Re: One signal flashing faster than the other suddenly

probably a bad electrical connection between the bulb and the vehicle. Try replacing the bulbs first, and if that doesnt help, its a problem with wiring or connections.

This is a common problem that has been discussed many times in this newsgroup. Try searching Google Group archives.

Do not replace the bulb first. There is a poor grounding of the connection due to the flimsy connector in the socket that looses tension against the bulb. It must be pulled up and twisted to regain stiffness and tension.

Look for bad grounds in the RH rear tail lamp assemby. Turn on the tail lamps, and hit the brake. Does the brake light appear dimmer than the LH side?

SJD

My mother has the same year and model Camry. She had the same problem. I removed the bulb and cleaned everything up. It worked for awhile but started to act up again. This time I put di-electric grease on the bulb base and everything functioned properly. This has been over a year ago and all is well. I now coat all bulb bases with di-electric grease.

That's the true solution... Your car should have had the grease applied from the factory - but people clean it up thinking it shouldn't be there. Ask at a good auto parts for corrosion preventative electrical grease, they may have to order it in from the warehouse. Not expensive, maybe $6. I got the Truck-Lite grease, it comes in a half-pint paint can that'll last you for decades.

Even if the lamp is lighting up, if it has a bad ground the power goes through the 'turn' filament, then it goes backwards through the 'tail' filament and finds it's way to ground through the other tail lights.

The current through the tail filaments is lower, and the low current trips the flasher into the 'lamp out warning' fast flash mode. Only takes one lamp out to do this if they sized the flasher right.

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I respectfully disagree. The problem is that the metal contact strip in the socket that acts as the ground is too thin and looses it pressure against the bulb. By pulling up and twisting the contact you will restore the pressure and the bulb will function normally.

~>> -->-- ~ ~I respectfully disagree. The problem is that the metal contact strip in the ~socket that acts as the ground is too thin and looses it pressure against ~the bulb. By pulling up and twisting the contact you will restore the ~pressure and the bulb will function normally. ~

Thanks for the tips guys. I will pull up the contact (like the old Christmas lights) and put some vasoline on the contacts and screw the bulbs back in.

Thanks again!

I would not use Vaseline on the contacts because it can deteriorate rubber. The best stuff to use is dielectric grease, available at auto parts stores, or WD-40.

~> Thanks again! ~ ~I would not use Vaseline on the contacts because it can deteriorate ~rubber. The best stuff to use is dielectric grease, available at auto ~parts stores, or WD-40.

OK, thanks -- WD-40 it is then.

The problem with WD-40 is that it doesn't leave much of a protective coating, but it is better than nothing.

good luck!

When I fixed both on mine about 3-4 years ago, I just cleaned them with denatured alcohol, and pulled/twisted the spring contacts to increase the tension. The problem is not corrosion, it is that the spring contacts loose tension because they are too thin (probably by just a few thousands of an inch).

I agree with Mark that the problem is the defective socket. Toyota supposed has a new part for it. But pulling and reinstalling the same part works. The grease in my experience didn't do anything (but it should have been there). Toyota really cuts costs can you tell.

Well I fixed it, first I took the back flasher out and reseated it but it still flashed very fast. So next I took out the front bukd, cleaned the bulb and socket contacts, and pulled out the contacts, put the bulb back in and presto, works like a champ.

BTW, the front bulb acts as parking and flasher so it's a standard two contact twist in bulb, whereas the back is a flasher only and is the kind with side wires that pushed in.

The front bulb was a bitch to get to. My Haynes book says the remove the top pin and rotate the parking light bessel out to access the bulb. But there's also a tab on the headlight that mates with the parking light bessel and is virtuall welded together after 7 years. In the end I couldn't push the tab back out and the park on the parking besse broke off. Fortunately it doesn't really do that much, and the parking bessel is fairly tight with just the top connector. Haynes doesn't even mention this operation.