Location of signal light flasher units

GoinAllTheWay · #1 01-21-2004, 08:52 PM

Ok...
Signal lights are dead. Not a fuse issue, Im almost certain its the flasher unit but I mite as well be looking for the holy grail because I cant find it. Ive found the flasher unit for the hazard lights, logic would dictate the signal light flasher unit would be in the same area but its not. Been to a Chev dealer and they brought up scematics showing it to be either behind the front left head light assembly (its not) or behind the left hand front speaker (its not there either). Does anyone own a 92 Cavalier Z24 and know the location of the signal light flasher unit? It looks like a large thymbal with two prongs. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks guys.

heatherannie22 · #2 01-21-2004, 10:42 PM

What are your signal lights doing? You may just have a burned out bulb (you probably checked that already), or a short. I had a blazer that had a major short in the wiring harness that ran the tail lights and back turn signals, pain in the a$$!!!!

GoinAllTheWay · #3 01-21-2004, 10:55 PM

What were they doing? Well to start with, they started flashing oddly, sometimes fast, sometimes slow then they stopped flashing entirely. You could still make them flash manualy by flicking the lever but now, the lites dont lite up at all. Hazard lites work fine so I dont think its a bulb.

heatherannie22 · #4 01-22-2004, 03:14 PM

I've seen that before, prolly your switch in the column, its about $15. Taking the column apart is a pain too. Thats the same thing my blazer did, and the first thing we replaced was the switch, but of course that didn't fix it because it was a wiring short. Hopefully yours isn't that. Did it start with one, or was it both of them from the beginning? I think my hazards went out, but my gas gage went screwy also, and my front turn signals worked, so yours prolly isn't wiring, but I'll bet its the switch.

GoinAllTheWay · #5 01-22-2004, 05:00 PM

Yes, both sides started behaving oddly at the same time. Im certain it is the flasher unit and yes, taking apart the colum is going to be a pain. Need to get a special screwdriver but after that it should be smooth sailing. Just hope thats where it is, if not, buying a new car.

heatherannie22 · #6 01-22-2004, 05:58 PM

Ok, I don't think its a flasher unit, if it was, it prolly would have just quit altogether. I think its the switch itself, the one inside the column that the blinker lever is attached to. Ask autozone, they would know better that me, but in my case I couldn't find a flasher unit for the blinkers, only for the hazards. That was a blazer though, a little different, but if you're going to tear the column apart anyway, I would recommend replacing the switch while you're in there. I was wrong about the price though, its $41 if you dont have a/c, and $60 if you do, at autozone.

GoinAllTheWay · #7 01-22-2004, 06:31 PM

The switch? Are you reffering to the actualy lever you use to activate the signal lights? Interesting though. Its possible but ive had signal lights go out on another car I owned at it displayed the same symptoms as the Z24. Odd flashing, sometimes fast, sometimes slower and then stopping all together. Thanks for the tips, when I finnaly figure it out, ill post the results here, hopefully it will help someone else.

heatherannie22 · #8 01-22-2004, 07:14 PM

Yes, the lever. But its not the WHOLE lever, you'll see when you take the column apart. Its hard to explain, I'll see if I can find a pic and I'll post it here. Try cleaning the contacts on the switch first, they may just be dirty, that happens a lot. But be careful, there is a bearing and a spring in the switch, and they have a tendency to fly out. A friend told me this who has more experience with these things. Try that before you go buy it, thats a lot of money to spend if it only needs to be cleaned.

heatherannie22 · #9 01-22-2004, 07:35 PM

I posted a pic. Its under general automotive images, and the name is turn signal switch.

GoinAllTheWay · #10 01-22-2004, 08:49 PM

Hey thanx for that man, I appreciate your effort, I know what your stabbing at with that one. Nice 280 BTW, used to own one myself. Is that an RC you have in there as well?

heatherannie22 · #11 01-22-2004, 09:55 PM

Huh? Those aren't mine, thats a gallery for anyone who wants to post. I only posted the turn signal pic.

GoinAllTheWay · #12 01-23-2004, 11:53 AM

OIC, my bad. Turns out the thing isnt in the steering colum either. I give up, going to take it to a mechanic.

GoinAllTheWay · #13 01-26-2004, 02:34 PM

*bump*

Kmaxhhi · #14 01-26-2004, 02:47 PM

Probably not the same location in a Cavalier, but a 96 S10 Pickup, it's under the dashnboard lower closeout panel, directly below the radio package.
Two silver canister relays...lone the 4way flasher, the other is the turn signals. BTW - my truck exhibited the exact same symptoms your car did....even down to the flashing rapidly then slowly. - After finally finding the relay and spending 3 bucks for the replacement, mine is fixed.
Best of luck - Kmaxhhi

GoinAllTheWay · #15 01-29-2004, 08:49 PM

Sweet mother of God, I found it!! Similar location to above but no where near where the GM techs told me or the haynes manual. It mounted on a clip that was attached to the steering colum brace. If your heads on the floor and your feet over the headrest, it would be directly above and to the left of you. Funny thing is, the clip holds the flasher to the colum, you can pull it off and place it in plain site on the other side of the steering colum brace. Stupid location. I hope this helps someone out in the future. Thanks for all the help and input guys

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