Figuring out what is causing turn signal problems can be a daunting task, especially when it’s a modern car with a hoard of electrical connections. You actually need time and some insight to decipher what the problem is. There could be problems in different parts of the signals like bulbs, flasher units, wires, connectors, fuses,… Nevertheless, it is not always necessary to head to a mechanic at the very first instance and turn signal problems are not among the problems you shouldn’t fix yourself.
8 Turn Signal Problems
Issues with the blinkers not working are not restricted to the five we are discussing here. However these five are the most commonly faced by car owners. In fact, you can find these issues in vehicles of all sizes – hatchback, sedan, truck, SUV, minibus and more. So, let’s discuss these one by one and see how to fix blinkers on your car.
1. Either Turn Signals Isn’t Working
It is one of the most common turn signal problems in vehicles and the fix for it is quite simple. Check the bulb – through the engine bay if front; through the boot if it’s rear. You can also do it by removing the lens. Make sure that the two filaments of the bulb are connecting and the glass is not dark already. In either case, simply replace the bulb. Also make sure that the socket is in fine condition, in case there is corrosion, you will need to replace it.
2. My Hazard Lights Fail To Work But The Turn Signals Do
Odds are that the hazard lights are in the same circuit as the turn signal lights. So, the case could be one of these:
A faulty hazard light flasher
If the flasher if fine, it could be the fuse
A bad connection at the turn signal switch
A loose connection in the circuit that connects the turn signal switch and the flasher
A electrical open circuit/ short circuit in external lights wiring
If the reasons are either of the first two, you will need to change the flasher or the fuse, in the rest of the cases, you just need to set the connection right.
3. Turn Signal Lights Don’t Work
There can also be a situation when neither of your signal lights is working. In most cases it is a blown fuse or a defunct flasher. In other cases, it could also be a faulty signal switch. You can fix these can easily using your car’s repair manual.
Apart from these, there could also be other problems like damaged bulbs or corroded bulb sockets. If you can, check the ground connection of the bulb. If you can’t, make sure you get it checked from a mechanic. Besides, it could also be an open or short circuit which is easy to fix yourself.
4. Turn Signals Don’t Flash
If the turn signal lights and emergency lights have stable light, you should check a burned-out bulb first. If not, test the turn signal flasher and check the turn signal switch. At the first step, you need to identify wires and the best way to access the signal switch electrical connector. Besides, make sure that you disable the system to avoid airbags to inflating if your car has them. In fact, the manual has a detailed guideline for each particular model.
5. Turn Light Don’t Turn Off
The reasons for this failure might be either the canceling finger inside the switch is broken or the canceling cam/clockspring is broken. For the former problem, you need to replace the switch and for the second one, you need to replace the cam or assembly, depending on your specific model.
In the majority of cases, solving this problem isn’t too difficult. Besides, the car owner should consult the repair manual for the particular car make and model. Other than that, if your model has airbags, you will need to disable the system for safety reason as the symptom above.
6. Turn Lights Flash Too Fast or Slow
Changes in the flashing rate of the turn signal lights aren’t common and hard to notice as one of turn signal problems. In case this occurred after replacing the flasher or one of the light bulbs, you must have installed the wrong type of flasher or bulb for your vehicle model. Or else one of your light bulbs must have burned out. A burned-out bulb may cause the indicator light to flash faster.
There are other problems that can lead to a slower or faster change in the flashing rate:
A loosely connected turn signal switch.
Poor power connection or grounding at the lamps.
If they are flashing faster than normal, the alternator may be overcharging the battery.
If they are flashing slower than normal, the alternator may be undercharging, or your battery may be undercharged.
7. Dashboard’s Turn Indicators Don’t Flash
You may know there must be something wrong with your turn signal lights as the indicator lights on the instrument panel illuminate but don’t flash as usual.
1.Firstly, check if your turn lights work properly. If they come on but don’t flash, the flasher unit is most likely bad.
2.If one of your signal lights doesn’t come on, then you check the bulb; check the bulb socket for damage or corrosion; check for a poor ground at the socket.
3.Check for an open in the circuit, between the light(s) that doesn’t work and the turn signal switch.
8. Turn Indicators Don’t Work But Turn Signals Do
One problem of turn signal problems you may encounter is that your indicator lights don’t work, but outsides the turn lights work just fine. Possible causes can be:
a bad ground
a problem with the flasher unit
blown out indicator bulbs
corroded bulb sockets
If necessary, take a look at your vehicle repair manual to gain access to the bulbs on the ground connection and instrument panel.
Although some models use a separate light for the right and left turn indicators, others use a single light for both turns.
If your instrument panel has only one indicator light for both right and left, check the flasher unit. Some vehicle models combine the taillight, brake light and turn signal into one light bulb.
If you replaced one of the lamps, make sure the bulb is properly installed .
If the two separate instrument panel indicator lights don’t work but the outside turn signal lamps work, check the indicator light bulbs and flasher unit.
