Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting turn signals only half the time

Originally posted by Big Jim:

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It is most likely your TURN SIGNAL SWITCH. That is what our experience has shown. The flasher unit plugs in to the turn signal switch.

As I posted before, I have never seen or heard of a flasher unit failing on our cars, but switch failure is common.

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Well - now you've heard of a flasher failure .

I got in a bind and wanted the turn signals functional for a road trip I'm leaving for on Tuesday.

I went to the Ford dealer and they ordered the switch for me - said they'd have it in an hour.

I took the car apart and I immediately spotted the flasher plugged into the back of the turn signal switch assembly. Wiggling the flasher made my signals / hazards work.

I borrowed the pic above:



I went to Autozone and got a flasher. The one the computer specifies wouldn't even fit onto the socket because of tab moulded into the flasher. I found another that looked right (smooth sides, same wiring diagram as the stock flasher). I tried it and it was apperently for a different load than our cars as I got consistant but way to fast flashes. I then tried a heavy duty flasher - BIG mistake. I hit the hazards, heard a pop and they were dead as a door nail.

I popped a fuse under the hood (turn signals) and another under the dash (brake lights). When that brake light fuse goes out you can't shift the ATX out of park .

I got the fuses swapped and drove back to the Ford dealer. I asked if he stocked the flasher and he did not. He had my switch on the counter though. Wouldn't you know it, the new switch doesn't include a flasher.

Since the stock flasher is potted and the terminals on it were not loose in the least bit I decided to go ahead and swap the switch in case it was a loose contact in the switch itself.

With the new switch and the old flasher the car did absolutely nothing. It acted exactly the same as it did when the fuse popped. I swapped the old switch back in and got part time turn signals.

I went back in and had the dealer order me a flasher. I went and picked it up at the warehouse since otherwise I'd have to wait until Monday.

I put the new flasher on the new switch and it works perfect now. I couldn't return the switch since it is an electrical part .

If anyone needs the partnumbers:

Turn Signal Switch ($150ish): F5RZ-13K359-B
Flasher ($15): F8RZ-13350-AA

Long story short... I spent $180 (with tax) fixing a $15.00 problem.

Autozone has the turn signal switch for $50ish but it takes a few days to get.

Anyone want to buy a perfectly good '98 turn signal switch?

Shawn