Vic, you are an asset to the Cougar Community. I have learned so much from this thread.
I bought a '68 basket case that failed the old Arizona safety inspection back in the early 90’s. It failed because the turn signals stopped working. The owner at that time decided that rather than fix the original system that it would be better to try to hack some sort of home brew solution. Armed with a spool of yellow wire they tried to run new wires to each signal light front and back and them they spliced into the turn signal switch. Of course one thing leads to another and the brake lights didn’t work so they cut those wires out as well. They kept putting in bigger fuses until they finally started burning things up. Ultimately they did enough damage for the car to remain parked until now.
Mostly I have been returning everything to original with the benefit of a spare harness for parts and the information in this thread. I am soldering and shrink tubing all connections so there will be no mystery in the future. The signals have a way to go, but at least the brake lights now function. When I first powered up the car the tail lights all lit up even though the headlight switch was unplugged. Eventually it will be a car again.
Does anyone have a picture of the connector block like the one below but from the other side?
Previous owner cut of the connector blocks. The colors of the wires that I have hanging from under the dash don’t add up with the wiring scheme for the '68 cougar.
Also pictures of the connector blocks connected with the wires on both sides visible would be greatly appreciated.
You are correct - the 1967-68 Cougar underdash harness wire colors do not match the turn signal switch wire colors.
The 1968 turn signal switch follows the typical 60’s Ford wiring color scheme.
Since the Cougar turn signal system isn’t “typical”, the mating wiring colors are different.
Refer to the 1968 Cougar turn signal switch wiring diagram here:
The 1968 switch diagram (on the right) shows the back (wire side) of the connector.
The pins marked with a circle with an X denote a male pin.
Note that the diagrams are mirrored because they mate together.
(i.e. blue on right matches orange/yellow on left)
A turn signal switch failure diagnosis guide can be found at:
I own a 67 XR-7. I have previously replaced the turn signal sequencer in the trunk with a repro (solid state) turn signal sequencer from WCCC. I also switched over to the LED bulbs for the tail lights from WCCC.
Called WCCC last month, October 2019, when I found that neither brake lights nor turn signals working. Spoke with Richard, their electrical guru. He talked me through to where we diagnosed that the brake light switch that sits on the brake pedal lever was the culprit. Replaced the switch, everything worked fine.
New problem now in November, while the brake lights are still working, the sequential turn signals are not now working. I went to a link mentioned just above by cougarsunlimited.net, which said if the emergency flashers still worked then the new problem would probably be the turn signal switch. However, in my case neither the emergency flashers or the turn signals are working.
I would appreciate anyone’s input on how to go forward from here to troubleshoot and identify the problem component.
First, check the in-line 15A fuse in the orange/yellow wire located up under the dash to the right of the steering column.
Next, in the trunk, check the orange/green wire feeding the sequential controller with the key on or in accessory position.
It should have 12V when the turn signal is either left or right. Lack of power usually means a bad riveted contact in the switch.
Verify the switch connections using a self-powered test light or VOM according to the Table 1 on my website. http://www.thuntek.net/cougars_unlimited/seqts.htm
Also, for right turns, the purple wire should have 12V, white for left turns.
To give you more background information first.
All the original cables have been removed from my 70xr7.
Only original cables still in there are the ones in the trunk for the rear lights and the sequential turn signal box.
the turn signal box has been renewed many years ago but since then i have recently installed led lights, so i need to buy the
turn signal box for led lights.
(hopefully that will solve my problems).
The rest of the wiring in my car has been replaced with a ‘universal’ kit.
And everything is working like a charm.
Only issue is figuring out how to connect the cougar’s rear light system to my new wires…
The flasher units have already been replaced by the corrects ones from west coast classic cougar for led lights.
Question i have now is, am i missing parts in my new wiring kit to make the rear lights and indicators etc work?
I have the flasher units, the turn signal switch and the sequintial flasher in the trunk (which i must buy the correct one for )
Or are there more parts in the original wiring from a cougar?
First, to use the WCCC “Plasma” LED bulbs, you must install a C9WY-13A366-AL sequential controller board.
The picture indicates that a non-LED board is installed.
The 1969-70 Cougars need three additional wires run from the turn signal switch to the trunk:
white/blue (right front turn signal output)
green/white (left front turn signal output)
green (brake switch output)
Finally, if the front turn signal bulbs are LED bulbs, a D0WY-15A434-LSM side marker adapter kit must be installed.
Tried all those things, installed the new controller board and still a bad result,
I am guessing my turn signal switch is broken so just ordered that new also…when this is installed the car is 99% new parts so probably look at it positive…
I’ve taken a swim through this thread and read the trouble shooting guide but haven’t seen my exact problem:
1970 cougar with standard bulbs.
Digital flasher and hazard flasher (the ones for standard bulbs)
Digital sequencer in the trunk (the one for standard bulbs)
Everything works - brakes both with and w/o headlights, turn signals, both with and w/o headlights. Hazards too.
Except - If I apply the brakes and either left or right turn signal (every thing working fine) and then manually disengage the turn signal at the stalk, only the inboard bulb re-illuminates as a brake light on the side that was sequencing.
If I release and re-apply the brakes, all bulbs illuminate. Occasionally, the outer two bulbs on that side will illuminate after a 1-2 second pause without releasing and re-applying the brakes.
Thoughts?
EDIT: This turned out to be an issue with the older version of Vic’s sequencer board I had in my car (likely 20 yrs old at least) and he was able to quickly diagnose it and recommend I upgrade to the latest version of the sequencer board.
I believe that you have an older version of the sequential controller - prior to 2012.
From the symptoms described, the turn signal override section of the controller is not working incorrectly.
On older versions, there is about a 1 sec delay between when the turn signal is turned off and the outer two brake lights turn back on. This delay keeps the sequencer from switching into brake light mode during the flasher “OFF” period while the brake lights were on.
If you send me your controller, I’ll test and correct the problem.
Just spent a couple hours reading this post, but never found an answer. I have a 68 GT. No dash installed.
Stop lights work
Tail lights ( lights on work)
Emergency flashers work ( front and rear)
New turn signal switch (tested by Tony Augestine). Checked pin outs three times.
Changed to Solid State unit
Issue: only front and center rear light blink in either right or left turn mode.
