Dr side DRL takes forever to come back on after turning left
02-20-2014, 11:41 AM
#1
On The Tree
Thread Starter
iTrader: (4)
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 115
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Dr side DRL takes forever to come back on after turning left This is an annoying problem that's been bothering me for several years now...every time I make a left turn, the driver's side DRL takes several minutes to come back on AFTER I've made my turn and the turn signal has been canceled. Makes me look like one of those lazy/don't care people that just drive around with one DRL burned out all the time. Bulbs are good, have no other problem with turn signals/lights. Also replaced the dr side DRL bulb socket, pigtail, and DRL lens a few years ago, but I recall still having the problem before all of that.
Sometimes I can get it to come back on sooner by signaling a right turn and canceling it. What gives? Bad DRL module? Car is an 02 T/A with stock bulbs throughout.
Sometimes I can get it to come back on sooner by signaling a right turn and canceling it. What gives? Bad DRL module? Car is an 02 T/A with stock bulbs throughout.
Last edited by navy02ws6; 02-20-2014 at 04:29 PM.
04-15-2016, 08:28 AM
#3
On The Tree
Thread Starter
iTrader: (4)
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 115
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Nope. Still does the same thing. Occasionally passenger side too. Seems like it happens more often when it's cold out though. Also replaced the DRL module and flasher relay since this post. No change. Only other things I can think of are a bad multifunction/turn signal stalk, wiring further back to the front harness, or the DRL module I got was bad.
04-15-2016, 09:33 AM
#4
This would lead me to believe that the problem is likely not in the DRL module, but something outside, since the DRL innards are split between right and left.
What kind of bulbs are you all running. (Incandescent? LED?) What kind of flashers are you all using? (Electronic? Stock/Thermal?)
What kind of bulbs are you all running. (Incandescent? LED?) What kind of flashers are you all using? (Electronic? Stock/Thermal?)
04-15-2016, 11:09 AM
#5
See, I'm thinking it is the DRL module based on other threads. My car seems to do that on the left or right about evenly. It's not just local to one side nor does it do it all the time. I'd say it's about 1 in 4 chances of it not working right. It doesn't matter what bulbs, the symptoms stay the same. If say I use the left turn signal, it blinks of course but the DRL may not come back on for a few minutes. I can however sometimes get it to light back up if I hit the turn signal to go right. I've tried just wiggling the signal stalk while i'm having problems and that doesn't fix anything.
On a possible related note, I've been told twice over the past year that one entire side side of my brake lights wasn't working, but I've never been able to replicate the problem. I know my driver side was the problem on 1 occasion since a friend following me saw, but the other time, some guy drove by at a stop light and told me I had a light out. I was thinking a ground maybe?
On a possible related note, I've been told twice over the past year that one entire side side of my brake lights wasn't working, but I've never been able to replicate the problem. I know my driver side was the problem on 1 occasion since a friend following me saw, but the other time, some guy drove by at a stop light and told me I had a light out. I was thinking a ground maybe?
04-15-2016, 11:24 AM
#6
On The Tree
Thread Starter
iTrader: (4)
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 115
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My car has never had anything other than stock replacement bulbs in it. Have tried probably half a dozen different manufacturers, no change. I bought the car new, so I know its history pretty well. Original Delco flasher relay was replaced with a new Delco flasher relay.
To clarify, when the car is having the issue, the turn signals work with no problems whatsoever, the problem is getting the DRL to come back on after the turn signal has been canceled.
HotWhipT/A -- if you have a brake light that's not working, your turn signals for that side are not even going to flash since they use the same bulbs.
To clarify, when the car is having the issue, the turn signals work with no problems whatsoever, the problem is getting the DRL to come back on after the turn signal has been canceled.
HotWhipT/A -- if you have a brake light that's not working, your turn signals for that side are not even going to flash since they use the same bulbs.
04-15-2016, 11:39 AM
#7
I'm using LED front bulbs now. I thought maybe the heat from the incandescent bulb was causing my issues as my problems seemed to happen more in the summer. I believe I have an electronic flasher if I recall.
My turn signals always work too. Fortunately I have 2 of the same car and 99' works fine, so I'm going to swap parts 1 by 1 till I pin point the problem without spending unnecessary money.
My turn signals always work too. Fortunately I have 2 of the same car and 99' works fine, so I'm going to swap parts 1 by 1 till I pin point the problem without spending unnecessary money.
Trending Topics
04-15-2016, 01:17 PM
#9
I was thinking this might have been it, but now that if your turn signal switch is good, then it should completely isolate it from the module....
I'm wondering if the module is seeing a slight voltage, enough to cause it to turn off the DRL lamp, (as it would in anticipation of the turn signal flashing) but not enough to actually cause the relays in the DRL module to actuate...
I'm wondering if the module is seeing a slight voltage, enough to cause it to turn off the DRL lamp, (as it would in anticipation of the turn signal flashing) but not enough to actually cause the relays in the DRL module to actuate...
04-16-2016, 01:09 AM
#12
I've had the problem at night too with the lights on. Its not just a daytime only thing. It does the same when the engine is off too. Key on run.
So I didn't have an electronic flasher in my daily. That's the car with the problem. I took the EL12 flasher out of my other TA and tried it. Nothing changed. In fact, I did learn a few things. I got my one of my DRL to act up as usual and unplugged the flasher relay and it still didn't work. After the flasher was taken out of the equation, I was able to toggle the turn signal stalk without the turn signals from actually working. That changed nothing too. I figure the stalk and the flasher are not the problem.
Here's the main thing I learned. Since it was dark and quiet while I was testing with the engine off, I was of course able to hear the relay tick. I was also able to hear the the DRL module clicking behind the dash. I could hear it click just after turning off the turn signal and the DRL would come back on as it should. However, when I was able to recreate the problem, you wouldn't hear the click of the module. I waited till the DRL came back on in a minute or so and that's when I heard the click of the module. Therefore, I'm pretty sure the module is bad. I don't think I'm going to bother even swapping them out. I found plenty on eBay for $30. I'll let you know in a week or 2 when I get the replacement.
So I didn't have an electronic flasher in my daily. That's the car with the problem. I took the EL12 flasher out of my other TA and tried it. Nothing changed. In fact, I did learn a few things. I got my one of my DRL to act up as usual and unplugged the flasher relay and it still didn't work. After the flasher was taken out of the equation, I was able to toggle the turn signal stalk without the turn signals from actually working. That changed nothing too. I figure the stalk and the flasher are not the problem.
Here's the main thing I learned. Since it was dark and quiet while I was testing with the engine off, I was of course able to hear the relay tick. I was also able to hear the the DRL module clicking behind the dash. I could hear it click just after turning off the turn signal and the DRL would come back on as it should. However, when I was able to recreate the problem, you wouldn't hear the click of the module. I waited till the DRL came back on in a minute or so and that's when I heard the click of the module. Therefore, I'm pretty sure the module is bad. I don't think I'm going to bother even swapping them out. I found plenty on eBay for $30. I'll let you know in a week or 2 when I get the replacement.
04-18-2016, 07:33 AM
#14
wssix99 is correct that it is most likely either the DRL module itself or the inputs to that module. For example, do you notice the brake light on the dash illuminated when the DRLs don't work? That could indicate that either the parking brake switch is defective or the wire to that switch is grounding out. If the DRL module sees a ground on its parking brake input then it won't activate the DRLs (that's why the DRLs don't come on when you first start the car until you release the parking brake).
I'm not quite sure what you meant by the same issue sometimes happens with the headlights on. There are no DRLs with the headlights on - that would be parking lights which run on an entirely separate circuit (different power source and a separate filament in the bulbs).
Unplugging the flasher would have no effect because power is routed from the fuse through the flasher to the turn signal switch and then to the DRL module. With the flasher unplugged, no power is going through the switch and nothing is reaching the DRL module.
The DRL module has two relays (one for each side) with their coil grounds controlled by a solid state module to switch between flashing power from the turn signal flasher and ignition controlled power from the GAUGES fuse. Since relays are mechanical devices and these ones would be 14-17 years old, it is not at all unexpected that they might fail to release properly after turn signal use. Unfortunately, with it being an intermittent problem, there really is no practical way to test the module. If it happened all the time then you could use a meter or test light to check inputs and outputs.
I'm not quite sure what you meant by the same issue sometimes happens with the headlights on. There are no DRLs with the headlights on - that would be parking lights which run on an entirely separate circuit (different power source and a separate filament in the bulbs).
Unplugging the flasher would have no effect because power is routed from the fuse through the flasher to the turn signal switch and then to the DRL module. With the flasher unplugged, no power is going through the switch and nothing is reaching the DRL module.
The DRL module has two relays (one for each side) with their coil grounds controlled by a solid state module to switch between flashing power from the turn signal flasher and ignition controlled power from the GAUGES fuse. Since relays are mechanical devices and these ones would be 14-17 years old, it is not at all unexpected that they might fail to release properly after turn signal use. Unfortunately, with it being an intermittent problem, there really is no practical way to test the module. If it happened all the time then you could use a meter or test light to check inputs and outputs.
04-21-2016, 05:11 PM
#15
The replacement DRL module came in yesterday. I first tested the old one again several times and got it to screw up at least twice per side. I installed the replacement and tested it for a good while and it worked like a charm the entire time. Their was clearly a problem with the old module's relays sticking. I opened up both modules side by side to compare. They both looked identical and I couldn't visually see anything wrong with the bad unit. Glad to have this issue resolved on my daily driver.
04-22-2016, 08:38 AM
#16
The replacement DRL module came in yesterday. I first tested the old one again several times and got it to screw up at least twice per side. I installed the replacement and tested it for a good while and it worked like a charm the entire time. Their was clearly a problem with the old module's relays sticking. I opened up both modules side by side to compare. They both looked identical and I couldn't visually see anything wrong with the bad unit. Glad to have this issue resolved on my daily driver.
When this type of thing happens, (solid state circuit timing off) I first suspect that it's related to a bad capacitor somewhere. With the vintage of our cars, its likely that the modules could suffer from The Capacitor Plague: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacitor_plague <...play sinister music here>
Did you see any electrolytic capacitors with tops starting to split or with swollen tops? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capaci...sible_symptoms
04-23-2016, 10:01 AM
#18
I can't seem to find the data sheet for the ZiLOG chip. That should hold the answers here. (It may be too old.) I will try again when I have more time...
My guess is that the ZiLOG chip controls when the NEC relay operates to actuate the DRL mode and toggle that on and off. I did see that the NEC relay has a minimum voltage to shut off, so if there is a charge remaining in that circuit when it's trying to shut off, that NEC relay could be holding on to one or the other mode for too long.
... Or, that NEC relay could be bad - but I'd be surprised if it is.
My guess is that the ZiLOG chip controls when the NEC relay operates to actuate the DRL mode and toggle that on and off. I did see that the NEC relay has a minimum voltage to shut off, so if there is a charge remaining in that circuit when it's trying to shut off, that NEC relay could be holding on to one or the other mode for too long.
... Or, that NEC relay could be bad - but I'd be surprised if it is.
10-20-2016, 10:34 AM
#19
On The Tree
Thread Starter
iTrader: (4)
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 115
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well it took several years to figure it out, but it's finally fixed. Nothing more than a bad replacement DRL module from eBay. Just took a multimeter to diag it. Bought another one, tested it, and my DRLs work as they should now.