Turn Signals Intermittent
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 148
Likes: 37
From: St. Louis
Turn Signals Intermittent
My turn signals work sometimes and not other times. When they don't work, NOTHING works. No indicator light on dash, no exterior turn signal lights. Any suggestions? Thx.
Pro
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 515
Likes: 133
This is frequently caused by the emergency flasher switch, which also includes the turn signal flashers. When the turn signal doesn't work, exercise the switch a number of times and see if it helps. A search on this forum will show ways for DIY replacement and also various bypasses. I had the shop replace mine.
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Almost guaranteed to be the emergency flasher switch. Horrible design. When it flakes out, you can also lose your brake lights (the CHMSL still works, but the regular lights don't).
If you replace it, do not buy the POS Dorman part. Spend the little bit extra and get an OEM part.
If you opt for the bypass solution, keep in mind that you may end up replacing it anyhow to fix the brake lights.
It's a pain to change, but there are videos out there. You essentially go in through the radio opening and pop it out. It helps to have small hands with joints that can move in every direction. Crappy job.
If you replace it, do not buy the POS Dorman part. Spend the little bit extra and get an OEM part.
If you opt for the bypass solution, keep in mind that you may end up replacing it anyhow to fix the brake lights.
It's a pain to change, but there are videos out there. You essentially go in through the radio opening and pop it out. It helps to have small hands with joints that can move in every direction. Crappy job.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 148
Likes: 37
From: St. Louis
Hey. Thanks so much. I have 'exercized' the hazard switch. Next time I drive it--and the turn signals quit--I will try to operate the emergency hazard switch a couple of times. Is it the switch itself that becomes defective? Is there a separate flasher unit somewhere (the little aluminum cans that we had in the old days?). Is it possible to remove the emergency flasher switch and spray contact cleaner into it--maybe while it's still in the dash? (I repair audio electronics, speakers, etc. this way).
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,862
Likes: 594
From: Prescott, Arizona
Yes there is a way to spray cleaner into the switch. Check post 17 in the thread below. I did that because of a similar problem a couple of years ago- fixed. I used CLP Break-Free for the cleaner preservative.
I also bought a Hyper Flash unit as a backup, but have not installed it yet.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...l-problem.html
I also bought a Hyper Flash unit as a backup, but have not installed it yet.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...l-problem.html
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 42,487
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SPARTAN
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CI-9 AutoX Winner
CI-3 Go Kart Champ
St. Jude '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11
Hey. Thanks so much. I have 'exercized' the hazard switch. Next time I drive it--and the turn signals quit--I will try to operate the emergency hazard switch a couple of times. Is it the switch itself that becomes defective? Is there a separate flasher unit somewhere (the little aluminum cans that we had in the old days?). Is it possible to remove the emergency flasher switch and spray contact cleaner into it--maybe while it's still in the dash? (I repair audio electronics, speakers, etc. this way).
At best, it's a temporary solution. It's a horrible switch design.
And if you DO install a different turn signal flasher, you won't know that the hazard switch went bad (again) until someone tell you that you don't have brake lights.
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Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 148
Likes: 37
From: St. Louis
Does anyone have pictures of the hazard switch OUT of the car? Any pictures of a broken one showing inside details? I'm in the audio business and have cleaned/lubed a lot of switches in my day. Seeing the 'innards' would help me understand how it might be fixed/improved. I'm assuming the C6 switch is totally different?
Last edited by commonsense; Nov 16, 2019 at 08:20 AM.