intermittent turn signals

[strings1732]

when I turn on a turn signal or my hazards they only work intermittently. If I hit the steering wheel with my palm, they will flash, but the hazrds will only do the left turn signal at this point. I'm not really in the mood to get pulled over for this, so can anyone help me figure this out? I've replaced the Multi function switch and that did nothing.

Any input or ideas are much appreciated!

 

[St Louis SHO]

MFS. Gotta be.

 

[firebat45]

MFS. Gotta be.

He said he replaced it.

Did you check the wiring for the MFS? Maybe the connector has a bad pin? Do your wipers still work?

 

[strings1732]

My wipers work fine. I replaced the MFS with a known working one out of my 2002 taurus. Like I said, if I hit the steering wheel, the signals will work occasionally. Earlier they weren't working but I hit the steering wheel and low and behold, they are working flawlessly for the time being. I'm wondering if it could be the clockswitch, or the wiring. I have tried to find a loose pin, but couldn't find anything. Does anyone have a wiring schematic so I can figure out which color wires to test for a break. If I can hard wire them and they work fine, it leads me to believe its the clockswitch... Also my ignition switch went south a while back(long after the turn signal thing had started), and I had to wire in a push button start. Otherwise my starter was on all the time.

 

[SHO SPD]

Ignition switch is on the fritz.. Replace it

 

[strings1732]

well there really isn't a need to replace the ignition switch, unless it is causing my turn signal issues, which I do not believe that it is. The reason for that is that the turn signals had started to do this a few years before the ignition switch issue. and now my ignition switch is pretty much disconnected and I'm still having the issues with the turn signals.

Can someone actually help with the issue at hand and not throw out random parts that they think should just be replaced.

 

[SHO SPD]

Well my turn signals and hazards stopped completely and it was a bad ignition switch.

 

[strings1732]

With it disconnected do you think it could still be causing issues? And are you meaning the ignition like where you put the key or the relay in the column?

 

[SHO SPD]

To be honest I dont know, back then I didnt work on cars, all I know is the Ford Dealership replaced the ignition switch and it fixed it. Its not the lock solenoid though. Its a white box looking thing in the column

 

[platoribs]

When Green's signals were acting up I replaced the MFS per advice above and everything worked after. Your "known working MFS", may not be.

 

[strings1732]

Well I double and triple checked the MFS on 2 different cars last night and mine is the only one it doesn't work on... I also tried a known working ignition switch. It didn't help either. They stopped working again, and one quick hit to the steering wheel made the blinkers come on, but not flash when turned on. any other ideas?

 

[hawkeye18]

Sounds like a loose wire in the connector to the MFS. Try pulling on all the wires, if one comes out, that was your problem.

 

[STL. SHO]

Mine was doing the same thing, and my problem was the flasher relay located between the park brake and steering coloum just under the dash. $10.00 at AZ

 

[strings1732]

none of the wires are loose. i will try the flasher relay

 

[kevinspann]

Look for any chafed wires as well in that harness. The larger plug is the one that does all of the turn signal business. Are the clips broken on that plug? Mine were, and the plug would come out of the switch far enough that the signals/hazards wouldn't work. Wipers were still fine, since the wiring for those is in the smaller plug.

 

[strings1732]

none of the wires are bad either that I can tell. With the dash pretty much halfway out, I could not see any issue with any of it. I was going to try the flasher relay, but there is about a foot of snow on the ground right now and the SHO is under it...

 

[kevinspann]

I kind of doubt its the flasher relay since it only works when you hit the wheel. Still sounds like a wiring/ plug issue. But its cheap, and worth a shot

 

[strings1732]

Well, the snow isclear enough, I'm gonna go replace the flasher and hope that it works...

 

[strings1732]

It was the flasher relay. Thanks for the help guys!

 

[kevinspann]

Excellentt news. Where is the flasher relay on gen 1s?