwilton]

It's been 40 years since I worked on cars, but just the description you gave was telling me it was a bad ground. When you added the difference with the headlights on, it had to be a front ground. The only thing that stopped me from saying that was the assumption that a modern car wouldn't be using a flasher and all of it would be in a computer, which would have been a crazy bit of coincidences to get those results.

[@baxrok2.]

Dr. O, I've watched you from the start and you've always been humble. Great diag and lesson on this problem. Thanks Dr. O!

[@mikemaccracken3112]

Video was just long enough for me to enjoy my coffee! Have a great Labor Day weekend Eric and family!

[@richardcranium5839]

good fix typical rust belt repair. just a suggestion- a lot of people cant read a wiring diagram. when you get one like this maybe you could show on the diagram how and why this happens. i've had some doosies in my lifetime and the only way i found the problem in multiple circuit faults was to trace each circuit to a common point using a diagram. as always appreciate what you do. you've taught this old dog some new tricks along the way

[@Gears.and.Gadgets]

As with any repair there are steps to be taken. For example start at 1 and end up at 10. I follow the old rule of, "Divide and Conquer." For example if starting at 1 and ending at 10 doesn't work. Now I'll start at 1 and look at 5 if my problem isn't there I'll go to start at 5 and look at 7.5. if my problem isn't there either I know it lies between 7.5 and 10. And I keep working till I find it. That method hasn't failed me yet. Being a parts changer never solves anything. Being a good detective does. Great example of that Eric. Thanks for sharing.

[@nerd8192]

OMG... they put hundreds of dollars of parts into it and it was just a shitty ground?! Some diagnostic guy that was!

[@crisprtalk6963]

most mechanics dont know how or even care. Never tried to even learn what a circuit is.

[@Shit_I_Missed.]

Gotta make that boat payment somehow!

[@davescruton2829]

It might shock you how many thousands and thousands of dollars in parts I have seen changed and have it be a bad ground or fuse. Some people troubleshoot, some people change parts.

[@workingshlub8861]

to lazy to find a wiring diagram..unreal

[@GlycerinZ]

It's funny how many "professionals" never seem to think of ground.. like they convince themselves that the fix HAS to be SOME part

[@fredbach6039]

I hold an electronics certificate from a technical college. I really appreciate your approach to reading voltages, resistances, currents and waveforms. That simply has to be done for a good diagnosis. Parts throwers certainly show their ignorance, and I have seen a lot of them in my day. It seems to me that adequate electronics training must be a part of a mechanic's ticket. No pass the electronics section then no mechanic's ticket.

[@sparkyobrian1383]

granted I dont work on cars- but the majority of the problems we get are intermittent. Its nice to get something broken in from time to time LoL. this was a great video, love these odd problem videos you do. many thanks !

[@davidj5937]

Just found your channel, and was hooked... I WISH I had you has a mechanic. Awesome rhapsy voice, and amazing explanations... you rock Eric.

[@shanemturner]

I think it's good to know when another shop sends you a vehicle, this doesn't necessarily mean they aren't good mechanics but perhaps don't have your diagnosis skills. It adds to the drama!

[@SwarthyPlinker]

Glad I discovered this channel. Eric’s videos are a joy to watch.

[@AndyMechanic]

Great video Eric, it's surprising how Techs can miss the basic stuff and get so wrapped up in deeper diagnostics. I see it a lot with EFI systems. Like you say 'check your basics!'. Right, time for work. Have a great day. Andy :-)

[@SouthMainAuto]

That is why I just remain a "mechanic." "Techs" have to much pressure and overlook the obvious it seems...

[@Paul1958R]

Eric, Another great video (I was one of the viewers yelling 'its got a bad ground' LOL). I love how you always attack these problems from the most logical - and simple - side. Thank you for sharing! SMA#1 God bless Paul

[@SouthMainAuto]

Ahhh but did ya know what one!? Haha

[@Paul1958R]

No - but I would have looked at the parking/signal light grounds first. Thanks Paul

[@buzzbuzzard9469]

Not a waste ...Thanks for the video.....Went on ebay and bought a 5 volt reducer for my power probe.....Freakin Awesome.....Thanks Again

[@mikelowry2074]

Not useless. I wish the other shops used your videos for training. Then they might be able to actually fix the problem. Keep it up.

[@bairfamilyfarm1336]

It seems to me the "other shops" don't test stuff first. An example being the turn signal switch they replace (as mentioned by Mr O.) needed to be test before making the call. Find the wires for it on the steering colum and ohm out the correct wire. Does the switch make the right connection? If yes look elsewhere, if not switch is bad. How hard can it be?

[@jerrybungard7107]

Always glad to see your approach to the problem. Diagnose before replacement.....a skill few use sadly. I've seen lots of guys with toolboxes but few mechanics! You the man!

[@Dirtyharry70585]

Always fun watching the master from the quartback seat...... Only wish I could share rundowns on the non-automotive repairs for the past 32 yrs-computers,wires,software......legal mumble jumble...

[@cassiuspuckett8789]

When you first said something about the action of the turn signals, I suspected a bad ground. Then you kept going thru your observations and the problem seem to compound. But you went straight to the problem and it was just a bad ground.... good job, Erick.....

[@andypsunshineisle5655]

Enjoyable to watch you not talking down while going through the pre checks. I always write a list of what happens for each scenario. That 5v reducer will come in handy, if i had just bought it 4 months from now when i will have a use for it i am going to know i put it somewhere safe but wont be able to find it,

[@SouthMainAuto]

I just threw it in the pp4 case so I know right where it is ;)

[@Kim-n-Brian]

I love the videos long or short ...I enjoy watching the steps you take when problem solving ! And regardless of what others viewers piss and moan about other garages many mechanics just will not take the time to dig a bit or true problem solve.

[@photoshopman1972]

Not a waste! Shows how important that the car needs to have correct grounds as well as voltages in order to work! Each time you show something, it helps increase knowledge! Thanks for the vid as always! BTW, love the crimp/strip tool! Need to look at old vids to see what brand they are. Thanks again!

[@SouthMainAuto]

They are a 3 piece set

[@SouthMainAuto]

Here they are amzn.to/2wE38YS

[@photoshopman1972]

Thank you sir for researching that for me!

[@spelunkerd]

Ha ha ha, what a story. Another brilliant teaching example, where you find a corner of a complex problem and trace it back. We're looking forward to seeing that 5V voltage stepdown device in action! I made one with three 1.4 V batteries from an old headlamp, but it sure isn't as smooth as something designed to mesh with the PP.

[@michaelfulton6184]

My ‘03 Impala did the exact same thing and it wound up being the exact same wire that caused the issue. Thank you for this, I was really scratching my head for a minute there! You saved me a lot of headache. Thank you!!

[@UtahDarkHorse]

Yep, you have a gift that few have. I'm not talking about the gift of car mechanics. I'm referring to the gift of critical thinking. I'm sure you'll do well at anything you undertake. Your videos are always a pleasure to watch, and more often than not, funny too! Keep up the great work. 😊

[@feeneysmechanical6215]

Great video Eric. Reminds me of service call I had three years back. I got called regarding a Volvo garbage truck that wouldn't start and when the mechanic before tried jump starting it and cranking the engine the starter would click and spark. The mechanic out on the road couldn't make heads or tails of it. I drove out to the call which was a hour away in my service truck. Just to find the negative cable was disconnected because the welder in the shop had to do some work and when it wouldn't start they pushed it outside in the cold. I put the negative battery cable on and tighten the nut on the stud. Hit the start button and the truck started right up. Did it three times no issue's. Wrote the invoice and drove home.

[@Parknest]

Even though it was a easy fix, it is testament to how you roll. You found the problem and fixed it unlike the other shop which did the "parts darts" approach and failed.

[@jamesbruno5896]

Quick diagnosis & a proper fix thanks for taking us along!

[@94jimmy5]

Another typically excellent repair. Bad grounds cause some funky issues. Can throw lots of things out of kelter. Well done, Mr.O.

[@drewdude444]

Also in most cases the guys that get mad are the ones with most empty parts boxes at the end of the day.... Eric you have a great following of great mechanics and we all need checked once and again to keep us doing great diag. Work we do great work but not always great diag work when shit hits the fan and we have more broken equipment than mechanics at the shop and we all look for the easy bolt on fix instead of the easy wire repair.... I may have drifted here and there with what I said but those that know will know 👍🏻

[@morsecodereviews1553]

Need more 2000-2005 Impala videos =) My wonky turn signals turned out to be the hazard light module. Apparently the turn signal donger is part of it.

[@davidhollfelder9940]

Fast diag and fix .. fun enough for me .. it’s somehow enlightening for me to turn what was a mess into gravy

[@georgestrickland9278]

great job,fixed it right the first time

[@HollomanUFOLanding]

Great job, Eric. Thanks for what you do, you set the standard.

[@bigmac8299]

My 05 is doing the same thing thanks for the video this may lead me in the right direction

[@geologic740]

I believe that leading your videos with whatever information you were initially given is a good way to go. It puts us in step with you on the diagnosis. You're not bashing, just stating facts.

[@rayrowe2664]

I HOPE ALL THOSE "OTHER SHOPS" IN YOUR AREA WATCH YOUR VIDEOS !!!

[@SethHarr]

Good Job Mr O. I do a lot of work as well from other shops. I tend to find they don't diagnose and just start throwing parts. Not sure why diagnosing is so uncommon.

[@SmittySmithsonite]

Ahh, the Impala. The meaning of that name has changed since the 60's, when it meant, "Quality, Luxury, and Power". Today, the loosely-translated American Indian meaning is, "Poorly Engineered Pile of Horse Dung". 😁 I love the easy ones like this - for myself, and when you video them. Reason I like watching a video like this, is I try and put myself in your shoes, and see where I'd go. Since this thing was built after 1996, my first thought would be the BCM, or some electrical short buried down behind the engine - in other words, "it's gonna be a horror-show!" LOL. You made a great point on the rear lights working - can't be any module or flasher issue if the rears still work. I have to scream at myself, KEEP IT SIMPLE, any time I'm faced with stuff like this. I've fixed a few that were just as easy, but I had my mind going in circles over what it "could be". If it were a trailer, I'd have hooked a wire straight to a good ground and watched what happened ... but not on a '96 + for some psychological reason. A great lesson here to step back, and ALWAYS check the basics first! 👍

[@throttlebottle5906]

"G"impala aka Gimp-ala

[@felitafranklin9758]

Thank you, im having the same problem with my 2000.

[@Dcs-Brasil]

At first I have seen that the colors of the front fenders are different from the front doors. Head-on collision, probably. I thought about that. Finally, a bad ground wire. Good job - as usual :)

[@uprednecked]

simple but one of the best Eric! for anything to work you must have the basics! power and grounds and feeds/signals! sure it can be controllers and such but always start with the basics!

[@johnhpalmer6098]

Another great video Eric. When you described the symptoms, I knew immediately what the issue was, the ground as a bad ground can cause all kinds of these weird issues, just look at any of the older 1st gen Rabbits, pre Westmorland ones especially as they often had issues in the tail lights as they all had the separate tail and brake light bulbs in those, not the 83-84 redesign I don't know as they used 2, 2 filament bulbs for the brake/tail so don't know if they still suffered from this. You can tell when there is a poor ground as the turn signal would glow dimly when lights were on and then flash bright, sometimes causing the reverse light on that side to flash too, or something along those lines. So when you mentioned the symptoms, that was the obvious clue that came to mind even though you tried to dismiss that as a possibility so we would not immediately call that out (in hopes anyway), only to reveal a broken ground! Overall, great work - again as usual.

[@Darthvolvo]

You'll never please everyone in the peanut gallery. Just keep making awesome content! Crazy how such a complex issue had such a simple fix!

[@fredberfal1246]

good video Eric. Thank God so many other shops do sloppy work and end up sending their booboos out for you to make a little money on and correctly repair the vehicle. Over the years Ive run accross many bad ground issues. Sometimes they are a real treat

[@125sm3]

Every video is educational , no matter how simple the repair. Just cant belive other shops just throw parts at it without proper diagnosis first.

[@stevesautorepair]

I had an idea where this was going when the video started. My sister's 2004 impala did the exact same thing last year and was the same fix. The headlights went wonky on it one time as well and ended up being a pin fitment issue on the fuse for the driver side headlight. Another awesome video Eric

[@rattmann36863]

Caught one from another shop yesterday and he was running down a no start/no run. It has been messed with by many "mechanics" and the problem was still there. Did some of the same tests you did and found, yep, a bad ground. Fixed that and the old vehicle fired right up. Good job. The ground is boss. Electronics do not like it when the boss not working.

[@CubasAutomotive]

You're just too good Eric! Thought it would make for a good video, but it did. It's often the little problems that make for the biggest headaches. Goes to show how keeping things simple kis the route to take.

[@roxanneabbott8424]

I love your videos, just subscribed last month and have been educated. No fix is a simple fix for those who are layman learning diagraming! Keep up the good work!

[@waynep343]

FYI everybody. the reason the dash indicator lights turned on was because the front lamps were trying to Ground thru the turn signal filament and the dashboard indicator bulbs. electrons travel from negative to positive.. no negative, no electrons.. unless it can pull a few thru a second bulb..

[@fredbach6039]

Yeah. The dimness of the front bulbs bothered me right off the start. Also what would make both dash turn-signal indicator lights light up simultaneously? Well, the dash turn lamps are oftrn powered by the voltage sent to the front signal filaments. What situation could give (some) power at the hot terminal of each front signal light filament?? Why, a missing ground on both right turn filaments! A missing ground on one side only could lead to current in both front park filaments, but it would not light both dash turn indicators. The only way power could get to the top end of the opposite front filament (and thus light the opposite turn light on the dash) wouid be if both front bulbs lost their grounds. So that one observation was a dead giveaway right from the start.

[@cmans79tr7]

Yeah, i was one of them thinking ( not yelling at the screen LOL) "Bad ground" because i had seen somewhere a schematic of how a bad ground forces the pixies through a tortuous route through ALL the filaments to a very distant ground. But i never would have thought to take the light assembly out because it it such a pain in the neck, but in this case taking the light out helped diagnose and find the bad ground right in front of his face. I guess lucky he took the driver side out rather than the passenger side. Great vid!

[@jkbrown5496]

Good diagnostic process video. Not something they can teach easily in the classroom. You need, as these videos provide, to spend some time looking over someone's shoulder as they do it, but with narration so it doesn't look like magic. Similar to the approach on the Toyota Highlander a couple weeks back. "If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs, " when faced with a multitude of symptoms or codes... No matter the future changes in the auto repair industry, troubleshooting process skills will always be valuable. Maybe you need a Diagnostic Process playlist?

[@davidb.fishburn9338]

Good job with the basics, Eric! I see that kind of problem all too often. Bad grounds causing weird issues, especially when the wiring is the absolute minimum needed to make the circuits work. It pisses me off when i see when someone has poked a wire and not sealed it afterwards. Imo, never poke wires, it just creates more problems in the future. A good example was with my dad's 2000 Jeep Cherokee. Fuel level gauge did not work. checked all wiring, got no signal from the sender. Bought a sending unit, and dropped the tank. Now, a little info for those not aware, the wiring for the fuel level and the fuel pump goes to the middle of the top of the gas tank, and they have little room to even get in there. They also have a metal skidplate on them. After dropping the tank, i saw that someone had poked the wiring between the harness connector and where it goes into the fuel pump housing. Needless to say, that pissed me completely off, as the idiot that poked the wiring did not seal the punctures, and as a result, the wiring is all corroded. The only way to fix that was to replace the entire fuel pump assembly, at over $400.00. That did'nt happen, just slapped the tank back in. My dad had the mileage all figured out, so it was'nt too much of a problem for him. But, it's someone else's problem now, he just traded it in on a 2012 Dodge Journey.

[@Nugetto]

Nice job Eric. Ground problems can trigger funky stuff... I had a corroded (broken off) ground on a H4 bulb connector once, that caused the car to stay running with the key off. You could switch off the engine from the light switch.

[@biffklg]

Just had the exact same thing happen to my mother's impala. Glad I watch SMA!

[@3347861]

The lowly ground rears its head again... LOL... Nice work, Eric! It's the simple things that get overlooked....

[@nemanjadzombic6101]

That simple diagnostics is simple for us but theese simple cases become simple with experience. Thank you for this simple ;) but yet very useful video! Greetings from Serbia.

[@AtomicWarriors94]

I say if you have time to record something like this or even the ranger transmission cooler lines, even if it’s an oil change we will all watch because we like to learn new things and tricks that you do! Keep it up! And if you run out of videos just make simple ones and we will enjoy them!

[@wyrtwister4260]

Well done . Circuit was hunting a ground . Wyr God bless

[@ronaldchurch6356]

Was not a waste of time. I got a 95 jeep GC doing the same thing. So you see what you think is not worth it , may be a great help to someone like me. Thanks

[@ronyerke9250]

I got an S-10 back from a body shop with tail lights doing goofy things once too. It also turned out to be a ground wire pulled out of it's eye connector. Somebody probably was going too fast when removing the bumper to fix a dent in it. It took me longer to find it than to fix it, btw.

[@umajunkcollector]

Don't bother Mr O with "free advice" phone calls, he puts the "free stuff" in his vids. If he had a 900 advice line at like 2$/minute, he'd make money for tslking... like Oprah.

[@ethelryan257]

As the S-10/Sonoma age, that's become a well-known problem. GM bundled every single ground in sight onto one tiny little eyelet. Been there, done that with one of ours. I do like the S-10. Get flack all the time about needing a 'real' truck. Since the S-10 handles 99% of my needs, it's never made since to drive something bigger when I don't need to.

[@ronyerke9250]

@@ethelryan257 When S-10s first came out, I too thought they were just a toy. Then I rode in a coworker's. Later, I bought 1. Ya live, ya learn.

[@joshstaton508]

I also have a s10, 2wd on top of that. I can confidently say I have hauled more and worked it harder that someone with a full size truck.

[@lynnmiller5183]

You are very talented and a honest business man. God is good all the time

[@williegillie5712]

Bad grounds can really make things go wonky. Another fun one for me was the brake lights (lumina)not working but the cyclops brake light on. Pulled the high beam switch back a little and whalla break lights came back on. Imagine that a turn signal lights the break lights. Replaced the turn signal switch and all was well.