My turn signals aren't wanting to always do their duties as signals for some bizarre reason. Four ways work fine, flash consistently and in time. The left and right indicators will sometimes: 1) Not work B) blink slowly III) blink in crazy random intervals last) I just like lists and can't think of a 4th one. I figured it was just a relay going bad, but the parts people are telling me there isn't a relay for the 88 Ford Wagons... when I'm almost 100% sure I've swapped one in an 88 mustang back in the day. Anyway.... thoughts? I thought the relay was just under the dash, down around the steering column. Thank you my friends.
1) B III) Foure) Check all of the bulbs 1) Bad bulb 2) Loose bulb 3)Corroded bulb base 4)Loose wire 5)Because I am listless! 6) it's a Ford
Yes, it does have a flasher 'can' (relay); what they might be telling you is that it doesn't have a 'relay' like a Bosch relay. It (and the 4-way flasher can) are plugged into the fuse box underdash, IIRC.
Forgot to mention the actual flasher module or can. They do go bad. Also it's possible the blinker parts inside the steering wheel are worn. I'd check the metal or plastic can and bulbs first. Turn on a left or right blinker and follow the sound to the can.
That sounds like a bum flasher to me. It is a simple fix. In these cars, the turn signal flasher is mounted in the fuse panel, behind the trim piece at the base of the steering column. It simply unplugs. Pick up an electronic one and you should have no problem. It uses the flasher with 2 tabs. While you are at it, since they are so cheap, invest in a second to replace the one for the 4 way flashers. It is mounted to the back of the fuse panel, so you sort of have to stand on your head to reach it. If the flasher for the 4 ways goes, you could end up with no turn signal and no brake lights if it fails in the wrong position. Ask me how I know this.
Thanks, Gentleman. I've got to pull the dash off over the next couple days to replace the heater core (YAY ME) and my wife says that even though we get heat there's a horribly cold blast coming from behind the vent when the heat is on. And the air quit working. So I think between the vacuum lines, the heater core (which is really fine I think, just figured if I'm tearing it apart, I'll change it) and a random flap not adjusting / moving... I've got a weekends worth of work cut out for me. Wife wants to go to PA next weekend to drink and gamble with friends so I need to make sure she doesn't freeze her ass off in the car on the way up.
Replaced the flasher cylinder clicky thing. Fixed. Did the four ways per MikeT's recommendation Now to figure out why cold air is coming out of ONE spot on the floor vent/heat thing. Of course, it's the vent that blows on my wife's feet.
Does that air come out of the defroster and vents when you change the setting? Does the temp change? Is it Auto Temp Control?
I think the extra air is coming from BEHIND the heater core box thing. I checked the vacuum lines, they all seem to be intact and doing their vacuuming jobs. I move temp selector and I can hear and feel the "thunk" of the flap moving. I move the A/C / heat / floor/ defrost selector and the vacuum unit over on the side in the corner behind the glove box is doing it's open/close thing. I'm starting to wonder if the box itself isn't cracked. The reason I say this is because there's a zip tie holding the front half of the box up - I can't get a good picture of it, but the zip tie runs from the front of the box up to the top of the dash where it's looped through part of the wiring harness clips. So it makes me think there's a big ass crack in the back of the box letting air that SHOULD go over the heater core come out the back of the box and blow down on my poor wife's feet. edit: to answer Hobo's questions: The temperature changes, but if the A/C is selected, the vents don't blow super cold and seem weak with air pressure. It's not auto-temp, at least, I don't think so. Picture of the dash attached.
No, it's not ATC. And yes, it sounds like a POS PO didn't complete the reinstall after, say, swapping out the heater core. Look at the engine side of the firewall, where the evap case meets it; the case studs should be sticking through and have nuts on them to hold the heater case in place.
I had it happen on my first 78 Thunderbird. The turn signal flasher was new, but suddenly no signals, no brake lights. Since the 4 ways sent at the same time, I figured it out pretty easily.
Updates - got a picture of the zip tie through the glove box and a picture of the engine side firewall with 1 bolt... I thought for sure there were two in the same area. I have a temporary fix for now - I shoved some plumbers putty around the base of the core box inside to stop the draft so I can delay pulling the entire thing out until a couple weeks from now when I can take a couple days and track down all the parts I may need.
