Thread: turn signals don't flash now, only solid even with new signal unit

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so I was recently doing a bunch of work and painting my truck and now that it's back together the turn signals are the only bug I can't get out.
The only change I made was putting LED lenses (the integral LED, not led bulb) front and rear in place of the bulbs I had because the bulbs were essentially invisible on a sunny day.
Everything works perfect. . . .running lights, brake lights, but the turn signal doesn't work anymore.
I've searched around for something but I can't get anywhere, even with a new signal thing that plugs into the fuse block it's the same.
I wired my truck probably 15 years ago with a kit from painless wiring. At this point I have no clue what specific model I chose but it was a just a general purpose one as I have no fancy frills like AC or power windows or anything like that. Just the necessities

LEDs draw less power than the standard bulbs so the stock style turn signal flasher is not compatible with them. You will need either a flasher designed specifically for LEDs or an LED load resistor. Type either term into a search engine and you should get a bunch of options.


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A simple and quick test is to re-install 1 bulb and see if that side now works.

thanks guys, I figured it had to be something simple considering the tail lights are all I disconnected and they are literally two wires per unit, so pretty hard to botch.

well actually tail lights are probably the most often botched wiring items-especially considering bulbs with 2 different elements for multiple purposes plus grounding issues with different body materials-like fiberglass fenders------

Originally Posted by jerry clayton

well actually tail lights are probably the most often botched wiring items-especially considering bulbs with 2 different elements for multiple purposes plus grounding issues with different body materials-like fiberglass fenders------

Couldn't agree more Jerry. Newer cars have made it more complicated than it needs to be. Not considering a third brake light, 4 wires are needed. Left and right brake/turn signal, tail light/license plate light and a good ground preferably mounted to the frame.
BTW Jerry, Cruz was wearing his California Charger fire suit at Seattle this weekend after burning through a couple of layers of his regular suit.

A friend of mine has a 70 Cougar. It has sequential tail lights. He bought the kit to do LED lights. Talk about a project I could only reach the for way flasher to replace it we got his grandson to get his smaller hand in to get the turn signal flasher. Had to change the bulbs that came with there power units each had there own. When done all was really bright. That all lasted two days and he was back no turn signals or flashers. Got in touch with a Cougar expert in Idaho after about a half hour we figured it was the turn signal switch. YES it was. Come to find out the switch is the same as the Mustang and many other ford products that have just 4 lights that flash. The Cougar has 6 and that added load melts the switch. Ford knew this but I guess they didn't care. Used switch if you can find one is $130. A new switch is $135 made in China and doesn't last. Anyway LED lights can be and are a pain lots of extra things have to be done its not just change the bulbs.

BTW Jerry, Cruz was wearing his California Charger fire suit at Seattle this weekend after burning through a couple of layers of his regular suit.
That was a nasty fire---------I wasn't there as I had taken a car to a Snap on factory gattering in Murphy NC for a show and then over to Nashville for the upcoming Snap on national conferance show next week at Opry center. I will see the results ay Brownsburg In when I return the show car