turning signals wont flash
Since i dont need the tickets i need to fix this. When i press the turning signal the indicator light will come on but wont flash same with the actual turning signal on the outside of the car. At first only the left turning signal did this but now they both do. When i use the hazards both turning signals come on and both flash so i dont know whats going. Any help would be nice.
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Im pretty sure your problem is the turn signal relay (if Im thinking of the right name for it). Its the thing that makes them blink. I attached a pic of what Im talking about below. Its a round, metallic gizmo that sticks out in the fuse panel, just swap it out for a new one and it should fix your problem. When I bought my '87 it had the same quirky turn signals, swapped that relay and they've been fine ever since.
-2004 Crown Victoria Police Interceptor - Daily Driver - 17" Bullitt's, 235/55/17 Goodyear Eagles, Ex-NH State Police, best 1/4 mile time; 15.3 @ 90 mph
-1987 Crown Victoria 2-Door - Project - 90k miles, Summit chambered muffler, Sunpro gauges, parked since 2010, fate tbd
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before you look at the flasher, make sure you dont have any light bulbs burnt out. having a burnt out bulb, lowers the circuit load and wont trigger the signal flasher. usally stop/tail light bulbs are the first to go.
1981 Mercury Marquis Brougham 2-Door 302/ 5-speed -special blend (GMGT)
1987 Lincoln Mark VII 5-speed (Errand runner)
1989 Mercury Grand Marquis (Base Runner)
2007 Lincoln Town Car Signature Limited (Hustlyn)
2011 Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor (Down with O.P.P)Comment
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Yeah i've been faked out by only one of the two lights that flash in each tail light being burnt out. This can make your blinker not flash. Both bulbs in each tail light should flash. Visually confirm with the bulbs removed from lenses if need be.
85 4 door 351 Civi Crown Victoria - Summer daily driver, sleeper in the making, and wildly inappropriate autocross machine
160KMs 600cfm holley, shorty headers, 2.5" catted exhaust, 255/295 tires, cop shocks, cop swaybars, underdrive pulley, 2.73L gears.
waiting for install: 3.27's, Poly bushings, boxed rear arms, 2500 stall converter, ported e7's, etc
06 Mazda 3 hatch 2.3L 5AT (winter beater that cost more than my summer car)Comment
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I had a very similar problem with my '89 Grand Marquis. One turn signal would not flash but the four ways would work. Believe-it-or-not, the problem turned out to be the turn signal switch. I replaced the switch and the problem went away and never came back.Originally posted by 351PoliceVic View Post
I was told that if the flasher is bad, then nothing will flash. I don't know if that's correct or not.Last edited by TomO; 02-25-2012, 08:51 PM.Comment
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put hazards on. See if any of the bulbs don't light up. If all good, replace the flasher.Comment
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I did have a bulb out so i went head and replaced all four and i checked and they all worked. Tomorrow ill replace the relay tomorrow and if that doesnt work ill replace the switch. How bad is it to tear into the steering wheel and replace the switch?Comment
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It's not too bad. It's been a while since I've done it, but from what I remember, you remove the plastic cover on the steering column and you unscrew the turn signal lever or stalk from the switch. The switch is fastened to the steering column with several machine screws (I don't remember how many). You remove those screws and unplug the wiring harnesses from the switch.Originally posted by 351PoliceVic View Post
My vague recollection is that the hardest part is unplugging/plugging the wiring harness from/to the switch because it's really tight.Comment
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There are two flasher units on these, so most likely the standard one has given out. The hazard one never goes bad because its almost never used.86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley
91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry
1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal
Originally posted by phayzer5
I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousersComment
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is the standard one on the back side of the fuse boxComment
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the hazard on the backside. Turn flasher right in frontComment
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When my flasher went bad, it simply stayed off, nothing on the dash either (and the dash arrow is part of the same circuit).
If the dash light is working, then the flasher is probably working.
If the dash light is blinking really fast, it's a burnt bulb, as someone already said. Lower resistance means more current flow, which means the bimetallic strip in the flasher heats up faster, so it blinks faster (when the strip heats up, it curls, breaking the circuit. Lights go off. It cools and straightens, completing the circuit, lights go on, heats up again, and repeat. And thus the lights flash on and off and on and off).
Flasher is like $8 and right by your left knee, the round thingy in that fuse panel.
If it's neither of those symptoms, and you find it's the multifunction switch, I believe any basic handyman set will do you ; little 1/4" ratchet and socket set, and phillips screwdriver. I don't think there's any part of the instrument cluster or dash trim that needs to be removed; just lower/pull out the steering column for the most space.
I paid $30 for my switch; you can even find NOS switches on ebay for that price. I got an aftermarket from amazon that is just fine. Actually, my switch I replaced in pursuit of perfection because the cancel cam was getting a little weak, but it's still good if you want it for $5 to cover shipping...
If it turns out there's trim that is held on by the ignition switch --I can't remember-- then that's easy, too, actually. There's a hole that looks like it should be a screw hole, but there's no screw in there, just a release button. Put the key into position II? Or position I? Use a smaller screwdriver to press up into the hole and onto the release button, and pull out on the ignition switch, it'll come right out. Don't play with it and let the two halves of the ignition cylinder separate; there are a couple balls or rollers or whatever (you can tell I'm not a locksmith!) that will fall out and then you have to figure out where they went
Err, you might not have to remove the ignition switch at all. I can't remember and am just covering all the bases!Comment
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I'll interject since I have a similar issue.
Left turn signal(s) will light up on the car and dash but will not pulse. They just stay on. No burnt out lights either.
Bad relay as mentioned earlier I'm guessing?
ETA: '84 Crown VicComment
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yes, that's a bad flasher unit/ relay. It's stuck on; the bimetallic coil isn't clicking off and on like it should.
I'm surprised the right hand signals still blink though.Last edited by BerniniCaCO3; 02-27-2012, 12:53 AM.Comment
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