turn signal/drl bulb issue

**1MileCrash** · 10-25-2008, 12:18 PM

i've seen other camaro's where the front turn signal/drl bulb is out so i know i can't be the only one with this problem.

i noticed that my front turn signal bulb was not illuminating so i went to fix it...put in a new bulb.

i take the socket out of the housing only to discover that the bulb, both elements, are fine...no issues with them. the socket itself is blackened as if it has gotten very hot and burned. i figure since the bulb is fine i'll just reinstall it. i flick on the turn signal with it dangling out of the housing and it works just fine. i reinstall it and it continues to flash no problem. okay weird.

i drive around for a day or two and the same thing happens. the bulb no longer lights up and the turn signal on the left hand side no longer functions. so i go back under the car, twist the socket out of the housing, and examine the bulb. once again no problem it's fine. reinstall it and it works again.

i've done this a dozen times now. so today i think okay...maybe i'll put in a new bulb with some dielectric grease. i take out the old bulb and it has grease on it. weird. so i put grease on the new bulb, clean out the socket and scuff the metal with a wire brush. it works now...but we shall see what happens...if it stops working again.

any thoughts on what could be going on? perhaps the socket is done and needs to be replaced?

**0rion** · 10-25-2008, 03:25 PM

yep, socket issues are common. Make sure there's not some water getting in there and if there is seal up that housing or replace to keep the water out and then replace the socket. You could possibly get away with cleaning it with sandpaper real good from the sounds of it but those sockets are cheap and pretty easy to replace. I would probably just seal everything off from moisture and replace and be done with it for the next 10-15 years.

**Goldcuffs** · 10-25-2008, 06:21 PM

I just replaced both turn signal assemblies because of water getting in. $65 from GM. My sockets were getting corroded.

**1MileCrash** · 10-25-2008, 09:10 PM

i was thinkin about grabbin a set of clear lenses with the black housings and then gettin a socket...possibly from a wrecked car on here and see how that works. that was my next step.

thanks for the replys guys.

**rbob93** · 10-26-2008, 01:51 AM

Get replacement sockets from AutoZone.....$8 each
Solder in place & some heatshrink tubing with some dielectric grease & you're golden

**1MileCrash** · 10-26-2008, 07:52 AM

here's a question about the sockets themselves. since the socket slips into the housing and it then turns to lock in place...is there a part of the socket inside of the...locking ring (lack of a better term) that you can take out and replace?

**HMFDZ28** · 10-26-2008, 08:25 AM

Do yourself a favor and bypass the DRL's....I had issues with my clear's and even bulbs in my stockers.....By-passed the DRL and I havent had any issues in over a year.

**1MileCrash** · 10-26-2008, 12:44 PM

Originally Posted by HMFDZ28

Do yourself a favor and bypass the DRL's....I had issues with my clear's and even bulbs in my stockers.....By-passed the DRL and I havent had any issues in over a year.

you're saying that if i bypass the drl system that the issue of no illumination and therefore a non functioning turn signal will solve itself?

**ICRAZY6** · 10-28-2008, 04:36 AM

I had the same issue with my Ta's turn signals. I just pulled the bulb out and filled the socket with dielectric grease and then put the bulb back in. No issues.

**Mean Green Z28** · 10-28-2008, 07:29 AM

Originally Posted by ICRAZY6

I had the same issue with my Ta's turn signals. I just pulled the bulb out and filled the socket with dielectric grease and then put the bulb back in. No issues.

same here, although I even took the socket apart, cleaned it up and then filled it with the grease

**qwk93ta** · 10-28-2008, 07:39 AM

There is a good write-up on LS2.com that I followed to replace my socket w/o cutting the wires. Below is a link:

http://www.ls2.com/forums/showthread...+signal+socket

**chuckie669** · 11-06-2008, 05:44 PM

Originally Posted by qwk93ta

There is a good write-up on LS2.com that I followed to replace my socket w/o cutting the wires. Below is a link:

http://www.ls2.com/forums/showthread...+signal+socket

Yeah. I saw this a while back and never got around to it. Had the new sockets sitting in a bag too..
I had previously replaced all my bulbs with LEDs, but the corroded socket has recently started eating those too. Sat down and spent 15 min to replace each one. Damn those old suckers were corroded.

Tools, Needlenose pliers, sandpaper, new socket and my superman flashlight. Didn't even lift the car, just went from right under the DRL.