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Car's signaling lights do not blink?

SatsumomoSatsumomo Rated PG!Registered User regular
edited May 2009 in Help / Advice Forum
Out of the blue, my car's turn signal lights aren't working correctly. They just turn on, but do not blink. Same thing happens if I press the hazard lights button, all 4 lights will just turn on but not blink.

I checked fuses, all of them are ok, only trouble I see is that one of my stoplights (1 of 4) is burnt out. It's been like that for 2 years so I don't think it could be related.

What should I be looking for? I know my way around electrical stuff, but I don't know how a flashing light works, so I haven't figured out where to start.

Satsumomo on

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    capnricocapnrico Registered User regular
    edited May 2009
    I had a similar thing happen on a car a few years ago. Ended up being something called a "4-way switch" was bad.

    capnrico on
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    SatsumomoSatsumomo Rated PG! Registered User regular
    edited May 2009
    I just remembered I have a maintenance manual (Those 8" thick books) for my car. I'm gonna look for the 4-way switch in it.

    Edit: Obviously, I don't understand wiring diagrams, haha. "Combination Flasher Unit Check" is this what I'm looking for?

    Edit2: Yes, it is. Now I gotta check if it works! Thanks for the tip, it helped me remember I had this manual lying around.

    Satsumomo on
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    MrOlettaMrOletta Registered User regular
    edited May 2009
    Is it a Pontiac Grand Am by any chance?

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    ImprovoloneImprovolone Registered User regular
    edited May 2009
    I remember hearing on Car Talk that your blinker lights will flash faster when the bulb is on it's way out. Maybe this is similar.

    Improvolone on
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    ThanatosThanatos Registered User regular
    edited May 2009
    The first thing I always check when my car has an electrical problem is the fuses.

    Thanatos on
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    desdinovadesdinova Registered User regular
    edited May 2009
    If they turn on and don't blink, 99% of the time it's the blinker relay. Sometimes they're nice and put these in an easy to get to location like the fuse box or under the hood.

    desdinova on
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    ZeonZeon Registered User regular
    edited May 2009
    desdinova wrote: »
    If they turn on and don't blink, 99% of the time it's the blinker relay. Sometimes they're nice and put these in an easy to get to location like the fuse box or under the hood.

    Yeah i can almost guarantee this is what it is.

    Zeon on
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    SatsumomoSatsumomo Rated PG! Registered User regular
    edited May 2009
    It's a B12 Sentra, I located the relay in the service manual, but it's not there in the car heh, I'll have to pop open the hood and search for it. It's my sister's car, and she's always out so I don't get much time on it.

    Are these relays hard/expensive to get? The one in the service manual looks like a unit made specifically for this car.

    Satsumomo on
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    Nova_CNova_C I have the need The need for speedRegistered User regular
    edited May 2009
    Are all the lights working? The time my car did this was when one of the bulbs burnt out.

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    ImprovoloneImprovolone Registered User regular
    edited May 2009
    And checking if the bulbs work is a real easy thing.

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    SatsumomoSatsumomo Rated PG! Registered User regular
    edited May 2009
    Well yeah, I said so in the first post guys.

    Satsumomo on
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    UsagiUsagi Nah Registered User regular
    edited May 2009
    before buying a relay, you might consider replacing the burnt out bulb

    Usagi on
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    RUNN1NGMANRUNN1NGMAN Registered User regular
    edited May 2009
    Satsumomo wrote: »
    It's a B12 Sentra, I located the relay in the service manual, but it's not there in the car heh, I'll have to pop open the hood and search for it. It's my sister's car, and she's always out so I don't get much time on it.

    Are these relays hard/expensive to get? The one in the service manual looks like a unit made specifically for this car.

    You can get them at any auto parts store. It shouldn't be too expensive and it shouldn't be unique to the car model--manufacturer maybe. They usually look like a big block or cylinder, pretty easy to identify once you know where to look.

    RUNN1NGMAN on
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