Question about weird behaving turn signals

Let us know what transpires, Reba....
 
Jiro said:
:eek3:
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Yep. M-B dealers charge outrageous rates for parts and labor no matter where you go. Their excuse is that their mechanics are educated, certified, and wear white lab coats.

Ya know the Smart Fortwo's are designed and built by M-B? All parts come from M-B. Dealer wants $100 to change the oil and filter, and it only takes 3.5 quarts. That's why my mother asked me to change it for her. Nothing special about the engine, it is a Mitsubishi 1.0L inline-3.

(What is most puzzling is that the oil drain plug on the Smart is 23mm. No, I am not kidding. I don't think I've ever used a 23mm socket for any vehicle other than one car's front spindle bearing nut).
 
Reba said:
Never.
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Same here...(Florida)...but N.C. requires the inspection (to my last knowledge when I lived there)...they also charge "road tax" every year (and Florida doesn't)....and the roads are still not good!....just another taxing tax that N.C. has....
 
Reba said:
This week, the turn signals in my Jeep have begun to act weird. I want to know if any of you have experienced this.

I have a 2000 Jeep Cherokee. Four times this week, when I have the left turn signal on at a certain intersection, it stops for a couple of beats, then starts up again. Today, it also did that when I came back to the same intersection in the opposite direction, using the right turn signal. Then, about an hour later, when I was turning left out of a driveway, it stopped and started again.

This is getting me nervous.
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At least in old cars, there is a flasher in the fuse box which regulates the number of flashes. Assuming there is no faulty wiring, I would try to change that and the bulb first, then look into the switch.
 
green427 said:
Yep. M-B dealers charge outrageous rates for parts and labor no matter where you go. Their excuse is that their mechanics are educated, certified, and wear white lab coats.

Ya know the Smart Fortwo's are designed and built by M-B? All parts come from M-B. Dealer wants $100 to change the oil and filter, and it only takes 3.5 quarts. That's why my mother asked me to change it for her. Nothing special about the engine, it is a Mitsubishi 1.0L inline-3.

(What is most puzzling is that the oil drain plug on the Smart is 23mm. No, I am not kidding. I don't think I've ever used a 23mm socket for any vehicle other than one car's front spindle bearing nut).
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What? I don't have 23mm socket, have 22,24,27,30 and 32mm sockets in my tool cart. Largest drain plug on the tiny oil pan? wtf. Older Jaguar/Volvo have larger drain plugs, 1 inch or 25.5mm. I last serviced oil/filter change on a 93 Volvo 240 last week ago, use 1 inch socket w/ 6point and 1/2" drive.

Always they are expensive, if you own a 2010 MBZ CL600 AMG, they would charge you $500ish or more for oil service because the mechanic will take long time to do the oil service, inspection, reset oil reminder by use scan tool as professional manner, the oil/filter can last 12K miles, sounds normal to me. Even they are not include parts like air filter or cabin air filter. Charge extra for hazard fee (waste oil/filter).
 
VacationGuy234 said:
At least in old cars, there is a flasher in the fuse box which regulates the number of flashes. Assuming there is no faulty wiring, I would try to change that and the bulb first, then look into the switch.
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Early domestic vehicles have 2 flashers for turn signal switch AND hazard switch, GM cars from mid-1965(I can't recall) have one flasher for both turn signal and hazard switches because they built-in one unit as multi-function switch
 
From a friend's experience replacing her fuse under the dash of her Jeep Grand Cherokee, she also overheard of the relay component located above the fuse box-may be also located there in Reba's vehicle. When I tried to confirm this, seems impossible to access unless the lower dashboard panel was removed.
 
deafsmogtech said:
Early domestic vehicles have 2 flashers for turn signal switch AND hazard switch, GM cars from mid-1965(I can't recall) have one flasher for both turn signal and hazard switches because they built-in one unit as multi-function switch
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Yes, but I wonder if they are controlled by computer today. There does not seem to be a reason to have an extra coil.
 
In the next couple days TCS hopes to try out some of these suggestions. Scheduling is a problem.
 
SeanB said:
From a friend's experience replacing her fuse under the dash of her Jeep Grand Cherokee, she also overheard of the relay component located above the fuse box-may be also located there in Reba's vehicle. When I tried to confirm this, seems impossible to access unless the lower dashboard panel was removed.
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yes right, Remove the kick blocker (bottom dash panel above the steering column) access the combination flasher in the relay box. One problem is sharp objects under the dash when you reach the flasher/relay, scratch your hand.
 
VacationGuy234 said:
Yes, but I wonder if they are controlled by computer today. There does not seem to be a reason to have an extra coil.
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Yes, the computer controlled vehicles have BCM (Body Control Module) or other modules, the reason to add more modules for these vehicles is to reduce wires and wiring harnesses, means few wires under the dash or cluster like you see no flasher relay under the dash, you finally found bad external light module under the trunk after diagnose inoperative turn signal/tail lights. The small external light module have tiny built-in flashers or relays in the PC board (Print Circuit), you can not replace flasher or relay, buy a whole module from dealership to correct the turn sign light. Sorry I won't tell you what kind of the cars that I diagnose the electrical circuits.
 
Reba, you are eligible now. Just leave your left turn signal on 24/7. :P
 
green427 said:
Yep. M-B dealers charge outrageous rates for parts and labor no matter where you go. Their excuse is that their mechanics are educated, certified, and wear white lab coats.

Ya know the Smart Fortwo's are designed and built by M-B? All parts come from M-B. Dealer wants $100 to change the oil and filter, and it only takes 3.5 quarts. That's why my mother asked me to change it for her. Nothing special about the engine, it is a Mitsubishi 1.0L inline-3.

(What is most puzzling is that the oil drain plug on the Smart is 23mm. No, I am not kidding. I don't think I've ever used a 23mm socket for any vehicle other than one car's front spindle bearing nut).
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I'm pretty sure there should be an aftermarket oil drain plug with proper size.
 
It could be a lot of reasons.

In a lot of modern vehicles, there's a feature where the blinker will blink faster if the light bulb is bad. (I learned this last month when I noticed my right signal was blinking normally, but my left blinker was blinking faster... and found out my rear left turn light was burnt out.)

A lot of cars will have a slight fluctuation in electrical features when the car changes state. For instance, you may notice that the headlights get a bit brighter when you press the gas.

When the turning system gets old, the blinker may not catch when you turn or may not hold when you activate it. I have that problem in my car. When I turn on the blinker, then make the turn... it doesn't catch when I go straight again. So, the blinker continues blinking. From time to time, it will catch and disengage the blinker when I go straight again.

I actually had a car in high school where the blinker wiring got messed up. If I used the blinker, my high-beam headlights would activate. When I went straight, it would go back to low-beam. I had to deal with this for about a week or two before I finally got the part replaced.

So, keeping all those things I mentioned ahead... it could be any of them. Could be the electrical causing your blinker to act funny when you press the gas and the brake separately. Next time you notice it, try to notice if there's any reaction between stopping the car and accelerating. If you're in a parking lot, stop the car while the blinker is still on and look around outside. See if there's a light bulb burnt out.

If all else fails and/or you want to get it inspected, there are some places that can look at your car for free. Some will look at it for a cost, but waive the cost if it's fixed at the same place for a cost. (For example, costs $30 to look at your car. If they find that the alternator is bad and costs $90 to fix it, they will only charge you $90 instead of $120.)
 
Wirelessly posted (BB Curve 9300)

Both blinkers blink at a steady, normal rate. The blinker stops and then starts again when I'm sitting at a traffic light, not moving or changing modes.
 
Reba said:
Wirelessly posted (BB Curve 9300)

Both blinkers blink at a steady, normal rate. The blinker stops and then starts again when I'm sitting at a traffic light, not moving or changing modes.
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It's close to Halloween...maybe ur Cherokee is playing a "prank" on you?....:giggle:
 
rockin'robin said:
It's close to Halloween...maybe ur Cherokee is playing a "prank" on you?....:giggle:
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Not just her Cherokee but something has it in for her in general given that one barrel of her shotgun doesn't want to fire every time the trigger is pulled!
 
Reba said:
Wirelessly posted (BB Curve 9300)

Both blinkers blink at a steady, normal rate. The blinker stops and then starts again when I'm sitting at a traffic light, not moving or changing modes.
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hhhmmmm................... sounds like a power interference or low power. I'm wondering if your battery may be going kaput.... your jeep is over 10 years old. when's the last time its battery was replaced?

for ie - when driving, your electrical system is being powered by stator but when stopped, your electrical system is being powered by battery.
 
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