Do the two prongs for the front turn signal bulbs need to be pulled upwards a bit if the bulb is pushed in, sometimes it doesn't seem to contact very good. I tried scratching the prongs for better contact also.

Bulb number 1157?

They are staggered, so make sure you have the correct orientation of the prongs.

To be clear.
The lugs on the side of the bulb are staggered. The bulb won't rotate if installed wrong.
The springy contacts below the bulb can be cleaned and pulled up to increase
contact pressure.
The walls of the socket need to be clean also to provide good ground
......especially the grooves where the lugs seat.

I didn't realize about the walls also, but makes sense.

You can tell if the socket ground is an issue if when you wiggle the bulb, and both filaments light up. If the ground is missing, the current path will be from one filament to the other to all the other bulbs on that circuit (either turnsignals or running lights).

If when you wiggle the bulb it just goes out, likely it is the center button. As suggested, lightly bending up the button will help the contact.

Umm, that isn't always the case. A determined idiot can get the bulb to rotate when installed wrong. Which can cause interesting issues later.

Don't ask how I know. Or who the "determined idiot" was.

--DD

Got new bulbs, but now the PS is way brighter than the DS, and if I flip flop them, same answer.
What's the story on that?

I scratched the prongs, and around the inside parameter of the housing as best I could.

Or when it got put back together from the body shop, could some wires have be flip flopped?

When you turn the turn signal/blinker on does the brighter filament light up on the dim side? Sounds like the terminals could have been wired backwards when installed.

My '93 Eurovan was assembled by a determined idiot at the factory, no kidding.

It was also crabbing down the road and the rear brakes locked up in the snow when new. Convincing the dealer they had to adjust the rear brake regulator was a harder sell than the 4 wheel alignment. The tail light issues were more obvious.

With many body shops this is the most probable cause!

I have repaired so many wiring problems that were caused by body shops.

Jim

Looks like one side has the parking light element on, the other side, the blinker element on.

As it is now, when parking lights are on, the DS is dim, and heavier element blinks, but passenger side parking light, the heavier element is on, and when signaling, they both just come on, but both rear blinkers/parking lights are working correctly.

Which terminals would I have to flip flop? on the PS?

If they both flash then you are missing the ground. Without the ground connection, both filaments are in series and will flash together. Do they both light up together on parking lights?

Check the ground of the passenger side with your voltmeter measuring resistance from the bulb socket surround to chassis ground. Should be zero ohms or close.



The rear running lights are also the brakes. The rear turnsignal is a single filament 1056-type bulb.

I believe the DS is working correctly, but when parking lights are on, the PS heavier element comes on, and when trying to use the blinker, the lighter element comes on, but does not blink.
Pictures is of PS. I'm not sure where that black wire is suppose to go. No place to put it on at?? The DS does not have a black wire like that.

Click to view attachment

Personally I would run an external ground wire temporarily to either confirm or rule that option out. Hook up a wire to bare metal on the body somewhere or to another good ground, and hook it up to the light housing.

Also if you haven't already make sure the wiring on the Pass side matches the Driver side. I couldn't find a diagram to figure out what the black wire is so hopefully someone else can chime in with that.

I was told:
You are correct
The ps is backward. The brown wire is correct. Swap the other 2.
Black wire is from side marker light. You are missing both rubber protection boots.