On Jun 9, 10:09*am, Jeff Liebermann wrote:
On Sat, 9 Jun 2012 12:12:12 -0400, "Jon" wrote:
The right directional signal on my girlfriend's car doesn't work.

No problem. *Just tell her to make 3 left turns instead of a right
turn until you get it fixed.

I have memorized this rule of thumb as "Two wrongs don't make a right,
but three rights make a left."


When you
turn on the right directional signal, both the front and back directional
light turn on but don't blink.

Since you didn't bother to disclose the maker and model of her
vehicle, it would be difficult to determine if the flasher is a
bi-metallic thermal flasher, or an electronic flasher. *If thermal,
such flashers cease flashing when a bulb is blown, has too small a
load, or is presented with a high resistance connection. *They also
have the irritating habit of the contacts welding closed, which I
think (not sure) might produce those symptoms. *Same arcing problem
with vehicles that have flasher relays.

They just turn on and stay on. *The flashers
work ok. *The left directional signal works ok. *Any ideas on how to fix it?

Sure. *Clean contacts and connections (steering column switch, bulb
connectors, flasher connector, relay). *Replace everything (bulbs,
relay, and flasher). *Whatever you do last, is usually what fixes the
problem. *My wild guess would be a flasher relay as in:

But the flasher relay works on the left turn signal.

I believe the flasher doesn't switch on the right because the load
draws more current than it should, indicating most likely that the
wrong bulb(s) were used or that somehow there is a current path
parallel to the bulb. First I would take out each bulb, checking to
see if the other flashes. (The open circuit should result in high
speed flashing, then reseat the bulbs and try again. Make a note of
the bulb numbers and check against owner's manual.

IIRC, when we used to go trailering we had to put a heavier duty
signal-stat into our car, to switch the increased load of the parallel
trailer turn signal lights. Otherwise they would just light up.