Hello all, the left turn signal indicator in my gauge cluster ('85 300d) has always glowed faintly at night, since I got the car. All the signals work fine.

Now I notice it's getting noticeably brighter, not full output but not faint either.

Is this a ground issue?

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Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22

Yes it is a grounding issue. Check the front left headlight / turn signal ground and the left tail light ground. IIRC they are both located near their respective fixture.

A really quick way to test for where the problem is would be to take the bulb out of the parking light or the turn signal. Whichever one makes the indicator glow dimly is the one closer to the bad ground.

-J

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1991 350SDL. 230,000 miles (new motor @ 150,000). Blown head gasket

Tesla Model 3. 205,000 miles. Been to 48 states!
Past: A fleet of VW TDIs.... including a V10,a Dieselgate Passat, and 2 ECOdiesels.
2014 Cadillac ELR
2013 Fiat 500E.

only happens with the headlights or parking lights on??

I suspect that the light tunnels in the cluster maybe be allowing light from the dashboard illumination into the tunnel for the turnsignal arrow.

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1985 300TD Turbo Euro-wagon
1979 280CE 225,200 miles
1985 300D Turbo 264,000 miles
1976 240D 190,000 miles
1979 300TD 220,000

GONE but not forgotten
1976 300D 195,300 miles
1983 300D Turbo 175,000 miles

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