turn signals

rowdiestang

New Member
Jun 16, 2009
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I know that there are a lot of threads on this subject. I think I have read all of them. My question is are the both flashers interchangeable? Can I check if I have a bad flasher by removing the turn signal flasher and swap it with the hazard flasher? My hazards work fine but not my turn signals. I took the flasher out of the turn signals (behind the radio) and put it where my hazard flasher goes and my hazards did not work, so I took the hazard flasher and put it on my turn signals but the turn signals did not work either. I have checked the fuse, ignition switch, and mfs and everything looks good. This has been a year long problem and I am ready to get it fixed yesterday!
 
The hazard flashes 4 bulbs at once, the turn signal only 2 at once. I would guess that you could test a turn signal flasher in place of a hazard, but not the other way around.

The flasher is a self resetting circuit breaker. The current draw from the bulbs heats a spring strip. When the strip gets hot enough, it pops away from the contact and opens the circuit. The open circuit deprives the bulbs of power and they go out. The spring strip cools down and resets against the contact. This turns the bulbs back on until the spring strip gets hot and trips again. In theory, more current makes it flash faster.
 
I changed the flasher and it didn't work. I did put in a tilt steering column out of a 88 5.0 a while back but I believed the flashers worked after I did that. I only drive my mustang about 2000 miles a year if that and I dont remember. All the wires connections are good going to the hazard switch and the MFS. The fuse is fine I have my electric fan wired to that fuse also and its been like that for 10 years. My blower works fine for the heater but could it still be my ignition switch. I'm a decent backyard mechanic but I dont have a clue about electrical
 
Do you hear the click of the relay when you turn your turn signals on? If not then you have two options, either the multi function switch (Turn signal lever) has gone bad, or the relay, swaping the relays might work, but the signal may stay lit without flashing because of the lack of current, but they would work. The hazards would also flash but might be very fast and hard to see with the turn relay. If, you get hazzards but no signals by swapping relays then it's most likely the switch, I had the same issue, a new switch and cured it for me.