Left Blinker on Dashboard blinking rapidly

[apwdweb]

Hello,

Could use some expert help. Noticed this morning that my left blinker on the dash was blinking / clicking very rapidly (2x the normal blink speed). Right blinker on dashboard was fine. stepped outside the car - rear left blinker was flashing rapidly matching the left blinker on the dash and my front left blinker was out... right side is fine.

Chicken and the egg... is it the fact that the front left blinker is out thats causing the rapid blinking on my dash / rear blinker... OR is it something electrical thats causing my dash to blink rapidly and my left light not to light up...

Any help is greatly appreciate. Thank you much in advance.

 

[A10MileHusker]

Hello,

Could use some expert help. Noticed this morning that my left blinker on the dash was blinking / clicking very rapidly (2x the normal blink speed). Right blinker on dashboard was fine. stepped outside the car - rear left blinker was flashing rapidly matching the left blinker on the dash and my front left blinker was out... right side is fine.

Chicken and the egg... is it the fact that the front left blinker is out thats causing the rapid blinking on my dash / rear blinker... OR is it something electrical thats causing my dash to blink rapidly and my left light not to light up...

Any help is greatly appreciate. Thank you much in advance.

YEP! That's it. Just replace the front blinker and problem solved!

 

[Elton H]

get a new bulb

 

[LINY4Runner]

The reason it blinks faster with one bulb out is that there's less resistance. Less resistance means more power going into the flasher, therefore causing it to heat much faster than normal. This causes the double-time blinker.

Replace that bulb and you'll be good to go.

 

[ToyTech99]

The rapidly blinking flasher is intentionally designed that way to let you know that you have a bulb out. Or to put it another way, if you turn on your directionals and they flash at a normal rate, then you can be completely sure that your turn signal bulbs are functioning just fine.

 

[andrewajc]

I had this problem, and replacing the bulb fixed it, however, after 1 day the bulb burnt out again so I thought water was getting in and causing some problems so i siliconed the area around the part of the bulb that you turn so that it clicks into the correct position. After 1 day it burnt out again. Anyone got any ideas what's causing this? I was told I may have a ground problem.

 

[JeremyH]

Yes, it does sound like your ground is not making good contact with the chassis. Pull the ground wire and clean the area and reattach.

 

[andrewajc]

Thanks for the reply, i'm a pretty big newb to this car since i've only had it for 2 months now... can anyone tell me where to find the ground? do i just trace the turn signal wire and see where it goes to?

Thanks!

 

[JeremyH]

Yep, your best bet is to follow the wires and find where it is bolted directly to the metal of either the body or the chassis. Finding a bad ground is usually never an easy task. It is best if the ground is bolted directly to metal.....not a painted surface.

 

[andrewajc]

Thanks for your help JeremyH, i'll go on a ground hunt later on today and hopefully it'll fix my issue cuz i'm getting tired of replacing turn signal bulbs :S

 

[JohnsD90]

could use some expert help.

rofl

 

[LINY4Runner]

Thanks for the reply, i'm a pretty big newb to this car since i've only had it for 2 months now... can anyone tell me where to find the ground? do i just trace the turn signal wire and see where it goes to?

Thanks!

the ground is ususally the white wire with a black stripe

 

[baronvdb]

I had this problem, and replacing the bulb fixed it, however, after 1 day the bulb burnt out again so I thought water was getting in and causing some problems so i siliconed the area around the part of the bulb that you turn so that it clicks into the correct position. After 1 day it burnt out again. Anyone got any ideas what's causing this? I was told I may have a ground problem.

Did you ever figure out what the problem was?...I just replace my front left blinker/turn signal bulb lastnight and it was working but today it's out again and I have to deal with that annoying rapid blinker problem. I have a feeling I have the same problem as you are having--I'm gonna send you a PM as well in case you don't check this board often. Thanks!

 

[TheDurk]

The reason it blinks faster with one bulb out is that there's less resistance. Less resistance means more power going into the flasher, therefore causing it to heat much faster than normal. This causes the double-time blinker.

Replace that bulb and you'll be good to go.

Actually, with one bulb out, the resistance is higher. If they are equal in resistance, then with one bulb out resistance is double. The old simple bi-metal flashers would flash more slowly or just stay on if one bulb was out. The double fast flashing is from an electronic circuit. Read here for more than you ever wanted to know:
Auto Flashers Linky

You can also google Ohm's law on the higher/lower resistance.

andrewajc: Are you sure the bulb is burnt or is it just not working? Is the filament visibly broken/fried? If not, test it with a 12V source or an ohmmeter to be sure. Test the original if you still have it. I wonder whether both are good and you just have a wiring problem. Did you clean contacts in the socket? Corrosion there is more likely than a ground problem. Also make sure good tight contact is being made between bulb and socket. Springs get tired after ten years.