Slow turn signal?

DMAN302 · Jun 19, 2004

When I put on my signal the thing is so slow and I can't figure out why a relay shouldn't get slower, it's honestly 3-5 seconds between flashes..anyone have a thought?

04sleeper · Jun 19, 2004

Did you try replacing the flasher in the fuse panel? Did you check that all of your bulbs were working? (No burnt bulbs)?

jrichker · Jun 19, 2004

Dirty contacts in the bulb sockets make high resistance connections that will slow down the flash rate. That is true if all the bulbs are working.

DMAN302 · Jun 19, 2004

You guys are the reason my car has never needed to see a mechanic..I'll check out the bulbs and clean the contact, Thanks.

HISSIN50 · Jun 19, 2004

Jrichker, what makes flashers work too fast and not exactly consistant?

i was thinking a bulb that does not pull as much juice (watts) as it should, might - i have clear corners and it flashes a little funky (fast and not in 'rhythm') - im thinking whatever bulb came with the clear corners does not draw enough and is messing up the flasher relay.....thoughts?

1stpny · Jun 19, 2004

I have somewhat of the same problem, WHEN they want to work. ALot of the times, I can turn my turn signals on and nothing. NO I DO NOT HAVE a relay in my fusepanel. The one that the woman at autozone handed me does not fit. I think she handed me the wrong one. Not sure, to lazy to get another one. Except now, I guess I will get one. Even though when I looked at her I said you sure, SHe said YES all cars are the same

SCORPION · Jun 19, 2004

I just got done with this exact problem.....all I had to do is change out the Flasher Relay that was located on the passanger side behind the center console(radio and climate control stuff)....it is a 2 prong, pale green cylinder relay with a square nipple attaching it to a piece of metal to keep it in place. If you open the passanger side and lean into the floor board and look up over the main support brackets for the radio it should be right there. It has a wire attached to it.

1stpny · Jun 19, 2004

I am going outside right now and check on it...thanx scorpion

1stpny · Jun 19, 2004

Okay, I looked in the location you were talking about. NO GO. All I had in that area is wires everywhere. I do have a "square wire connector" but isnt 2 prong. I guess I will replace the relay in the fuse panel since I do not have one. But wouldn't it not work at all?

_jb_ · Jun 19, 2004

Maybe you are running a lot of electrical stuff like the fan, lights, radio, ect and that is dragging the power from the turn signals. I know when I have all my lights on when I turn on the turn signal it is a little slower...but not 3-5 seconds. Maybe half a second.

1stpny · Jun 19, 2004

I can even have my subs off/ radio off/ a/c off all the time/ and no other power source on and it might work with them on or without.

1stpny · Jun 19, 2004

Could it be in my switch, becuase I just checked my FLASHERS and they work normal.

HISSIN50 · Jun 19, 2004

the turn signal and hazard circuit are somewhat independant, in that flashers might not work, but hazards will.
you really should find the flasher relay. the hazard relay is usually in the area of the fusebox and easy to find. but the one you need (flasher) is buried anywhere. as said, it is often behind the radio or behind/under the glovebox.
the relays have a piece of metal in them which gets weak over time. electrical relays can be better for that reason.

i doubt it could be the multi function switch. i dont think it would work erratically - either it does or does not.
the TS relay is easy and cheap to replace. if still no go, you can pull the column covers and get the DMM out and see what gives.

i personally think JR is on the right path - a dirty socket or bulb contact.
nuff rambling. good luck.

jrichker · Jun 19, 2004

HISSIN50 said:
Jrichker, what makes flashers work too fast and not exactly consistant?

i was thinking a bulb that does not pull as much juice (watts) as it should, might - i have clear corners and it flashes a little funky (fast and not in 'rhythm') - im thinking whatever bulb came with the clear corners does not draw enough and is messing up the flasher relay.....thoughts?

The flasher is just a circuit breaker that automatically resets itself every time it trips. The flash rate is partly a function of the current draw and partly of the reset time built into the flasher. There is a heater and a bi-metalic strip that has the contact on it to pass the current. Current flowing through the heater causes the bi-metalic strip to curve away from the closed postion and open the circuit. As the bi-metalic strip cools off, it bends back to the at rest position, and closes the circuit. This allows the heater to heat up and start the process all over again. Low current means that the flasher's thermal strip doesn't get very hot, so it resets quickly.

HISSIN50 · Jun 19, 2004

jrichker said:
The flasher is just a circuit breaker that automatically resets itself every time it trips. The flash rate is partly a function of the current draw and partly of the reset time built into the flasher. There is a heater and a bi-metalic strip that has the contact on it to pass the current. Current flowing through the heater causes the bi-metalic strip to curve away from the closed postion and open the circuit. As the bi-metalic strip cools off, it bends back to the at rest position, and closes the circuit. This allows the heater to heat up and start the process all over again. Low current means that the flasher's thermal strip doesn't get very hot, so it resets quickly.

i had a inkling of how it worked, but your explanation cleared it right up - now i know. thank you sir.

SCORPION · Jun 19, 2004

1stpny...I am sorry that it wasn't there....I tore my dahboard all the way off before I found a thread on here that said to look on the pass. side behind the radio and low and behold there it was. I hope that you find it. I wish I had a digital camera to take a pic for you to show you exactly where it was. when I saw it I was actually looking at the top of it as if the prongs were the bottom. The only reason I knew it was the one was that the square nipple on it was stuck in its square hole, it also said "FLASHER" on it. The replacement I got from autozone didn't have the nipple so I just leave it dangling...eventually I will zip-tie it up off the floor. GOOD LUCK!!!

Henceforward · Jun 19, 2004

89sleeper said:
Did you try replacing the flasher in the fuse panel? Did you check that all of your bulbs were working? (No burnt bulbs)?

The turn signal flasher is not in the fuse panel, it is behind the glove box.
The emergency hazard flasher is in the fuse panel.

Get an electrical turn signal flasher, ($8) from advance, and it will blink like a new one. The old style flashers are really slow.

Lemme look up a part number...
http://www.partsamerica.com/PartDet...e=TRD&MfrPartNumber=EL12&PartType=121&PTSet=A

DMAN302 · Jun 19, 2004

thanks guys.....up next cruise control...

1stpny · Jun 21, 2004

I am sorry. I did not mean to "thread jack" but it seems that my questions helped you out.

Well, I replaced my turn signal switch/arm. Friend had an extra laying around. Problem seems to be in the switch. It not waorks 95% of the time instead of 2% of the time. Plus,I noticed when I hit a "bump" they would not work. So I think I will check the BULBS and maybe some wiring. And of course take check behind the glove box. Thanks everyone.

Notchnessmonster · Oct 18, 2022

jrichker said:
The flasher is just a circuit breaker that automatically resets itself every time it trips. The flash rate is partly a function of the current draw and partly of the reset time built into the flasher. There is a heater and a bi-metalic strip that has the contact on it to pass the current. Current flowing through the heater causes the bi-metalic strip to curve away from the closed postion and open the circuit. As the bi-metalic strip cools off, it bends back to the at rest position, and closes the circuit. This allows the heater to heat up and start the process all over again. Low current means that the flasher's thermal strip doesn't get very hot, so it resets quickly.

I put LED bulbs in my parking/turn signal in my 91 and it caused my flash to slow down with a 3-5 second delay. Also my indicator light in dash doesn’t flash completely off it fades, as does the parking light when it flashes for the turn signal. My hazards perform at a normal rate. I changed my flasher to a 2 prong LED flasher and that caused my signal lights to come on but not flash. I tried a 3 prong with ground and nothing flashed. They flash with my two prong motocraft, but very slowly.

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