Blinkers/Hazard lights & reverse lights not working

[chillman88]

Interesting, so even if there is continuity on the flasher fuse it might be faulty somehow? I'm also going to inspect the wiring going to the cab over camper plug and some at-home wiring done for a trailer hitch (PO). My guess is there is a short back there somewhere.

I can't say for sure, but I replaced my flasher and the issue hasn't returned. Old flasher seemed ok but it was 30 years old so since replacing it fixed my problem I didn't give it a second thought. Yes, my old flasher had continuity.

I just figured you could try it and it wouldn't cost you anything but a fuse if that's not the problem. I'm not a fan of crawling around with mud falling in my face pulling apart wiring looms if I don't absolutely have to

 

[kenaidon]

Flashers work by opening circuit for a moment like a self resetting circuit breaker thats why when you have a bulb out you sometimes see your indicator lamp glow steady (not enough load on it to make it trip off) or flash too fast (electronic version) same deal not enough load. They do go bad, when you have separate ones like yours you can swap them to see if problem follows it.

 

[RSchanz]

I can't say for sure, but I replaced my flasher and the issue hasn't returned. Old flasher seemed ok but it was 30 years old so since replacing it fixed my problem I didn't give it a second thought. Yes, my old flasher had continuity.

I just figured you could try it and it wouldn't cost you anything but a fuse if that's not the problem. I'm not a fan of crawling around with mud falling in my face pulling apart wiring looms if I don't absolutely have to

I cant argue that! We just got a bunch of rain and I don't have a garage haha

 

[Cubey]

Try replacing or even swapping the flasher first. That's what caused mine to blow. Swapping the hazard flasher to the signals is free to test it.

Yep. A Motorcraft branded flasher for the hazards blew that little odd 15A glass fuse on me the other day. Was both the original flasher and original fuse (paint striped).

I had a spare fuse, but i went ahead and bought a pack at O'Reilly's since they're that odd size.. plus a new heavy duty flasher.

I have run the hazards lots since then crossing mountains and it's working fine. Flashing faster like it should. The old one was well beyond is service life.

 

[ih8minimumwage]

I'm not exactly sure how to find that but I will do some research, thanks for the tip.

I'm not exactly sure how to find that but I will do some research, thanks for the tip.



When the hazards are on all lights blink and I think the dash signal might only work on the left side. With the blinkers nothing happens, no exterior lights flashing, no activity on the dash and no clicking from the flasher fuse.

Turn signal switch is referring to the switch inside the column or is it somewhere else?

Reverse switch will be on the transmission on the passenger side, IIRC. Will be the only wiring going to the transmission (from the driver side). Had a bit rub through and short to the body. Should be able to get under the truck and check it pretty quick.

As others have said, check any aftermarket trailer wiring.

 

[chillman88]

Yep. A Motorcraft branded flasher for the hazards blew that little odd 15A glass fuse on me the other day. Was both the original flasher and original fuse (paint striped).

I had a spare fuse, but i went ahead and bought a pack at O'Reilly's since they're that odd size.. plus a new heavy duty flasher.

I have run the hazards lots since then crossing mountains and it's working fine. Flashing faster like it should. The old one was well beyond is service life.

Mine really caught me off guard. I was sitting at a stoplight and it started blinking slower and then just stopped. I was very lucky I was able to swipe the flasher from my other truck that night. Turns out my brake light fuse was blown too, very odd.

 

[Cubey]

Mine really caught me off guard. I was sitting at a stoplight and it started blinking slower and then just stopped. I was very lucky I was able to swipe the flasher from my other truck that night. Turns out my brake light fuse was blown too, very odd.

I suspect the flasher starts pulling excessive amps trying to operate but is unable to, like a seized up electric motor pulling power but isn't turning, which blows the fuse since it's stuck on, along with the lamps.

 

[RSchanz]

Well, easy enough it was just the flasher and I replaced the hazards and the blinkers and it's got a nice fresh clicking sound now. As @chillman88 suggested regardless of continuity (and still reading .5ohm) the flasher still screws things up. @Cubey you might have a good theory there.

The reverse lights work now although only on the driver side, maybe the coincidence now is that the bulb on pass. side is just out. Thanks for the help and ideas.

 

[RSchanz]

Its not over yet! Since replacing the flasher fuses I hear one of them intermittently click sometimes it just goes consistently sometimes its on/off and sometimes its more faint. It doesn't actually seem to turn on either of the flashers but the fuse is getting power (not sure if that even makes sense). I felt the fuse this am when it was doing it and it was the front fuse which I believe is blinkers not hazards. Thought I even noticed a little bit of smoke coming out of the ignition switch yesterday haha... I took the steering wheel off today assuming it has to do with that because sometimes it gets hung up and I can hear it clicking when turning etc. The steering column doesnt look particularly straight and the wheel wobbles up and down if I fiddle with it so something is jacked up from the P/O.

Here are pictures of what I found on the inside. All wires look fine but the contacts for the blinkers look odd on the blue wire - very worn. Im tempted to file it down so its smooth because I think its barely touching when it shouldn't maybe? Mind you someone did do some funky wiring and I'm still wondering if that could be leading to this.

Anybody have ideas?

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[Cubey]

Those are the horn contacts, unless I am mistaken.


This is the the turn signal part. I had to replace the same part in a 78 Dodge van.

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c/dorman-help/engine-sensors---emissions/body-switches/turn-signal-cam/2adc80f08973/dorman-help-turn-signal-cam/mtm0/49301/v/a/5327/automotive-truck-1987-ford-f-250?q=turn+signal+directional+cam&pos=0

 

[RSchanz]

You might be right, I wonder if that lip is hanging up on the steering wheel when spinning it though.

I hate taking that thing on/off because its hard to line up the screws again but maybe I need to take it off and inspect everything closer. Any other ideas on how the flasher fuse might be picking up power when it shouldn't be?

 

[Cubey]

Maybe the hazard light switch is bad?


I dug the complete assembly up on Rockauto. It has the turn signal cam, hazards switch, and horn contacts. First I looked under my 85 E-350 and found this:

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WVE 1S1108 (typed so you can copy/paste it)


Then I checked under your 86 F-250 to see if it's the same, and it is, but it lacks the info about manual trans.

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1986 FORD F-250 6.9L 420cid V8 DIESEL Turn Signal Switch | RockAuto

RockAuto ships auto parts and body parts from over 300 manufacturers to customers' doors worldwide, all at warehouse prices. Easy to use parts catalog.

www.rockauto.com

 

[RSchanz]

Shoot, thanks for finding that. I think it's only the blinker fuse not the hazard fuse but thats just based off me only feeling the fuse for the blinkers this am when I was hearing it and I could feel the clicking. Maybe I should just get a whole new assembly.

 

[Cubey]

You could pull the flasher for the hazards as a means of diagnosing it, if you also suspect a problem with turn signals. There's two of them, one for turn signals, one for hazards. If it's like my E-350, they are just dangling loose down low in the dash.

They look something like this:

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EDIT: Oh, your turn signal one is on the fuse panel. The hazard one might be dangling.

 

[RSchanz]

I replaced both of those last week, flasher is on the front of the fuse box and hazard is on the back.

I dont really know how that switch works for the blinkers but my thought is that since I can kinda feel the steering wheel hanging up when I spin it maybe the contacts are touching when they arent supposed to and therefore sending power to the fuse when it should be. Maybe if the contacts barely touch it sends less power and thats why the sound is kind of faint sometimes not a full click. The odd thing is that when it happens I havent seen the flashers actually illuminated. AND by the way, it only seems to happen when the car is on where if I'm not mistaken the hazards should work regardless of the position of the key thats another reason why I think its only the flashers.