My left turn signal sometimes blinks 2X fast

[maillemaker]

Hi all.

Sometimes when I use my left turn signal it blinks 2X as fast as it normally does. The problem is intermittent.

The rear and front blinkers are blinking, just 2X as fast as they should. So, I don't think it is a burned-out bulb.

Saw a post on stangnet about the multifunction switch (turn signal switch) going bad. How hard is it to replace? Don't want to get into clockspring stuff.

 

[07GtS197]

I wouldn’t worry about the multifunction switch just yet. You don’t have leds do you?

It’s easy to do but it is a pain to get to. The steering column shroud needs to come out and you’ll have to play with the position of the steering wheel to get at everything. Also be careful not to break the tabs on the harness. I did lol.

 

[maillemaker]

No, I don't have LEDs (as far as I know). I doubt the previous owner did them though.

I found some YouTube videos on how to replace it. It's a bit of a pain in the butt but not impossible.

 

[white95]

Could be a bad filament in a bulb making intermittent contact.

Possibly the flasher in the fuse box is failing as well.

 

[ttocs]

I think the easiest thing to check first would be that all of the bulbs front and rear are not led. Only a quick twist and you can see if they are halogen or not.

 

[maillemaker]

If the bulbs were failing because of being LEDs they would never flash correctly, right?

 

[07GtS197]

Not necessarily. I’ve had leds not hyperflash with the stock flasher. It depends on the led and whether it has a resistor or not.

 

[badass98svt]

I'm betting on a bad bulb.

 

[maillemaker]

Not necessarily. I’ve had leds not hyperflash with the stock flasher. It depends on the led and whether it has a resistor or not.

Then it would never hyperflash, right?

 

[ttocs]

the rate they flash is determined by the resistance of the bulb. Sometimes resistance builds up in the connections and that could cause them to flash normally and then if you hit a bump or something it might just clean the connection just enough to make it hyperflash, till the corrosion comes back. But the lights are easy to twist/pull,check just to be sure before we start throwing parts at it.

 

[07GtS197]

Then it would never hyperflash, right?

the rate they flash is determined by the resistance of the bulb. Sometimes resistance builds up in the connections and that could cause them to flash normally and then if you hit a bump or something it might just clean the connection just enough to make it hyperflash, till the corrosion comes back. But the lights are easy to twist/pull,check just to be sure before we start throwing parts at it.

What he said

 

[white95]

the rate they flash is determined by the resistance of the bulb. Sometimes resistance builds up in the connections and that could cause them to flash normally and then if you hit a bump or something it might just clean the connection just enough to make it hyperflash, till the corrosion comes back. But the lights are easy to twist/pull,check just to be sure before we start throwing parts at it.

Precisely.

 

[r1ch999999]

The sum of the square roots of any two sides of an isosceles triangle is equal to the square root of the remaining side!

I bet it's a bad or loose bulb.

 

[maillemaker]

So I noticed when it was blinking fast, only one of the bulbs in the tail light housing was blinking. Evidently there are 2. Sometimes it would work, sometimes not.

Took the taillight housing out tonight. Noticed one of the 4 nuts was missing - the one behind the bracket that holds the door lock electronics.

Pull the bulbs. They looked fine. Put them back in and tested. Both bulbs worked fine. Slow blink again.

Buttoned it all up, found a spare nut that fit, but broke the damn plastic push nuts that hold the bracket for the door lock electronics. Had to use zip-ties to put it back in. Hate snap-together cars.

Went to do a final test, fast blink again and a bulb is not working again. Now I get to pull it all apart again.

 

[ttocs]

check the connections at the harnesses. When the lights are on push/pull/tug on them to see if you can see any change in the light or any copper showing.

 

[badass98svt]

Why didn't you replace the bulbs while you were in there?

 

[maillemaker]

Why didn't you replace the bulbs while you were in there?

I have ordered bulbs and they should be in this weekend.

When I pulled the bulbs out they were rather crusty/dusty coming out of their sockets. When I put them back in and they worked fine I assumed it was just a bad connection. I took them out and put them in a couple of times and figured it was good to go. Parts store was closed.

 

[ttocs]

If you had some electrical contact cleaner you could put a spray or two in there to help reduce the crust as that could be your problem. If ya don't you could probably get away with some wd40 and just be sure to blow it all out with compressed air.

That corrosion builds slowly and at some point it will just start to cross the threshold of being not enough/just enough and at that point electronics can start to do some VERY strange things as it searches for ground.

 

[maillemaker]

I took the assembly out again today and pulled the bulbs and gave the contacts a good brushing with a copper wire brush. Didn't have anything at hand to get at the contacts in the sockets so I just jabbed the bulbs in and out a few times. Everything seems to be working for now.

When the bulbs come in I'll replace them all on both sides.

 

[ttocs]

pulling them in/out is another good way to clean the contacts. It is just a band aid and I would put getting a can of contact cleaner on your list to do sometime in the next 6 months before the corrosion returns.