turn signal problem

[fordmike]

My 98 Taurus's turn signals (and hazards) occasionally go out for a short time and then come back again and work good. I'm thinking there is a short somewhere but not sure know where to look.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks!

[shorod]

That's how they're supposed to work, they flash by design!

Seriously, what do you mean? Do they flash as usual sometimes, and other times they just don't come on? Do they sometimes flash until you step on the brake pedal, then the don't work?

Have you found any particular issue that seems to cause the signals to stop or not work? The more details you can give, the better chance people will have to help you figure this issue out.

-Rod

[fordmike]

They work intermittently I should had said.
At any time they could not work. And again at any time they may come back but seem to be getting worse.

[shorod]

Originally Posted by fordmike

They work intermittently I should had said.
At any time they could not work. And again at any time they may come back but seem to be getting worse.

Interesting timing. Yesterday was very cold here in Iowa. As I left work, the temperature was around 5 below zero and the right turn signals would not work. The really odd thing was I could hear the flasher clicking away very rapidly, but no turn signals and no indicator in the dash. The headlights were on and I could see just the parking lights on the tailgate of the truck in front of me and no flashing reflecting from the front of the car behind me. After 10 seconds or so, everything starting flashing normally. The left signals always worked fine. The rights acted up for the first couple of right turns, but once the car got warmed up, they worked fine too.

I have noticed in the past that some times when I would signal to change lanes on the highway the right signals would flash quickly. This was if I was just activating the signal by holding up on the lever. If I flipped it into the detent, the flash rate was normal.

I'm suspecting the multifunction switch for my issue. Something is probably not making good contact when cold, but as the cabin temperature warms up, it makes contact again.

Did it recently get colder where you are at? Maybe you will find your problem to be temperature related as well?

My car is a 1998 Taurus SHO.

-Rod

[555timer]

Had similar intermittant symptoms with my 98 Taurus sedan's turn signals. Eventually I zero'ed in on the little flasher/clicker gadget under left side of dash ( look for plastic cube about 3/4 in on each side ). Tapping it would make things get immediately better!! I removed it, opened it, cleaned the insides: things were better for a while but then became intermittantly goofy again. Replaced it: directionals were back to 100% and the 4-way flashers also went from never working to 100%. (only symptom left: wipers on + left turn = wipers speed changes).

HTH

[shorod]

Originally Posted by 555timer

Had similar intermittant symptoms with my 98 Taurus sedan's turn signals. Eventually I zero'ed in on the little flasher/clicker gadget under left side of dash ( look for plastic cube about 3/4 in on each side ). Tapping it would make things get immediately better!! I removed it, opened it, cleaned the insides: things were better for a while but then became intermittantly goofy again. Replaced it: directionals were back to 100% and the 4-way flashers also went from never working to 100%. (only symptom left: wipers on + left turn = wipers speed changes).

HTH

Surprised you didn't make a solid state flasher using a 555 Timer and a FET.

Since the same flasher is used for the left and right signals, I don't think the fix for my car will be that easy. May fix the original poster's issues though, which is probably what you're referring to. I had to have an excuse to mention a timer since I noticed your login name.

-Rod

[555timer]

> Surprised you didn't make a solid state flasher using a 555 Timer and a FET.

I'm thinkin' embedded micro running VxWorks ( + temp sensors so the FW can compensate.... ) would just about cover it....

> Since the same flasher is used for the left and right signals, I don't think the fix for my car will be that easy

Actually, when mine was acting up, left & right had quite different behaviors - often one direction would be OK. Next time it's goofy for you, try tapping on the flasher/clicker gadget - you might be surprised.

[shorod]

Originally Posted by 555timer

> Surprised you didn't make a solid state flasher using a 555 Timer and a FET.

I'm thinkin' embedded micro running VxWorks ( + temp sensors so the FW can compensate.... ) would just about cover it....

>> Ahhh, if you go that route, you may as well add some current sensing resistors too so you can determine if you have a bad bulb, then have the firmware light an LED on the instrument panel to indicate a problem in the system.

> Since the same flasher is used for the left and right signals, I don't think the fix for my car will be that easy

Actually, when mine was acting up, left & right had quite different behaviors - often one direction would be OK. Next time it's goofy for you, try tapping on the flasher/clicker gadget - you might be surprised.

>> I'll try that. It was a bit warmer today (around 35 degrees!) so my turn signals worked just fine all day.