turnsignal flashes too quickly

ProKiller · Feb 23, 2009

i got my new tail lights installed over the weekend. everything works like it should but now the turn signals flash wicked fast compared to before. The hazards still blink normally.

the how-to article i found said to install another light for the resistance and just leave it hang. this is such a half-assed way if you ask me. so my question is, how else can i slow down the blink rate?

desertcox05 · Feb 23, 2009

for those of us that have CRS. what lights did you have and swap to. are you sure all the bulbs are in working order?.

ProKiller · Feb 23, 2009

too true, not every one would have seen my previous talk thread.

export lights:

basically tied into the third brake light wire to create a brake only line for one bulb, then added a second buld to these lines. I used the remaining fully functional bulb as the turn signal bulb. then cut that bulb's brake signal feed at the dash connector by the driver's side (pin 36 on the connector). This allowed them to work as they should with the except of the rapid blink.

ProKiller · Feb 24, 2009

anybody know the resistance of a taillight bulb? i guess all i'd have to do is toss in a resistor

HISSIN50 · Feb 24, 2009

ProKiller said:
anybody know the resistance of a taillight bulb? i guess all i'd have to do is toss in a resistor

I cant remember what bulbs we use stock (so I could use Ohm's law). If you have a stock bulb lying around, set your meter to the Ohms scale and put the meter leads on each of a given filament's prongs. The reading is the resistance of the bulb (as you know, a filament is just a resistor).

Good luck.

desertcox05 · Feb 24, 2009

wow i do have CRS. i remember that thread now. i think your on the right track with the resister idea. when i added the extra bulb to my 3rd bar the blinking didn't change at all. i don't know if that helps any just that the resister can be a little larger if needed.

ProKiller · Apr 2, 2010

After many a probable solution and numerous resistors I've finally found a solution.

It's a .5 ohm resistor with a 50w power limit. Found them here:
Digi-Key - TMC50-.50-ND (Manufacturer - TMC50-.50)

basically soldered them into series as if it was another bulb. They get kinda hot after blinking a lot but as long as I'm mindful of that it works great. I'm talking over a minute of the turn signal being on.

Finally i can lay these export tail light to rest.

Chythar · Apr 2, 2010

I'll definitely remember this for when I do my export lights. You say they get hot after being on for a minute - is that on solid for a minute, or blinking for a minute?

ProKiller · Apr 2, 2010

blinking for a minute, like hot enough you had to take your hand off of it. That's the whole point of a resistor is to convert electrical energy into heat energy. I could probably attach it to the body panel and use the panel as a heat sink but decided against it for now. I want to drive around with this for a while and see how it is. Right now they are hanging there at the bottom as i wanted them to have free access to open air rather than being mounted to something plastic.

Not saying this is my permanent solution but it is my solution for the foreseeable future.

thethirdeye88 · Apr 2, 2010

i hope your rear end dont go up in flames...i think i am going to buy a set of export tails soon, would i have to go through all of this?...

ProKiller · Apr 2, 2010

you don't HAVE to if you're fine with a fast blinker. i wasn't; it drove me nuts.

02 281 GT · Apr 3, 2010

I was going to say your problem most likely lies with that wire you eliminated to allow the turn signal to operate normally.

As far as the heat generated by the resistor, you could try to get a hold of some actual heat sinks and attach them to the resistors.

eatsricejcd · Apr 5, 2010

what are export lights. I still have the harness to the old ricer tailights that I had. Will this keep my tail lights from blinking too fast
My tailights will blink too fast when the headlights are on and the passenger will blink fast no matter if the head lights are on or off.

ProKiller · Apr 5, 2010

02 281 GT said:
I was going to say your problem most likely lies with that wire you eliminated to allow the turn signal to operate normally.

As far as the heat generated by the resistor, you could try to get a hold of some actual heat sinks and attach them to the resistors.

I know exactly what the problem is. It was the fact that I removed a bulb from the turn signal series. The turn signal series is built such that if a bulb burns out, it blinks faster so you know it. I effectively permanently put the car into this situation with the export lights. I simulated a bulb with the resistor.

As for the heat sink, i thought about it, but it already is a surrounded by a huge hunk of aluminum. I could add more, but the size is an issue.

@eatsricejcd: export tails were used for Japan mustangs from the factory as they need to have an amber turn signal. most likely you got some cheapy altezza type ebay specials. don't know what to tell you there without pics.

Chythar · Apr 5, 2010

eatsricejcd said:
what are export lights. I still have the harness to the old ricer tailights that I had. Will this keep my tail lights from blinking too fast
My tailights will blink too fast when the headlights are on and the passenger will blink fast no matter if the head lights are on or off.

Prokiller posted a photo in this thread of export taillights. In a nutshell, most other countries besides the US require the rear turn signal to be separate from the brake lights. So Ford had to make some special parts when they exported the Mustang to other countries.

The tail lights blink too fast when the system detects a bulb is burned out, it's supposed to be a warning for the driver. If you change the tail lights, and thus the number of bulbs in the tail lights, the turn signals will blink too fast. The export lights only need 1 bulb per side for the turn signals, which is less than what the system is expecting. What Prokiller is doing is fooling the system into thinking that all the bulbs are there.

In your case, if you're still using the wiring harness to the old ricer tail lights, you're either missing a bulb or one bulb is out. If you're using the stock lights, I'd recommend going to a junkyard and getting the proper taillight harness.

eatsricejcd · Apr 6, 2010

Chythar said:
Prokiller posted a photo in this thread of export taillights. In a nutshell, most other countries besides the US require the rear turn signal to be separate from the brake lights. So Ford had to make some special parts when they exported the Mustang to other countries.

The tail lights blink too fast when the system detects a bulb is burned out, it's supposed to be a warning for the driver. If you change the tail lights, and thus the number of bulbs in the tail lights, the turn signals will blink too fast. The export lights only need 1 bulb per side for the turn signals, which is less than what the system is expecting. What Prokiller is doing is fooling the system into thinking that all the bulbs are there.

In your case, if you're still using the wiring harness to the old ricer tail lights, you're either missing a bulb or one bulb is out. If you're using the stock lights, I'd recommend going to a junkyard and getting the proper taillight harness.

thanks for the awesome explanation. Im at work so I didnt see the pic. The harness in the export lights are the stock ones not the ricer ones.

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