turn signal blinks rapidly

My 98 Silverado done that last week. It was a bad bulb in the left rear. When the current load on the flasher changes, the speed changes.

Mark

Bad bulb.

Adair

Thanks! I'll check it out.

When you say "bad bulb" does that mean the bulb isn't working?

I did install a "pig tail" to tow a trailer. I bought the one that plugs directly into the wiring harness, though. I've had that done for a while now and it didn't do it before. I don't think there is any correllation with that.

Any load added to the system will make it blink faster. The blinking mechanism is based on heat, the higher the load the faster it blinks, period. So this means check all of the lights that blink on your left side. You probably have a bulb with a dead short in the filament.

~KJ~

In my case the filament had burned out making it easy to find (no light). I imagine the turn signal filament shorted into the parking filament causing the load increase. Otherwise it would have stopped flashing rather than speed up. Shorted dual filament bulbs can create some strange symptoms.

Mark

Actually the blinkers go faster when a bulb is burnt out. it's as simple as that. B

It was a bulb. Thanks for all of your input!!

MD Phillips

Usualy when one side blinks rapidly you have lost a turn signal bulb.

Ken