Turn Signals Not Flashing

[Bennett]

Last night my turn signals stopped working. Unlike the normal frustrating loose bulb condition, this situation involves both front turn signals illuminating, but not flashing. The rear signals do not light up. The dash indicator stays solid green. Any ideas? Relay?

Thanks in advance for any assistance from the group.

 

[jmackro]

this situation involves both front turn signals illuminating, but not flashing. The rear signals do not light up. The dash indicator stays solid green.

That's an odd one! Are you describing the operation of a) the 4-way, emergency flashers or b) the turn signals? If the turn signals, do both the L and R sides give that same set of symptoms?

It's probably not the turn signal flasher (AKA "relay") because it's single output goes to both the front and rear lights; in other words, the flasher has no failure mode that would produce the symptoms you describe. It could be that both rear bulbs have blown, both rear sockets have corroded, etc. But admittedly it would be highly unlikely for both to fail at the same time. Perhaps a connector going to the rear bulbs has become disconnected.

 

[Stevehose]

you can check your relay, they can be disassembled, points cleaned and adjusted and often put back into service

 

[Mot27cars]

Low voltage alternator or flasher unit.
There are right ups on the forum to upgrade flasher unit

 

[jmackro]

There are right ups on the forum to upgrade flasher unit

I'm a big fan of electronic flashers; they can solve a myriad of turn signal issues such as flashing too fast/slow, flashing a few times then quitting, installing LED bulbs, etc. In fact, I wrote some of those right -ups.

However, having your front bulbs behave differently than the rears is not an issue that an electronic flasher (or a repaired mechanical flasher) is going to solve. Since the F and R bulbs are on the same circuit, nothing that happens in the flasher can cause them to behave differently. Bennett has a wiring issue, or else both rear bulbs/sockets have gone bad simultaneously.

 

[adawil2002]

I'd check fuses, check & clean wire grounds then clean sockets. If all that doesn't work replace the bulbs.

 

[jmackro]

If all that doesn't work replace the bulbs.

Or swap the front bulbs with the rear bulbs and see if the symptoms reverse.

 

[teahead]

Do the EL-12/13 electronic conversion. CHeap and fixes 90% of issues.

 

[sfdon]

Teahead is on the right track- if you are having a wiring issue that is eating your relay- that will really hurt.

 

[Bennett]

Thanks for all the input. I tested the bulbs, etc. and all was in order. It seems to be something with the turn signal stalk. The signals are now working a little better and the problem is now intermittent.