I got this car from someone else, and...
#19. I don’t know which wires are which coming out of my steering column. How do I figure it out?
The specific wires coming out of your steering column will depend in part on whether we are talking about an original US column, an after market, a VW Beetle, etc. and whether the ignition switch is in the column. Typically you will have a feed wire for the turn signals, two (2) or four (4) turn signal outputs, and a horn button wire. For US columns, add an emergency flasher feed and a brake light switch feed. For the purposes here, we will not address columns with wiper or other accessory controls (for those, go to the OEM diagram for that specific year/model).
If it has GM color coding, you’re in luck. The black wire is the horn button, light blue -or- black with a light blue stripe is the left front turn signal. Royal Blue is the right front turn signal, brown is the emergency flasher feed. Purple is the incoming turn signal feed from the panel flasher. Yellow -or- black with a yellow stripe goes to the left rear turn signal, green goes to the right rear turn signal. And finally, the incoming brake light feed is white -or- black with a white stripe. Remember that most US columns used for street rods have the rear light brake light override feature built into the turn signal switch in the column. Foreign columns and many newer columns do not because the turn signals and brake lights are two separate lights.
Otherwise, to find out which-is-which requires some Sherlock Holmes investigation with a Volt-Ohm meter, continuity tester or test light. For instance, to find the horn feed which is a grounding switch, test continuity between the column itself and each wire as you push the horn button. For other functions, test continuity between two wires as you activate all of the different switches. When a specific switch makes and brakes continuity, you’ve found out what those wires are for. Label as you go and keep moving on to other wire combinations.
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