Blinkers Hesitating
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Teching In
Joined: Apr 2016
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Blinkers Hesitating 01 Z28
Blinkers hesitate instead of blinking normally.
Just replaced all 8 bulbs in rear tail lights. Sanded, and scraped metal contacts before bulb replacement.
Cleaned front blinker bulb sockets as well.
Bulbs continue to do this after new rear bulbs, and cleaning contacts. When Hazards are turned on, they blink fine and normal. Only issue is when turn signals are used.
Any ideas?
Blinkers hesitate instead of blinking normally.
Just replaced all 8 bulbs in rear tail lights. Sanded, and scraped metal contacts before bulb replacement.
Cleaned front blinker bulb sockets as well.
Bulbs continue to do this after new rear bulbs, and cleaning contacts. When Hazards are turned on, they blink fine and normal. Only issue is when turn signals are used.
Any ideas?
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,328
Likes: 345
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
If it's happening on both sides, it's probably the flasher. The turn signals and hazards use two separate flashers. You can get a new flasher at any auto parts store or even Walmart for just a couple of dollars.
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 1,467
Likes: 265
From: Bossier City, Louisiana
Possibly clean up your grounds. The ground side of these circuits is half of the electron flow path. It matters little if you have new bulbs and clean socket contacts if your grounds are grungy. Clean up the grounds with a little sandpaper and some conductive copper antiseize paste.
Rick
Rick
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,328
Likes: 345
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
Possibly clean up your grounds. The ground side of these circuits is half of the electron flow path. It matters little if you have new bulbs and clean socket contacts if your grounds are grungy. Clean up the grounds with a little sandpaper and some conductive copper antiseize paste.
Rick
Rick
I replaced my original flasher with a 'compatible' Novita LL552 flasher from AutoZone just a few days ago. It blinked a little faster for a few days, then my flashers completely stopped working on the dash and no clicking noise. I picked up a replacement Novita EL12, but it's not installed yet. Are there 'preferred' replacement flasher relays?
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,328
Likes: 345
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
No, any 2-prong flasher will work. Have you checked all the usual things as the OP did? Turn on the hazards and walk around the car ensuring all bulbs (front and rear) flash as they should? The most common cause of the signals going on but not flashing is a problem with a bulb or socket. Without all of them working, there isn't enough current flow to make the flasher trip on and off. Using LED replacement bulbs will cause the same effect.
Using the electronic flasher EL12 may make the signals flash without actually solving the underlying problem. Electronic flashers don't depend on current load for timing so they will usually flash even when bulbs are burned out or sockets are corroded.
Using the electronic flasher EL12 may make the signals flash without actually solving the underlying problem. Electronic flashers don't depend on current load for timing so they will usually flash even when bulbs are burned out or sockets are corroded.
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The hazard flasher and all the bulbs worked fine. Changed it to an EL12, works. Put the LL552 back in, doesn't work. The EL12 continues to work right now. Perhaps it was a bad LL552.
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Verdad Gallardo The Novita EL12 seems to have failed after 8 months. All four hazard lights still flash, turn signal lever clicks but the dash indicators do not light and no clicking noise from the . I guess I'll try the ACDelco 19209674, it's more expensive but I didn't have a problem with my original flasher for well over a decade.
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,328
Likes: 345
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
Having an EL12 fail is very unusual. I have a friend with a third generation Camaro that has an EL12 that is more than 20 years old. You must be the unlucky one who got a bad one. I'd bet their failure rate is less than 1 in a 10,000. I would think you could just get another and not experience any problems.
The old EL12 came back to life after shaking it a bit. I have the ACDelco in there now, and it also works. I can't hear the clicking noise of either since the stroker went in and we took out the cats.
Something I swear has changed since I took out the original flasher though. Because the stick felt so fragile, when changing lanes I would usually partially move it without it clicking into place to use the blinkers, and the dash arrows would come on with very little movement of the stalk. Since then I have to completely click the stalk into position before the arrows flash, it doesn't matter which flash I've tried. I do have a new stalk but my understanding is that it's a hassle to swap.
Something I swear has changed since I took out the original flasher though. Because the stick felt so fragile, when changing lanes I would usually partially move it without it clicking into place to use the blinkers, and the dash arrows would come on with very little movement of the stalk. Since then I have to completely click the stalk into position before the arrows flash, it doesn't matter which flash I've tried. I do have a new stalk but my understanding is that it's a hassle to swap.
TECH Resident
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 967
Likes: 53
From: Winter Haven FL
Changing the combination stalk isn't too bad. You just need to disassemble half your steering column lol
It sounds like the signal switch is just a bit more worn and needs to be fully engaged to work now. It's not really a problem since that's the way it's supposed to work. Having the switch engage just from light pressure is definitely nice though. I was bummed when it stopped working on my other car.
It sounds like the signal switch is just a bit more worn and needs to be fully engaged to work now. It's not really a problem since that's the way it's supposed to work. Having the switch engage just from light pressure is definitely nice though. I was bummed when it stopped working on my other car.
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,328
Likes: 345
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
To be clear... the turn signal stalk (multifunction switch) itself is quite easy to change. The turn signal switch in the steering column (which is the source of your issue) is the part that takes some work to replace.