Flasher Help

[MStearns]

I am sick and tired of my turn signal flasher while towing. It flashes too fast and is hardly noticable. The annoying thing is it has always been this way. From the factory my truck came with a spare "heavy duty" flasher for use when towing but I could distinguish no difference in the flash rate between the standard duty and the so called heavy duty. I've tried "heavy duty" flashers from NAPA and several other places... they all do the same thing. Allow the turn signals to flash so fast that they are hardly noticable. Does no one make an actual heavy duty flasher for a 96 Dodge?Oo. I've put up with this for long enough!



Any help would be sorely appreciated, Thanks.

 

[TMRoper1669]

Check your trailer lights. Does your flasher act different when you are hooked up to a trailer? If so it's in your trailer lights, you could have a bulb that is almost shorting out or a loose wire. I was a RV Tech for awhile and this is a more common problem then one might think.

 

[MStearns]

Unfortunately it has done it with every trailer I have ever towed. It does it with my 24' Gooseneck, my Camper Trailer, and my buddies 16' flatbed. I've been focused on the flasher up to this point but I guess it is possible the problem is somewhere in the wiring harness of my truck.

 

[PBJ2500CTD]

Mark,

Something appears to be causing an excessive load on the circuit, or a faulty flasher unit. Since it seems to occur with a number of different trailers I would focus at the truck level. Since the truck works fine w/o a trailer hooked up I would verify the correct flasher was being swapped out. Does the '94 have the combination flasher or a separate turn signal and 4 way flasher. If it has separate flashers is the correct flasher being swapped out? (This was a common issue on some cars and trucks from the late 60's on).
Check the truck's trailer plug for wiring issues - corrosion, loose connections, etc. Insure a good ground at the plug's ground pin to chassis ground.

Bruce

 

[B.G. Smith]

I have a Haynes manual for that year model truck, it shows to have two different flashers?????? Could it be that you have been changing the wrong one? bg

 

[Jerky]

Years ago with my 96 I got a flasher from an auto store made for towing trailers etc. I don't know if it was electronic or what but after changing it out it worked fine while towing. Maybe this will help.

 

[MStearns]

WELL NOW I DO FEEL SILLY. I have been changing the wrong flasher all of this time. There seems to be a misprint in my owners manual, as it idicates the "top" flasher on the panel is for the turn signals. As I previously said, I've never really spent any time troubleshooting this, particularly since the bottom flasher was plastic and exactly what I have seen/expect for a hazzard flasher. Low and behold, when I actually sat down and troubleshot it I realized the the bottom flasher was cycling the turn signals. I swapped my heavy duty flasher into the bottom slot and It absolutely made a difference.



I did have to spread the connectors on the flasher a little to get it to firmly seat and make a connection. As a matter of fact, of all the different types of flashers I have in my possession, only the silly plastic one from the factory plugged and made connection correctly. All of the others were sloppy and had to be physically held in order for them to make a connection.



Oh well, live and learn. Thanks everyone for all of the help!