HMMWV turn signal woes REDUX

[RogerThat!]

I know this is a common enough issue, but I am at wits end. I have the manual, have read the manual, and still have no solution.

My turn signals have become erratic. I have the original non-cancelling switch.

I can start up, test the turn signals, have everything work fine, and drive off. Then the light on the switch will come on and stay on, not blink. This has become a recent symptom. Only a month or so.

I have taken the switch apart, cleaned everything. Checked all the contacts on the boards. I've used some dielectric grease. For a while this seemed to help.

I have removed the blinker switch relay unit from the firewall, and bench tested it. It sends signal when it is supposed to and doesn't when it isn't supposed to. I haven't seen anything that says that the units can be intermittent. I certainly hope not.

Today, I took the turn signal switch apart again and re-inspected it. Everything intact. All connections good.

I put it back in, and now the light on the switch illuminates, but doesn't even try to blink. No blinking on any of the turn signal bulbs.

Obviously long term goal is to have functioning lights. Short term goal is to not buy BOTH the relay and the selector switch.

I know these things are old, and I know they break. Just don't want to buy both.

Suggestions?

Thank you.

 

[Mullaney]

I know this is a common enough issue, but I am at wits end. I have the manual, have read the manual, and still have no solution.

My turn signals have become erratic. I have the original non-cancelling switch.

I can start up, test the turn signals, have everything work fine, and drive off. Then the light on the switch will come on and stay on, not blink. This has become a recent symptom. Only a month or so.

I have taken the switch apart, cleaned everything. Checked all the contacts on the boards. I've used some dielectric grease. For a while this seemed to help.

I have removed the blinker switch relay unit from the firewall, and bench tested it. It sends signal when it is supposed to and doesn't when it isn't supposed to. I haven't seen anything that says that the units can be intermittent. I certainly hope not.

Today, I took the turn signal switch apart again and re-inspected it. Everything intact. All connections good.

I put it back in, and now the light on the switch illuminates, but doesn't even try to blink. No blinking on any of the turn signal bulbs.

Obviously long term goal is to have functioning lights. Short term goal is to not buy BOTH the relay and the selector switch.

I know these things are old, and I know they break. Just don't want to buy both.

Suggestions?

Thank you.

.
Are you using standard bulbs - or have you installed LEDs?

 

[RogerThat!]

I knew that this might be an issue. Just forgot to mention it. There is a mix. I did what I suspect a lot of newbies do. No RECENT changes before all this started up, but yes. There is a mix.

 

[juanprado]

If using led bulbs , you need the newer style solid state flasher.
Post pics of your flasher?

 

[RogerThat!]

My flasher unit looks like this one:


Are you suggesting the I need this one?:

I guess it acts as a ballast for the LEDs or something like that?

 

[juanprado]

2nd one is the solid state.
Not sure what is the internal difference?

 

[RogerThat!]

I may want LED headlights some day. So I can’t see totally abandoning LED lights.

I would hate to buy a solid state flasher just to find that I didn’t solve the problem though.

 

[williamh]

Does your turn signal have 4 way flash ? If so does it blink then. ? If not then it’s not the led’s and may just be a bad flasher. I have the exact same issue on my funvee , won’t work than just starts. Had that issue on my Duce and found it was the turn signal arm wasn’t proplery grounded. I find about 80% of electrical issues on mv’s is bad grounding.

 

[RogerThat!]

Does your turn signal have 4 way flash ? If so does it blink then. ? If not then it’s not the led’s and may just be a bad flasher. I have the exact same issue on my funvee , won’t work than just starts. Had that issue on my Duce and found it was the turn signal arm wasn’t proplery grounded. I find about 80% of electrical issues on mv’s is bad grounding.

It doesn’t blink when in Four way mode (turn signal lever all the way up) either.

so if this points to a bad flasher, I will replace it.
Thanks! I appreciate it

 

[Retiredwarhorses]

First off, which lamps did you convert to LED? Fits it’s any of the actual flashing lights? You generally need a “no load” thermal flasher.
As far as thr the light switch? Stop cleaning and replace with an NOS from a trusted source, HPG, MAC or Kascar..do not buy parts on eBay!
that pic Of the flasher unit you say you have is a Chicomm knockoff, the pic of the Nartron unit is NOT led compatible.

 

[RogerThat!]

The Nartron pic was just generic. I don't have one to shoot. The light switch itself was the one on the truck when I got it at auction. Green with desert tan chipping off of it all over. I think it's the real deal. I've had it apart three times now. I'm not against replacing it. And I haven't been lurking the eBay much. You never do know what the pedigree is for electronics. Thanks for the advice on sources that you trust.

 

[DREDnot]

You need to know the part number that is on your flasher.
Having LED headlights or not isnt an issue as far as the flasher unit is concerned. Neither are marker lights. Its just the bulbs that would flash will need the correct flasher unit to work properly. If you replace the bulb in the green part of the turn signal stalk to a brighter LED unit it needs to be a special reverse polarity LED bulb (BA9S) to work

 

[RogerThat!]

You need to know the part number that is on your flasher.
Having LED headlights or not isnt an issue as far as the flasher unit is concerned. Neither are marker lights. Its just the bulbs that would flash will need the correct flasher unit to work properly. If you replace the bulb in the green part of the turn signal stalk to a brighter LED unit it needs to be a special reverse polarity LED bulb (BA9S) to work

Thanks for that tip!

 

[Retiredwarhorses]

You need to know the part number that is on your flasher.
Having LED headlights or not isnt an issue as far as the flasher unit is concerned. Neither are marker lights. Its just the bulbs that would flash will need the correct flasher unit to work properly. If you replace the bulb in the green part of the turn signal stalk to a brighter LED unit it needs to be a special reverse polarity LED bulb (BA9S) to work

the bulb replacement only works for LEDs if you have a specific thermal flasher, it has never worked for the Narton flasher, this
is a known issue, Truklite refers to it as a “sneak path”…I’ve got the proper replacement LED for the Narton turn signal unit, I’ve tested every
known thermal flasher known to man kind in the last 15yrs. The current flasher unit used is made by riverside mfg and works with all known LED’s, Truklite makes there own “No load flasher” that looks identical to the Narton.

 

[RogerThat!]

Final SITREP on this. I did a bunch of research. Got confused. Ended up calling for help. I got some excellent advice and resources. Ended up replacing the switch, which I think was either worn out or screwed up by me monkeying with it. Also put in proper LED light in the indicator light spot. And I replaced the flasher module with one with the proper NSN and I'm sure it is the real deal.

Test run: Everything is perfect with the turn signals.

Thank you for all the input and advice.

Roger

 

[DREDnot]

The current flasher unit used is made by riverside mfg and works with all known LED’s

Pic of mine for reference...