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Very Strange Brake Light/Turn Signal Problem

18K views 14 replies 5 participants last post by  Rebel13 
#1 · (Edited)
When I'm driving and I turn on my right hand turn signal, sometimes the green turn signal arrow on the dash will stay solid green and not blink. I can drive three miles down the road and all of a sudden it will start blinking. Today my girlfriend followed me and reported that sometimes the brake light would be on, and sometimes it would be off. When she noticed that the brake light would be off, I'd turn the turn signal ON and the green light inside the dash would be solid green.(not blinking like normal) When she reported that the brake light was on, the turn signal also blinked on the dash as it's supposed to. I have checked the bulb and it is fully functioning. I even took it out and cleaned it and cleaned the housing for the bulb. It's like it has a mind of its own, sometimes it works fine and sometimes it's not working. I can't find any logical rhyme or reason for when or why this is happening. I need help, I have to have an inspection Monday and don't want to risk it choosing then to not work. A mechanic buddy of mine informed me it was most likely a resister under the dash near the fuse box. It is a silver, round plug/resister/fuse that's the size of a silver dollar. He replaced it and said that would fix the problem, but it has not. I'm stumped, please help!

Mike
1995 Dakota
 
#3 ·
Ok, WHERE exactly is the flasher relay and would that be the silver dollar sized silver part my friend replaced near the inside cab fuse box or something different??

Also, I want to make this VERY clear. This is only happening on my right rear brake/turn signal bulb. The LEFT side brake and turn signal NEVER fail. I'm not a mechanic (and not trying to be a smart butt) but from a logical standpoint if it was a flasher relay....wouldn't it effect the left side as well from time to time?

Like I said, the left brake/turn signal works every time. It's only the right side giving me a problem and sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't and I'm pulling my hair out trying to figure it out. Thanks for your response.
 
#5 ·
I fixed it! It was not a relay, it was a wiring issue to some degree. The main issue was the reverse light only had one electrical metallic connection (not sure what the technical term is). The brake light happened to be a totally separate issue in the sense that it had two electrical metallic connectors. As it turns out, I had two brake light bulbs that EACH bulb had two electrical "bumps". I took the whole harness to Advanced Auto Parts and the sales person immediately showed me that the connection for the tail light hit between the "bumps" and that's why twisting it allowed for a connection. I got new bulbs, the correct ones, for both the brake lights and the reverse lights and now everything works perfectly. In a nutshell, it was a grounding issue, but when I had the right bulbs, the issue went away. Thank you all for your advice and help!

Mike
 
#8 ·
#10 ·
Not much help I know....but that's got to be an electrical issue somewhere. Fuse, wrong fuse, perhaps the relay as others suggested my problem was...or a grounding out issue. When you turn on the lights, SOMETHING is taking power away from the flashers or something is not hooked up right, or you got a bad part somewhere. I know saying it's got to be electrical is a definite "duh" but thats the best I can do for you. Hope you get your answer.
 
#14 ·
are your dash lights led too? not sure how the led flashers work but I'm guessing that is has something to do with the current flow when the park lights are turned on. would almost have to be grounding issues keeping the current from going to the flasher if they work the same as a conventional flasher, if it was a power feed issue then they should flash faster, but as I stated before, not sure as to how the led flashers work.
I know with the new Volvo trucks, if it did not come with led lights you have to reprogram the LCM if you change them or nothing will work and same goes for if it came with led and you change to incandecent bulbs...great fun the first time we had that issue.
 
#11 ·
This has happened since I converted to led's. I have a led flasher works fine. All bulbs hooked up right. Been told can be a grounding issue, but not sure exactly where to check the grounds?
 
#12 ·
so try this....... find a light bulb forum. Trust me, they're out there....lol Sign up and go to the led section, find an led expert on that forum, explain your issue...that with regular bulbs all was well (if I read u right), but once you converted to led now you have this issue...show them your video and try to explain a little more to them about what's going on. That's what I'd do. You converted to leds....you need a light expert, not a mechanic, and I'm not trying to be a smart ass. I'm just saying you are far more likely to get your answer from a lighting type forum. Preferably one that has nothing to do with cars at all. Just lights. Good luck.
 
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