Blinker Outage?

[Zosozeppelin]

Tonight I was driving home from work and used my right turn signal twice...Yet when I used it the third time, it blinked twice as fast like it does when your bulb is burnt out. So I got out of the car when I parked, I went to look to see if it was the front or rear bulb, and the rear is blinking fast, but the front isn't. The strange thing was, the DRL was still on, it just wasn't blinking. Is that normal for a blinker problem? It doesn't seem so to me. Could this be a bigger issue developing?

[2006 ion2]

Change the bulb, check the socket

[Zosozeppelin]

So would it make sense that the DRL was still on, though?

[Zosozeppelin]

Nevermind, now the DRL wont turn on at all, and it's definitely the bulb. Socket is perfectly fine . That bulb is a pain to get out lol.

[Werks11]

Can you say dual element ............... and the bulbs are simple to change when one looks at the forest and not one tree.

[djsted]

On a similar note I thought I'd throw out this..

My right front blinker seems to go out after 5 or 10 minutes of driving. I exchanged the bulb and everything is fine for just a short while.

I'm thinking it's somehow shaking loose but it's such a tight fit in the socket I don't really see how that's possible.

Any suggestions?


mike

[Zosozeppelin]

Originally Posted by Werks11

Can you say dual element ............... and the bulbs are simple to change when one looks at the forest and not one tree.

. You have no idea why I was having trouble with it...I know how it works, just couldn't get my fingers in the socket to pull the clips.

[Zosozeppelin]

Originally Posted by djsted

On a similar note I thought I'd throw out this..

My right front blinker seems to go out after 5 or 10 minutes of driving. I exchanged the bulb and everything is fine for just a short while.

I'm thinking it's somehow shaking loose but it's such a tight fit in the socket I don't really see how that's possible.

Any suggestions?


mike

Could it be a shorted wire or the socket itself? I don't think it's wiggling, either. That bulb is really jammed in there. I'm only 5'1, so you can imagine that I have small hands to begin with, and I couldn't get my fingers in there to push the clips to remove it. I had to get something thin to push against it while I grabbed one end to change it and get it out.

[lgodave]

I'm a bit confused by all the "couldn't get my fingers" in there to remove a bulb.

I've got a problem with my Right Headlight (probably bad socket/wire) and haven't had problems having easy access to all the bulbs after pulling the Headlight Assembly. My biggest gripe is with the tight fit for said Assembly. Not much fun pulling/pushing the sucker in place.

[Zosozeppelin]

Originally Posted by lgodave

I'm a bit confused by all the "couldn't get my fingers" in there to remove a bulb.

I've got a problem with my Right Headlight (probably bad socket/wire) and haven't had problems having easy access to all the bulbs after pulling the Headlight Assembly. My biggest gripe is with the tight fit for said Assembly. Not much fun pulling/pushing the sucker in place.

Maybe it's different for the sedan and coupe, who knows. It gave me trouble though. It was the yellow bulb socket. It had these little clip like thingys in there that I couldn't for the life of me press them all down at once to get the bulb out. The problem wasn't getting to the assembly, it was pulling the actual bulb itself out. I dunno, I'd have to take a picture to show you what I'm talking about, but I'm kinda lazy and don't feel like doing all of that work to do it. Me and my dad both tried to get it. I never replaced the bulb, I put it back in after I brought it to Advance Autoparts for a new bulb that turns out they didn't have in stock. It just works. It was strange. I haven't had any problems with it, either. I guess there was a short and when we pulled the assembly out it moved a wire into a good position for it to connect and it worked. It was all really strange, honestly.

[lgodave]

So how is it holding up? Has the "Short" come back?

I'm currently experiencing the same issue on my 2003 ION-3 Sedan with my Left Turn Signal (others are fine).

Had a one two punch on Monday when installing my Winter Tires... Tire Shop found my CHMSL was "dead" (I pulled the cover and wiggled the contact which seemed OK anyway... working now) and then the "dead" turn signal which I hadn't noticed (fast blinker) until they spotted it.

Checked the Amber Bulb (Was using the Silverstar bulb... which looks OK, besides some heat damage on the bulb's plastic base, the assembly's socket looked OK too... but will need to double check it's adjustment and for power.

Personally hoping there may be a fuse,relay, or plugs further down the line which I might need to check. Any suggestions? Going to have to check out the Saturn ION Service Manual from the Library and see which wires are going to be problems... (hopefully will also show any related fuses/relays)

[Zosozeppelin]

Mine hasn't done it again. It's working as if nothing ever happened to begin with. But now it wont make the clicky blinker noise or the seatbelt chime. So I'm wondering if it's a fuse that's cutting out or if there is a short that I haven't figured out yet. I mean, the noises are no big deal, just seems weird not hearing it

[1sksc2]

did you forget to add your blinker fluid

[lgodave]

Originally Posted by 1sksc2

did you forget to add your blinker fluid

Added a little to my CHMSL today (and bent the contacts too) since it went "Dead" again... Hope it isn't a short in the line.

Got a closer look at the Turn Signal Socket... tried bending the contacts, ended up breaking one of the Plastic "support" tabs but it seems fairly secure still. My Turn/Hazard Signal Power still seems "Dead" at the Bulb Socket (Parking Light/DRL OK). Tested "Main" Harness for power (Good). "Intermediate" Harness (serving the Headlamp Assembly and supplying Grounds) also has continuity/power.

So the Headlight Assembly connection/Socket seems the problem. Hope to find a decent replacement socket... but I suspect those will cost me a pretty penny.

[Zosozeppelin]

Originally Posted by lgodave

Added a little to my CHMSL today (and bent the contacts too) since it went "Dead" again... Hope it isn't a short in the line.

Got a closer look at the Turn Signal Socket... tried bending the contacts, ended up breaking one of the Plastic "support" tabs but it seems fairly secure still. My Turn/Hazard Signal Power still seems "Dead" at the Bulb Socket (Parking Light/DRL OK). Tested "Main" Harness for power (Good). "Intermediate" Harness (serving the Headlamp Assembly and supplying Grounds) also has continuity/power.

So the Headlight Assembly connection/Socket seems the problem. Hope to find a decent replacement socket... but I suspect those will cost me a pretty penny.

See. Told ya that thing is a pain.

[ctbosox]

Originally Posted by Zosozeppelin

Mine hasn't done it again. It's working as if nothing ever happened to begin with. But now it wont make the clicky blinker noise or the seatbelt chime. So I'm wondering if it's a fuse that's cutting out or if there is a short that I haven't figured out yet. I mean, the noises are no big deal, just seems weird not hearing it

Mine does the same, no sound effects for any chimes, just wondering if you found something or is it that dreaded speaker behind the instrument panal..thanks

[Zosozeppelin]

Originally Posted by ctbosox

Mine does the same, no sound effects for any chimes, just wondering if you found something or is it that dreaded speaker behind the instrument panal..thanks

I haven't really pressed it any further. I'm almost positive it's that speaker, and I'm too broke to have my whole dash torn apart to fix it. But it SEEMS like a short because it made a chime when I started it for my seatbelt about three weeks ago but cut itself off in the middle of it and hasn't done it sense.