348 spider instrument cluster blinks with right turn signal

Some important notes on the black trim:

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The spring wires in the top socket appear to have been bent a bit outwards and maybe inwards as well (difficult to see). This is probably because the top socket was not fully seated over the stud but half-way over the stud ball. Carefully bend the two spring wires back so that they sit straight. Do the same on the spring wires in the bottom socket if they are also bent.

IMPORTANT: before pushing the trim back onto its studs, put small amount of grease on the spring wires and on the balls of the studs. This is to ensure that the two spring wires slide over the balls easily. Don't "bang" the trim back on but push it with your fingers and feel how the spring wires are sliding over the balls and clamping into position. Many of these unobtainium trims have been lost because, due to dryness and maybe some corrosion on the two spring wires and on the stud balls, the trim was not clipped fully on and it later pops out.

 

Here it is: Turn signal always illuminated when headlights on | FerrariChat

 

With the front RH Fog/Marker/Flasher lamp unplugged, did you verify that the RH rear Flasher bulb is no longer lit when you turn the Lights column stalk switch one step "on"?

 

You should check at the lamp side of the two pin connector carrying the blue and yellow wires whether there is a short between these wires with both bulbs removed. Then insert one bulb, check for short, insert the other bulb as well and check for short again.

 

It is possible to take the (inner) reflector assembly out but I don't recommend doing it as it can be rather difficult and risky. I suggest you just let the hole be or stick something over but it has to be material that will withstand heat from the bulb.

If you still want to try removing the reflector assembly, here's how it can be done:

1. Release the two plastic cups from the holes in the reflector plate by pushing (unhooking) carefully the individual segments of the cups while applying some pull on the reflector plate.
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2. On the opposite side, there is another ball and socket to be separated:
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The separation of this "ball joint" has to be done by pushing down hard on the reflector assembly while rocking it a bit but, at the same time, controlling the push so that the reflector does not hit the glass very hard when the ball joint releases. Over time, as the plastic gets harder, the ball joint may require quite a bit of force to be separated and you risk braking off the tab that holds the plastic socket. A small drop of some lubricant may make the separation a bit easier.

Clipping this ball joint back can also be quite tricky - you have to position the socket of the reflector body under the ball and then pull the body up rather hard to clip it over the ball. This also risks braking the tab holding the plastic socket.

Again, better don't attempt to do this ("better safe than $$$$orry", if at all available). It appears obvious that, in the factory, the reflector assembly is inserted into the lamp body and clipped on before the glass is attached.

 

Not quite a 7 page thread (like the other guy's), but we were getting close

I think, next time we see an issue like this, we'll go straight to the front light assemblies. Sounds like these could be an issue in the future for USA 348 owners

 

Did you notice the writing by Chris at the end of the "epic" thread that "...the spring that holds the bulb was shorting". This, I believe, refers to the spring inside the bulb socket and below (behind) the circular bakelite plate that holds the two contacts for the bulb. If you don't find a short between the blue and yellow wires elsewhere, check whether your springs are perhaps causing the short. The springs should have large enough diameter so that they seat against the walls of the bulb socket and away from the pins of the two wires. If you suspect that the springs may come in contact with the wire pins (possible if a spring was lost and replaced with a smaller diameter one) consider insulating the brass pins (tape or heat shrink tube).

To check the springs, you would need to push the wires from the back of the socket until the circular plate comes out. Before doing this, make sure you mark the orientation of the plate relative to the socket and mark which wire goes into which slot/hole on the plate.

 

It appears that only red 348-s suffer from the front RH fog lamp syndrome. I would avoid buying any red 348.

 

Normally not too hot but, if the car was used for some period of time with the short which caused both filaments of the orange bulbs (5+21W) to be "on" all the time while the lights were "on", that would have caused overheating. In normal operation, the 21W filaments only blink when the Flasher is used which is also not for very long.

 

https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/posts/149963322/

 

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The elliptical bulb contact points will not cause any short, they actually provide more reliable contact with the base.
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Somebody's stupid design (nice looking flowers though):
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This is very much better:
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When replacing the base, make sure that the yellow wire goes to the 5W pin of the bulb and the blue wire to the 21W pin.

 

At Rockauto.com i bought an 8 pack of bulbs for $0.80. How does anyons sell so cheap. The cardboard box is worth that much

 

Very strange, the reversing bulb is only lit for very short periods of time so the heat from it could not have caused the melting of the lamp body surrounding the bulb socket and its popping out. Even if the bulb and socket were left hanging out, the short operation of the bulb could not have caused melting of that huge hole (unless, at some point, the ignition was kept "on" for a long period of time while the transmission was in the reverse gear).

I have seen a number of pictures showing deformed/melted rears of these lamps due to heat from the exhaust silencer when the car was driven without the heat shield between the tail lamps and the exhaust muffler. Do you have the original heat shield? If you don't, the exhaust heat could have softened the plastic around the hole for this bulb causing it to pop out. But this would still not explain how the bulb burned that big hole through.

If you cannot find another tail lamp (looks like it is the RHS), you can consider repairing the damage - cover the hole with a piece of shiny aluminium foil (after trimming down the external lumps of melted plastic) and find a way to attach securely the bulb socket to its rather deformed hole. You may also consider installing LED bulbs here which generate much less heat.

 

@m.stojanovic Miro, 355's have a common problem with bubbling/melting rear lenses (where the reverser lamps are). Perhaps some people reverse into their garages, then forget they are in reverse and work on their car with the key on.