Grand Am--Turn signals blink too slow

Aug 07, 2003 6 Replies
G

On my 1986 Pontiac Grand Am, the turn signals have started blinking too slow. In the daytime, with the headlights off, they blink only slightly below normal rate but still noticeable, but at night with the headlights on, they only blink about every 2.5 seconds. The bulbs appear to light normally. As far as I know the charging system is OK. I read something on the Web about some kind of flasher unit that might need replacing? Does that sound correct, and where would that be located on a 1986 Grand Am? Is that something I can likely access and change myself? Thanks for any info.



GS


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B

You better take another look at the battery and charging system. That is a classic charging system indication. Put a voltmeter on the battery with the lights on and make sure it charges to 14.5 volts.

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C

_________________ Something is loading your electrical system, or maybe your alternator is just a hood ornament at this point.

-ChrisCoaster

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M

You are describing a bad ground to the body of the vehicle.

There is one ground from the battery to the fender, another one from the battery to the engine and the sneaky main one that is a mesh cable and goes from a bell housing or engine head bolt to the body.

When this mesh cable rots away, all the power for the lights has to travel through the small black cable from the battery to the fender. If you look close at this, you might even see the plastic insulation starting to melt because of too much current draw for the size of the wire.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

GarySport wrote:

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G

You're right. The charging system is failing. Thanks.

GS

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P

A fully charged battery, if it's any good, will allow you to drive at least

100 miles or so before it dies. This is of course in the daytime (lights off), if you are not on the brakes/turn sigs. a lot, keep the AC off, etc. to minimize the electrical draw from the battery while driving. The ignition system draws only a few amps from the battery when there is no charging taking place. The ignition system will continue to run the car until the battery voltage falls below 8 volts or so This should last a several hours this way from a full charge. This is also provided that the car starts easy and did not drain too much, starting up. In years gone by before serpentine belts, I ran with out generator belt for a day, sometimes, until a new one could be put on. Same with the old external relay type regulators that always seemed to go bad and stopped charging.
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M

If the ground strap to the body fails, the alternator cannot charge and the dash indicator needle will be low.

Or the alternator has just worn out....

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

GarySport wrote:

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