NikiFlash

I've had this problem for a couple of years and no repair shops seem to have the answer. Thus, I turn to the internet for help. I am not the most car-inclined person, so I've only tried to remedy the problem with no real knowledge of how any of it works. As it says in the title the driver's side turn signal blinks rapidly and is extremely dim. On the other hand the passenger side turn signal functions normally. I don't recall that there were any changes or repairs done when this started, it just started spontaneously. I have replaced all of the bulbs in both the front and rear lights, making sure to use the correct bulbs.

At the same time, the hazard lights discontinued to work at all. When the switch is pressed, about a second later I believe I can hear the relay click (the relay is located behind the switch, right?) and then nothing happens. I tried replacing the switch/relay, but that did not solve the problem. In fact, when the hazard switch is engaged the turn signals do not work at all.

Hopefully one of you brainiacs can help me out. It's hard to drive on the freeway when people can't see my left turn signal in the daylight, not to mention unsafe. Thanks so much in advance!

Miguel613ekb18c

Fast turn signal means there's a short somewhere, corroded wires causing high resistance, check schematic diagram to troubleshoot

Former User

You may have one or more incorrect bulb types installed for the turn signals/hazards.

In addition, the hazard lights fuse in the hood fuse box may be blown.

NikiFlash

Thanks, first thing in the morning I'll check the fuse box. I'll also trace the wires to see if I can't find any shorts. I'm fairly confident that the bulbs are correct, as the bulbs in the left lights are the same as those in the right side (the working side)

Former User

Fairly confident does not equal absolute certainty. Check the bulbs. You can even swap bulbs (right-left, front-back) to see if the problem follows the bulb.

This^ is completely expected and normal because engaging the hazard switch disables the turn signals.

saefifty

Bad bulb,bad socket connection,bad ground.The last is the most likely.

NikiFlash

Very true RonJ. I will be sure to test them all out and swap them around. I also peeked in the hood fuse box, turns out there is a blown 10A fuse. I'm assuming this is the reason for the hazard switch not working, but the label on the cover of the box is illegible so I am uncertain if this is even the correct fuse. I will replace it nonetheless.

As for the wiring, I found a spot on the front turn signal wiring where the previous owner had spliced some cables for whatever reason. It looks as if the cables go to the turn signal light, and the splice job seems to be solid and taped up nicely with electrical tape. The corresponding cables match up (yellow-yellow, bluegreen-bluegreen, etc.) I did notice that it is a larger gauge of cable used for the splice job, but that should not affect anything, correct? If I do not solve any problems by swapping the bulbs out, I will look more closely at the wiring for the turn signals. Is it possible that the relay could be bad? Thanks again for all the responses, guys.

Former User

See FAQs sticky for link to fuse box diagrams.

Post pictures.

Not likely.

NikiFlash

This is the splice job in place on the front driver-side turn signal. I had already taken the tape off, inspected the splices, and retaped it before I thought of taking pics. The connection looked fine with no corrosion.

I went ahead and connected the molex connector directly to the original wiring under the hood, bypassing the splice job, just to rule out the possibility of a larger gauge wire causing the issue. That did not work. One interesting thing though, when I engage the hazard switch (now that I have replaced the fuse and it works) all of the turn signals flash as they should at the correct speed, yet when the left signals are engaged they blink extremely fast.

I also checked, double-checked, and swapped the bulbs from the left side of the car to the right side and vice-versa , it recreated the same results. Now I am certain that the bulbs are not the problems. Any other ideas on what I should check before I spend a day tracing wires through my car?

TomCat39

Just out of curiosity, the connections, are they soldered or just twisted together and taped on the splice job?

Also, if you follow the thick gauge wire, does it route to the same area as the right side blinker? Another words, is the rewire job just replacing what may have been bad wire or is it routed to something totally different?

And lastly about the larger gauge wire, how is the connections at the other end of it, it's not the OEM wire so should have two splices, one at each end of the wire?

Really, if it's not soldered, it's potentially a bad connection.

NikiFlash

No the connections are not soldered, they are just twisted and taped. I've considered the possibility that a twisted connection alone isn't all that great, but my soldering abilities are basically crap.

The thicker gauge wire definitely goes to the turn signal. The distance between the splices in the 2 pictures is only about a foot. You are correct in assuming that the larger wires have two splices, one at either end. I will see if I soldering helps, though I feel that redoing the splices even if they are just twisted wires, should have solved the problem or at least yielded somewhat different results.

From the research that I've done on similar problems, and previous answers to this thread, the common culprit seems to be a bad ground. I'm not exactly sure how to test/look for this. Any pointers?

TomCat39

I'm confident RonJ will be able to guide you, but might not be back around until tomorrow sometime.

Former User

If both the left front and the left rear blinkers are dim, then a bad ground doesn't seem very likely.

I'm starting to think the problem may be corrosion of contacts inside the blinker switch. You can open up the switch and clean the contacts.