Turn signals stopped working, hazards still work fine - need troubleshooting help

sierraskier

New member
All four of my turn signals have stopped working on my '99 limited 4runner. No arrow lights on the dash or clicking either. However, the hazard lights work just fine, all four of them. Does this rule out the relay? Also, I have found that if I partially depress the hazard light switch, the turn signals work fine. I am thinking that this rules out the stalk as well. So am I down to just the hazard light switch that could be the issue? I've taken it out, sprayed it with WD-40, and worked it for a long time as I've heard lots of people have been able to get that to work, but it's not working for me. I'm a poor college student so I don't have a voltmeter to check the switch, should I just buy a new one or is there anything else i should check? Thanks so much for the help!

Eric
 
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Sorry I forgot to mention that, fuses were the first thing i tried but they are fine, I tried replacing the turn signal fuse with the spare just to make sure but it still didn't work. And I haven't replaced any lights recently or done anything else that would screw it up.
 
Could be a bad earth although a bugger to trace, it's certainly not unheard of - also the stalks have been known to go bad.
 
do the hazards and turns use the same blinker relay?
when i put leds in my new bumper the hazards kept the same slow blink
but the turn signals flashed very fast.
changed the turn signal relay and the turn signals calmed down.

could the relay be bad?
 
Yep filled the blinker fluid to the top, although maybe I used the wrong viscosity who knows haha.

But more seriously, I don't think it would be the stalk would it, because the signals work fine if I hold the hazard light switch in (but not far enough to turn on the hazard lights). Does that also rule out ground or could that still be an issue?
 
there is no application for which WD40 is the correct choice. It is a wet lubricant, so it attracts dust and dirt. It has no staying power as a lubricant (put it on a squeaky hinge and track how long it takes for the hinge to start squeaking again). As a penetrant it pales in comparison to Liquid Wrench, let alone PB Blaster. It is flammable. It is that stupid dark dirty color.
Best light duty lubricant I've found is Boeshield, a 'dry' lubricant. It is not dielectric so not appropriate for your application.
For suspect electrical connections spray with electric contact cleaner. Read label; it is safe for plastics and evaporates quickly. Then put some dielectric grease on connectors before reconnecting. Heavier duty corrosion is visible and needs to be scraped off.
Get an electric meter and figure out if the relevant wires are carrying current from one end to the other. They are simple to use for this vs. checking resistance/ohms in, say, an oxygen sensor. Heck, get one of those cheap circuit tracers with just a light bulb. Looks like a screwdriver with a lightbulb in the handle and a long wires with an alligator clip.
 
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Alright thanks everybody for the input. I understand WD-40 is maybe not the best choice but I figured it would work as that's what everybody said worked for them. Regardless, I got it to work without replacing any parts. I took apart the stalk and made sure everything was cleaned off and dry. Wiped down the hazard light switch as well. Put it all pack together and cycled the hazard light switch and blinker lever a bunch just as I had done before. Only this time the turn signals started working again! Thanks again for the help.
 
My money was on a bad stalk connection, duly rectified with the strip/rebuild - either way I'm glad you managed to resolve the issue.
 
Which fuse is the fuse for the blinkers?...

My hazards work. But no blinkers either side.....


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Turn signal fuse is located in the kick panel to the left of the steering wheel..


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9 times out of 10 its the flasher.

This was the case with my Grand Am recently, the turn signal would work intermittently until it stopped working altogether. When it did this I would activate the hazard once and turn signal would start working again for a short while and quit. The clicking, when it did work was also louder than usual. I swapped out the flasher and issue was resolved.
 
Did this issue every come back for you ? I've got the same problem and wonder if the flasher needs to be replaced or cleaning out the stock might have been what fixed it for you.



Alright thanks everybody for the input. I understand WD-40 is maybe not the best choice but I figured it would work as that's what everybody said worked for them. Regardless, I got it to work without replacing any parts. I took apart the stalk and made sure everything was cleaned off and dry. Wiped down the hazard light switch as well. Put it all pack together and cycled the hazard light switch and blinker lever a bunch just as I had done before. Only this time the turn signals started working again! Thanks again for the help.
 
Sorry I forgot to mention that, fuses were the first thing i tried but they are fine, I tried replacing the turn signal fuse with the spare just to make sure but it still didn't work. And I haven't replaced any lights recently or done anything else that would screw it up.

I just had exact same symptoms and it was the turn signal fuse. Weird that the flashers work, and pushing them in a little allows the blinkers to work. “What blew the fuse” is what I want to know…
 
I just had exact same symptoms and it was the turn signal fuse. Weird that the flashers work, and pushing them in a little allows the blinkers to work. “What blew the fuse” is what I want to know…
If no trailer or trailer 4 pin module connected. I suspect a short occurring on the turn signal circuit.

Any bulbs blow recently and take out the fuse?

I am not sure if any of the turn signal wiring maje it into the rear door hatch gate.

If so, that boot with the wiring going hatch gate maybe we're you'd short is according .

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