Hi -
I have a 2002 Explorer which has been doing a fast signal blink on the left for about a week. Come to find out, the rear bulb was out. Put a new bulb in, and the bulb won't light, and the blinker is still blinking fast.
Any ideas? My husband says he checked the fuse, and that was fine...
I would verify the new bulb is good and make sure it is the right type. Otherwise check the contacts and wiring...
In the olden days mechanical flashers would speed up if more current was being drawn, as when you had trailer lights connected in paralell with the vehicle's turn signals. But I don't know if a 2002 still has a mechanical flasher (the little relay-like device that causes the turn signals to blink).
Assuming it does have a mechanical flasher, your symptoms would indicate a short in the left rear turn signal wire. This wouldn't blow the fuse because the flasher acts as a circuit breaker. You don't mention the left front turn signal, it it working normally? How about your brake lights, are they working normally?
-Paul
The front turn signal is working, but it's flashing fast. Brake lights ok.
thanks! c> Assuming it does have a mechanical flasher, your symptoms would
I don't have a schematic for your 2002 so I can't tell you much more. My 1994 does use a mechanical flasher (with all the computers in cars these days I don't know if newer cars still use flashers).
Did anything happen just before the problem occurred, like did you have any work done, have an accident or tow a trailer?
Sometimes you can have a pinched or scraped wire that finally shorts at a random point in time, but often some event causes a problem like this to occur. So for example if you just towed a trailer look at the area of the trailer wiring.
-Paul
Newer vehicle have a different sort of arrangement for flashing the turn signals. For recent Fords, fast blinking indicates that a bulb is out. However, the system is not perfect. The wrong bulb can cause the same symptom. So can corroded bulb sockets, broken wires, or a bad ground.
I would suggest that you check the bulb socket to make sure the connectors are clean. Then I'd use a voltmeter to verify that there is voltage at the socket when the turn signals are activated.
Ed
I looked it up and that seems to be exactly right. If you had a burned out bulb and replaced it with the wrong bulb, that could cause your symptoms. So make sure the number on the bulb matches the old one or the number in your manual, and check the socket out to be sure it's clean.
Anything that makes the circuit draw too much or too little current causes the fast blinking, which is just a way to alert you to the problem.
-Paul
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