turn signals only half the time

Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives

I jsut got a 1998 Ford Contour and while driving it i notice that the turn signals only work half of the time. And when they do work they dont stay on very long and usually dont even stay on long enough for the turn. What might be causing this? I was thinking about taking it to this electrical shop near by but i dont want to do that unless thats what it sounds like it could be.

Sounds like the electronic flasher is going out

Or it could be the actual turn signal stalk/switch.

If it was me i would go to a junkyard, grab signal stalk form another contour/mystique and see if that solves the problem.

The flashers are pretty reliable. They are a solid state electronic type and seldom fail. Turn signal switches have given some trouble though. I had to replace mine for intermittant operation when the car had about 100,000 miles on it. I also had to replace the switch on my son's 95 Contour when it had about 50,000 miles on it. A few others have posted the same here in the past.

Have you replaced the bulbs? Do that first.

My switch (stalk) burned up, literally, one time. It's about $50 from a parts store.

my left signal regularly stops working...gives me the double time indication for light burnt out. I put in a new light and soon after get the same problem. Turns out that the lamps are OK, but is the contact in the lamp that is the problem. So...I cleaned out the old crappy lookin di-electric grease from the lamp socket and reapplied new grease...problem is gone!!

Well, I've joined the club of flakey turn-signal operation.

Out of the blue, my turn signals went from working perfectly, to erratic on-again, off-again operation. Sometimes they work fine, other times they barely flash at all. Up til now, I assumed it MIGHT be a temperature problem, but perhaps not so, if the flasher unit is solid state. What stands out is how this happened suddenly, rather than gradually.

BTW ... KermitTheFrog: How can replacing bulbs solve the problem ? I mean, if a bulb is burned out, it isn't going to work at all. Or do you mean, the flasher unit tries to work, but if the bulb is shot, the flasher unit operates erratically ?

I must admit, I haven't checked the actual operation of the rear bulbs in flashing (turn) mode ... I will after work tonight.

When my car was still new enough to be under warranty I had an intermittant turn signal problem. The only way I was able to confirm that it was the bulb was to swap the two rear bulbs. The problem switched to the other side as well. A new bulb resolved the problem. The one that was not replaced finally acted the same way, at about 150,000 miles. In both of these cases, the symptom was that the turn signals would flash at double speed and someone that was following me said that he did not see the rear turn signals operate.

I also had a problem with intermittant no turn signals at all, first mostly with the left side and then eventually with both sides. A new switch solved that problem.

Originally posted by Kremithefrog:
Have you replaced the bulbs? Do that first.

You might be right... maybe someone put the wrong bulbs in (like heavy duty or something) and it's confuzing the flasher.

I know that heat gives more resistance, so maybe when the bulb gets hot from being on, the resitance increases past the tolerance of the flasher (making it think a bulb is out), then cools off enough from shutting off that it goes back within range. I think that could case an erratic flash if the new switch doesn't help...

I know older flashers relied on resistance to let you know a bulb was out, dunno if these do or not, but LEDs make them flash fast (or in the case of older cars, no flash at all).

OK, I checked my turn signals this AM (function of the actual bulbs) and they work fine. But the flasher unit is still operating intermittently.

From the previous posts, it sounds like the wrong bulbs can make the flasher unit spaz out. However, I have had the same bulbs in there for a longggg time, operating just fine until the past couple of weeks.

Do I assume it's a bad flasher unit? If so, where is it located ? What does it cost to replace these ?

Or, should I count the bulbs as a *possible* loss and simply replace them with brand new ones, before I worry any further about the flasher unit?

BTW, I have misplaced my Contour shop book, is there any such thing online ?

Thanks in advance,
- Dave in VA

Mother in law had the same problem in her Jeep... Told her to go check the blinker fluid... she did.

Jack

Originally posted by jaxsvt:
Mother in law had the same problem in her Jeep... Told her to go check the blinker fluid... she did.

Jack

Anyway, as far as I know, the flasher unit is in the timer box (ya know, the one that makes noise when you leave the key in the ignition or headlights on...), so that piece would have to be changed.

It seems you could just get an interior fuse box say out of a junkyard with the module still on it and switch it out... maybe that will help.

BTW: todras sells the service CDs for $8... send him a pm or something with the year of your car, and he can hook ya up.

Originally posted by DaveInVA:
OK, I checked my turn signals this AM (function of the actual bulbs) and they work fine. But the flasher unit is still operating intermittently.

From the previous posts, it sounds like the wrong bulbs can make the flasher unit spaz out. However, I have had the same bulbs in there for a longggg time, operating just fine until the past couple of weeks.

Do I assume it's a bad flasher unit? If so, where is it located ? What does it cost to replace these ?

Or, should I count the bulbs as a *possible* loss and simply replace them with brand new ones, before I worry any further about the flasher unit?

BTW, I have misplaced my Contour shop book, is there any such thing online ?

Thanks in advance,
- Dave in VA

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.

Originally posted by Big Jim:
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.

sorry to ressurect an old thread, but now I seem to have part time turn signals.

It started out by my just getting a buzz / vibration in the turn signal stalk when I operated the signals.

It would either buzz or work.

Now it either works flashing 2-3 times and quits or just doesn't work. Sometimes a tap on the turn signal lever gets me a couple more flashes.

Still sound like a switch? The buzz is what makes me suspect the flasher / control box.

Also, when mine aren't flashing, there is no illumination (on the dash or at the lights). Usually bulb / flasher problems get you a light that just stays on. This makes me lean towards the switch.

Everything else on the stalk works fine.

Shawn

Originally posted by Big Jim:
In both of these cases, the symptom was that the turn signals would flash at double speed and someone that was following me said that he did not see the rear turn signals operate.

I think I'm having the same problem. Just lately, when I turn right, my turn signal indicator flashes double speed, and I could see the reflection of my car in the car ahead, and the bulb was flashing double speed. I haven't confirmed that the rear turn signal isn't working, but I'd imagine it isn't.

The odd part is, it doesn't flash at double speed everytime. Maybe 75-80% of my right turns.

Mark

I was just in this boat months ago....sigh

Okay.. check to make sure the wires from the actual turn signal stalk/switch are not corrodid and falling out. The last repair guy to work on my car replaced this turn switch behind the steering wheel.

Now when a light bulb in the brake system starts to go out the blinker will move faster because it needs this bulb to add enough resistance to blink slow. This is also a problem for many people that want to mod their tail lights with LEDS in that there is not enough resistance so they end up buying a repeater to fix this problem.

So check the light bulbs in the brakes first. Make sure the leds are not melted down flat. If so try to reshape them, stick in some metal or just buy new bulbs and be do with it. As you turn those bulbs get loose and they blink fast.

Now as for the click noise that lets you know the signal stalk is locked. It should turn off after the completed turn. Well, this would be the actual turn signal switch. It's all on one unit that you must remove and replace. I don't recall how much this costed me? Even the new turn signal switch was acting a little funky and rather than replacing that one I just wedged it with some rubber plastic to make the wheel catch and turn off as it would otherwise just keep blinking.. long story.

Now you see where I'm pointing to those brake wires? You can try and wiggle those wires around. The black thing that the wires are going into also plugs into the white plastic turn signal switch.

Originally posted by Big Jim:
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.

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

Your right, that's the first one I've heard about. That is why the dealer soesn't stock it. It seldom fails.

Thanks for the update.