Turn Signals/Emergency Flashers Not Working after Replay Flasher Relay
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Joined: Apr 2017
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Year: 2000
Model: Cherokee
Turn Signals/Emergency Flashers Not Working after Replay Flasher Relay
My turn signals had been malfunctioning for a while (would flash once, then cut out), though my emergency flashers worked fine. Yesterday I replaced the flasher relay with one I picked up from pep boys for $15. Now the turn signals and emergency flashers don't work at all. I even tried plugging the original relay back in, but now the turn signals and emergency flashers won't work at all on it either.
I was careful unplugging the relay, so i don't think I damaged anything. All the leads going into the housing that the relay plugs into look solidly attached. Any ideas what's going on or what to try next?
ETA: It's a 2000 Cherokee Sport
I was careful unplugging the relay, so i don't think I damaged anything. All the leads going into the housing that the relay plugs into look solidly attached. Any ideas what's going on or what to try next?
ETA: It's a 2000 Cherokee Sport
Last edited by hmj2000; Apr 2, 2017 at 05:00 PM.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 4
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Year: 2000
Model: Cherokee
Update: It *was* a fuse issue - in part. When I replaced the relay it must have blown the fuse in the engine compartment (I'd only checked the passenger side ones) for the combination flasher. I replaced the blown fuse and now both the new and old relay (1) work for the emergency flashers BUT (2) still don't do the turn signals.
In other words I've ruled out that the relay is the problem. Still think it's a grounds issue? Or am I justified to try swapping out the multi function switch now?
In other words I've ruled out that the relay is the problem. Still think it's a grounds issue? Or am I justified to try swapping out the multi function switch now?
Last edited by hmj2000; Apr 5, 2017 at 06:42 PM.
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 199
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From: Tacoma, Washington
Year: 1995
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0 inline 6
Edit: I had written this post.. intending it for another thread, but posted it here by mistake. However, I feel the info is still valid and useful, so I'll leave it here as well.. maybe it can help.
You should have three bulbs in the tail light housings. Two larger bulbs, and one little bulb. Those little bulbs are back-up only, and respond to the switch from your tranny. They are not part of your running lights circuit. One of those large bulbs functions as a running light and as a brake light. It will have double filiments inside the bulb. One filiment lights up when you turn on your running lights. The other glows even brighter when you use your brakes.
The last bulb should be a single filiment. Thats the blinker/hazard light. Each single filiment bulb will have an individual power wire directly attached to its socket. And then the tailight housing, or the wiring harness, will have a ground wire that goes to the frame at some point.
A rusty socket will absolutely inhibit your blinker bulb from working. Rust is a FANTASTIC electrical inhibitor.
Clean it, wire-wheel it, scrape it... till you have bare metal to metal contact with the bulb body. A single filiment bulb will have a single wire going to the midfle of the socket that wire is the power, it wants to connect to the nipple at the bottom of the bulb. The bulb is grounded through its metal body contact to the metal socket body. So, you can see that a bulb that is loose in its socket wont get a proper ground.
The double filiment bulbs will have TWO hot wires going to the center of the socket. Each connecting to its own nipple on the bottom of the bulb. Again, ground is achieved via metal to metal contact between bulb body and the socket itself... then from the socket to the frame. Sometimes that ground is achieved via the blinker housing light mounting bolts to the frane, sometimes there is a ground wire that attaches to the frame at a central point on the vehicle, and sometimes there is a separate, ground wire that goes from the light housing to a nearby ground point on the frame/body of the vehicle.
Your blinker relay will not respond properly unless all of the blinker lights are grounded and have no blown filiments. If one bulb blows, your blinker, will blink, but at a rapid speed. Its designed to do that, to let the driver know they have a bad blinker.
this is what I would do. Id start with the back. Clean every socket, and make sure there is solid, metal to metal contact to the bulbs. Replace the bulbs with brand new ones. And use dielithium grease on each bulb. (Bulb grease) just smear on a thin layer. It helps prevent future corrosion and headaches.
I would test each hot wire at the bulb contact point with a needle tester clipped to a ground point on the body. If you have power to thise wires, but your bulb isnt lighting, your grond is broken somewhere from the bulb socket to the frame. Usually, a loose, or rusted socket is the culprit. But it is possible the ground wire in the lighting harness is broken. Ive never seen that happen tho personally.
Then I’d move up to the front. And do the same there.
‘Kay. I hope this helps.
Sorry for the misspellings an such.. I typed this all with a single finger on my phone.. pfpfttt
Last edited by outersketcher; Mar 16, 2018 at 10:19 AM.