General Electrical Problem - Can you figure it out?

[Smokey Eddy]

I read through this thread from 8v-of-fury and I'm having similar issues but ... not quite.

Suddenly, while driving, my green blinker light in the cluster came on, but very very dimly... maybe half on? if that makes sense...
When i flick the switch up or down (for left or right) it comes fully on, solid, doesn't flash. And niether do the turn signals. They don't come on solid or anything. nothing happens.

SO i tried my 4-ways and they work just fine. Flashing, all lights going[i think].
AVR in abbotsford told me that it's the switch in the steering wheel but im hesitant to replace it because of the strange dash light behavior. Im thinking the issue might be something else - more than likely grounding problems(... as always)?

Fuse 7 was burnt and i replaced it but still the issue persists. In addition, the passenger rear running light wont come on either. (possibly none of the lights on that cluster [rear passenger] come on. I need to double check this when i get home from work and i'll re-post).

Something worth mentioning is that one of the relays in the fuse box gets very hot while driving... Could this be related to the dreaded "x-relay". I had been having problems with my day time running lights not working without using the switch but that problem has mysteriously dissappeared...
I'm wondering if some things have found power by other means. Even with that burnt fuse i didn't notice anything to not be working. Perhaps it's for the head lights? it was a 10A fuse, location 7.

[macka]

Try changing the offending rear running light. If the bulb is good, then it is more then likely a grounding issue. I'd check the grounds for the relay that is getting hot, and also run a Voltage test to see if there is power coming in through the ground for that relay. If that isn't the issue then swap out the relay for a known good one.

[Smokey Eddy]

The bulb is definately good. Augh, everything is a grounding issue on this car.

[burn_your_money]

Unplug and plug back in the turn signal switch. I had the same problem and it was just a poor connection.

[Smokey Eddy]

Unplug and plug back in the turn signal switch. I had the same problem and it was just a poor connection.

oh really??? same symptoms and everything?
with the dim dash light and then it goes solid when you flip the switch?
Okay, i'll try that.

[macka]

The bulb is definately good. Augh, everything is a grounding issue on this car.

be happy its not a Lucas electrical issue 

[Smokey Eddy]

Lucas electrical issue

Lucas? I don't understand
all i can think of is Lucas lubricating additive.

[macka]

British positive ground electrical, its something to behold.

[Smokey Eddy]

positive ground? whaaa???

[Runt]

Eddy, You don't want to know.  But just in case, I'll sum it up for you:
Lucas: Prince of Darkness!   (Not what you want when you are talking about headlight switches, etc!)
Do you know why Brits drink their beer warm?  Because Lucas makes refrigerators too.
I'm mostly j/k, although I have fiddled with a little of the old british stuff, and I'm not a fan of the wiring that I've seen.  Eventually, I guess I'll have to look at the wife's Anglia, but it's a project that I don't want to spare the time for right now. (1961 Anglia Estate, LHD, needs fairly complete resto, at least it is negative earth (ground)!)

[Smokey Eddy]

Hahahhah okay i understand now.
VW was a step up from that for sure. The different coloured wiring threw my friend off (who i wrench with sometimes). The only thing to really follow is solid red means DC power, yellow or red with yellow stripe means ACC power, brown is ground (mate thinks it should be black heh heh), and all the colours of the rainbow are sensors, switches, relays, lights and what have you! EASY PEASY!
I do like VW's wiring i only wish i had a comprehensive list of what all the coloured wires were for so i dont have to physically follow them every time.

[burn_your_money]

Unplug and plug back in the turn signal switch. I had the same problem and it was just a poor connection.

oh really??? same symptoms and everything?
with the dim dash light and then it goes solid when you flip the switch?
Okay, i'll try that.

Yes, except it was only the right side for me. The left signal worked just fine.

Actually my light still stays lit very dimly. I just try not to look too hard

[macka]

Eddy, You don't want to know.  But just in case, I'll sum it up for you:
Lucas: Prince of Darkness!   (Not what you want when you are talking about headlight switches, etc!)
Do you know why Brits drink their beer warm?  Because Lucas makes refrigerators too.
I'm mostly j/k, although I have fiddled with a little of the old british stuff, and I'm not a fan of the wiring that I've seen.  Eventually, I guess I'll have to look at the wife's Anglia, but it's a project that I don't want to spare the time for right now. (1961 Anglia Estate, LHD, needs fairly complete resto, at least it is negative earth (ground)!)

I'll have to pass that fridge joke on to my buddy who has 41 hillman minx

[clbanman]

I had the same thing happen on mine.  Issue was a broken right indicator light housing in the front bumper that let water in and corroded the turn signal connector and bulb.  I had to go to the wreckers and get a new harness end - problem solved.   If something like this crops up, the harness has a connector to the main harness just inside the front fender below the headlight.   Check which connector you have here first - I had to make 2 trips.

[Smokey Eddy]

Calvin, this produced the same things im seeing? the half lit light and then solid when you try to use it? and it effected both sides?