westin55 Posted January 26, 2010 Report Share Posted January 26, 2010 our 2008 Ford Edge has suddenly started this: the left turn signal is flashing very fast, but is working. The right turn signal is fine. All other lights and bulbs seem to be working. Could this be a fuse? How should we address it? Just afraid it's an electrical problem, but nothing else seems affected at this time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PSUFetch Posted January 26, 2010 Report Share Posted January 26, 2010 our 2008 Ford Edge has suddenly started this: the left turn signal is flashing very fast, but is working. The right turn signal is fine. All other lights and bulbs seem to be working. Could this be a fuse? How should we address it? Just afraid it's an electrical problem, but nothing else seems affected at this time. When you say it's working, did you check that both the front and rear turn signals are flashing on the left side? The fast blinking is usually an indicator that one of the bulbs is burned out. Even if the parking lights work, the turn signal may be burned out because the bulbs are dual filament. One filament burns brighter for the turn signal while the other burns more dimly for the parking light. If it were a fuse, you wouldn't have power to the bulb, so it wouldn't work at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westin55 Posted January 26, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2010 Thanks...I'll check that! I was driving when it happened, so I could see the front light blinking fast, but don't know about the back one. Good call on the fuse...that makes sense. When you say it's working, did you check that both the front and rear turn signals are flashing on the left side? The fast blinking is usually an indicator that one of the bulbs is burned out. Even if the parking lights work, the turn signal may be burned out because the bulbs are dual filament. One filament burns brighter for the turn signal while the other burns more dimly for the parking light. If it were a fuse, you wouldn't have power to the bulb, so it wouldn't work at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westin55 Posted January 26, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2010 One other thing...is this something that is covered under warranty? Or is it just as easy to replace it ourselves? When you say it's working, did you check that both the front and rear turn signals are flashing on the left side? The fast blinking is usually an indicator that one of the bulbs is burned out. Even if the parking lights work, the turn signal may be burned out because the bulbs are dual filament. One filament burns brighter for the turn signal while the other burns more dimly for the parking light. If it were a fuse, you wouldn't have power to the bulb, so it wouldn't work at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted January 26, 2010 Report Share Posted January 26, 2010 One other thing...is this something that is covered under warranty? Or is it just as easy to replace it ourselves? Bulbs are usually not covered under warranty unless they were affected by some other problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOFSTEEL Posted January 26, 2010 Report Share Posted January 26, 2010 The fast blinking usually occurs when a bulb is about to burn out. Just replace that bulb and everything will be back to normal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ablb Posted January 27, 2010 Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 The fast blinking usually occurs when a bulb is about to burn out. Just replace that bulb and everything will be back to normal. Wit and Humor :happy feet: We need some on here every once in a while! :wacko: ab Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOFSTEEL Posted January 27, 2010 Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 Wit and Humor :happy feet: We need some on here every once in a while! :wacko: ab Yeah, I wasn't being funny. When there is less of a load on a signal flasher, it will cycle faster. That is why he is getting a fast blinker. Just change the bulb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blockisle9 Posted January 27, 2010 Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 An incandescent bulbs knows when it’s about to blow??? I always thought the filament is either intact (continuity) or broken (no continuity) I may have to relearn my ohms law. Yeah, I wasn't being funny. When there is less of a load on a signal flasher, it will cycle faster. That is why he is getting a fast blinker. Just change the bulb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danimal Posted January 27, 2010 Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 Yeah, I wasn't being funny. When there is less of a load on a signal flasher, it will cycle faster. That is why he is getting a fast blinker. Just change the bulb. The only way the current draw on the flasher relay could be lower is if one of the bulbs has a broken filiment, i.e. burnt out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOFSTEEL Posted January 27, 2010 Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 To the OP. Change the bulb that's blinking fast and post up if the fast blinking goes away. I'm not going to argue my point when I've dealt with the same issue with just about every car I've owned. I'd say a bulb change will solve the problem 9 out of 10 times. Like others have said a relay or a short would be the next place to look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vs08edge Posted January 27, 2010 Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 I just had this happen, and yes it was a burnt out bulb. Replace the bulb and all will be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westin55 Posted January 27, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 Update!!! We went to change the bulb last night (it was showing that it was "out"), and as soon as we removed the rear light cover, it came back on! Apparently there is some sort of short in the wire...we adjusted it a little, replaced the light cover, and it is working fine now. If it happens again, we're taking it back to the dealership as the car is still under warranty. Saving the $5 bulbs for a later day. I just had this happen, and yes it was a burnt out bulb. Replace the bulb and all will be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feelin edgy Posted January 27, 2010 Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 I agree with the other posters. I have only ever had a blinker flash faster when a bulb was burned out. Or as in the case of the OP, the bulb was not connected. I don't see how a bulb can indicate that it is about to burn out by flashing faster. Ohms law is what it is. The resistance will not change unless the circuit is broken. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Posted January 27, 2010 Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 (edited) Fast flasher operation is a sign of reduced current - burned out bulb or loss of contact. Some of the latest flashers are hybrids (both mechanical and electronic) which include "lamp out" notice provisions. LED's require lower current and the incorrect flasher can sometimes sense "bulb out" in error and flash rapidly without a bulb outage. Edited January 28, 2010 by Grey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kempie Posted January 27, 2010 Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 So, how do you tell which bulb is about to burn out if they are both working? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danimal Posted January 27, 2010 Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 To the OP. Change the bulb that's blinking fast and post up if the fast blinking goes away. One bulb wouldn't be blinking fast, the whole circuit is blinking faster, including dash light and the bulb that is still intact. The bulb that is not blinking at all should be replaced! -Dan 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOFSTEEL Posted January 27, 2010 Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 One bulb wouldn't be blinking fast, the whole circuit is blinking faster, including dash light and the bulb that is still intact. The bulb that is not blinking at all should be replaced! -Dan Please read the quote below. The OP did NOT have a bulb that was out. Every time I had a turn signal start blinking faster (at least 10 different times) it was because the bulb was about to burn out. I simply just replaced the turn signal bulb that was blinking faster (not burnt out) and the problem was solved. Fast flasher operation is a sign of reduced current - burned out bulb or loss of contact. Some of the latest flashers are hybrids (both mechanical and electronic) which include "lamp out" notice provisions. LED's require lower currnet and the incorrect flasher can sometimes sense "bulb out" in error and flash rapidly without a bulb outage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feelin edgy Posted January 27, 2010 Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 MOS, your and my experience have been very different on a couple of different matters. In my experience, all of the bulbs in either the right or left turn signal system are on a single circuit. I don't see how it is possible for a single bulb to blink faster and the rest of them to blink at the normal rate. The blinking is caused by opening and closing of a switch in an electromechanical device that is controlled by the amount of current flowing to the bulbs. This switch is either open or closed for all the bulbs at the same time. How can one bulb blink faster? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Depiry Posted January 27, 2010 Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 Flasher sequence as to speed are load related,flashers are load specific,for 2 lamps,3 lamps,etc, if one filament burns out or breaks the sequence speed increases to tell you a lamp is out,some were designed to stop flashing if the load was not correct but SAE changed specs so that any left would flash,heavy duty 5-12 lamp flashers for larger applications are not load specific,Marty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ablb Posted January 27, 2010 Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 Update!!! We went to change the bulb last night (it was showing that it was "out"), and as soon as we removed the rear light cover, it came back on! Apparently there is some sort of short in the wire...we adjusted it a little, replaced the light cover, and it is working fine now. If it happens again, we're taking it back to the dealership as the car is still under warranty. Saving the $5 bulbs for a later day. A short would cause the fuse to blow, an open ( bad connection in the socket) would act like a blown bulb. Lots of discussion about burnt tail light sockets, did you notice any discoloration of the socket? http://www.fordedgeforum.com/index.php?/topic/2594-does-anyone-else-have-burnt-taillight-lamps/page__hl__socket ab Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted January 28, 2010 Report Share Posted January 28, 2010 A short would cause the fuse to blow, an open ( bad connection in the socket) would act like a blown bulb. Lots of discussion about burnt tail light sockets, did you notice any discoloration of the socket? http://www.fordedgeforum.com/index.php?/topic/2594-does-anyone-else-have-burnt-taillight-lamps/page__hl__socket ab Sometimes the filament can be broken but the pieces are still together and it will go on and off intermittently until it finally breaks all the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feelin edgy Posted January 28, 2010 Report Share Posted January 28, 2010 A short would cause the fuse to blow, an open ( bad connection in the socket) would act like a blown bulb. Lots of discussion about burnt tail light sockets, did you notice any discoloration of the socket? http://www.fordedgeforum.com/index.php?/topic/2594-does-anyone-else-have-burnt-taillight-lamps/page__hl__socket ab ablb, I appreciate your answer on this topic, but to the non technical world, any problem with a wire is commonly if inaccurately described as a short. I gave up correcting people on this long ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ablb Posted January 28, 2010 Report Share Posted January 28, 2010 :yup: ablb, I appreciate your answer on this topic, but to the non technical world, any problem with a wire is commonly if inaccurately described as a short. I gave up correcting people on this long ago. ME TOO! I usually get this REAL serious look of my face :wacko: and say "WWwHHhEEeee thank goodness you have a short and not a LONG it could be really serious if you have a LONG!! :unsure: " ab Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blockisle9 Posted February 2, 2010 Report Share Posted February 2, 2010 I just wanted to thank everyone for jinxing me LOL. Now my right rear blinker is out. Off to get a lamp now. Lenny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.