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Please Help Solve a Turn Signals Mystery

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    Please Help Solve a Turn Signals Mystery

    Good Evening!

    Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. My daughter treated us with one of her rare visits, driving her 1998 Protege the six hours from college. She just got back to college and called home with a baffling mystery in which the turn signals are 'not working' and neither I nor the repair manual can make any sense. Hopefully you (the experts) can...

    Asked her if any of the lights at the four corners worked from the stalk switch; answer was no. Asked if the four-way hazard flashers worked; this is where it got weird. The answer was, they work fine, but only if one holds down the button all the way. On releasing the button, the hazard flashers simply don't stay on.

    Does this behaviour mean anything to anyone? Seems like wiring and bulbs are OK because each bulb will light and flash on/off with the hazard button held in. I'm about to have her go over the fuses, replace any relays in the circuit... something more?

    Thanks in advance!

    Cheers
    Rob in Vermont

    #2
    The first thing I can think of is a problem at that very switch that keeps the lights on only while being held in. I can't be sure and it's just a thought.

    Comment


      #3
      Thanks for replying Barry.

      Does this mean that the directional signals are somehow wired through (and dependent on) the four-way flasher switch?

      I worry about her taking this to some local 'mechanic' who will charge her for a few hours of his own education, only to tell her that the parts aren't available.

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by SAABMaven View Post
        Thanks for replying Barry.

        Does this mean that the directional signals are somehow wired through (and dependent on) the four-way flasher switch?

        I worry about her taking this to some local 'mechanic' who will charge her for a few hours of his own education, only to tell her that the parts aren't available.
        My name isn't Barry . Anyway, with experience working on cars, electrical problems are very difficult. Without much experience with cars it's even worse. You may not have much of a choice but to take it to a mechanic. What you have to keep from doing is going to a regular mechanic. Find some place that says they specialize in electrical problems. Once again, asking friends & family about someone who has become a trusted mechanic is the best route, if available.

        Comment


          #5
          Thanks !!! May have been weather related...

          About 50km from her destination, normal functioning abruptly and inexplicably returned.

          Not to sweep this one under the carpet, but we had a wet and balmy week in Vermont for Thanksgiving. Then, in one night, temperatures plummeted to about ten below freezing, trapping moisture whereever it had condensed.

          I'm going to research this more, to see if there is some relay or other bit that I can proactively replace. If there are any ideas out there, please let me know.

          Cheers
          Rob

          PS I'd like to keep this car going. As a rallyist who has raced SAABs, I have a high degree of confidence that I can make the Protege do what I want it to do; especially on a snowy day. I say this of few cars today...

          Comment


            #6
            The Protege is a very, very reliable car. The engines are long lasting in the same league as Toyotas and Hondas. Other areas of the car aren't but the engines are.

            Comment


              #7
              To say something about the turns:
              There is an orange wire on the flasher box. That is the hazard wire. It "shorts" both left and right turns at once. The left is a red wire, the right is a green wire.
              If you have to hold the hazard in, then there may be a short in the switch, since it's only a springed toggle. If the turns don't work at all, I'd say a fuse. But since the hazards are acting up, I'm inclined to say the flasher box. It's large, black with a yellow male connector to a clear female, 8 wires.

              If the fuse is good, swap out the flasher relay. If that doesn't fix it (even though it fixed itself) it may be a switch issue. The moisture and freezing could affect it from shorting out a connection.

              Since the car drove and warmed up on her trip and possibly dried out, I'd believe it to be moisture is the primary cause. Let us know if it happens again!
              No car! I soldz it. Now I have a truck. I like it, but apparently it has a hard time keeping up with a slightly modified 4WD protege with half the hp. Neat.

              Comment


                #8
                If the problem was moisture then inspect it a little closer because the problem can pop out at any time in future. Check for the isolation on every turn light on the car - take it off and see if it's wet. If the relay is having trouble will moisture then check where's the leak. Maybe the whole firewall is a bit clogged and water can easily find its way to cockpit.

                As for the flasher relay goes, as almighty4wd stated. But take into notice that the flasher can vary in color. I have a grey one but it says 'TURNING SIGNALS' on it or something like that. If you have remote power locks and car alarm that indicates with turning signals there should be at least some fuses at the flasher relay.
                Garage: Mazda Protege 1995, Z5 engine, MTX, P/S, no A/C, no ABS.

                PM me if you need: comprehensive Autodata information; Mazda's 2nd generation workshop manual; Mazda's Z5 overhaul workshop manual.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by gybe View Post
                  Check for the isolation on every turn light on the car - take it off and see if it's wet.
                  You did mean insulation instead of isolation, right?

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by mannydingo View Post
                    You did mean insulation instead of isolation, right?
                    Sorry, INSULATION, yes. I am not a native speaker so mistakes are not excluded!
                    Garage: Mazda Protege 1995, Z5 engine, MTX, P/S, no A/C, no ABS.

                    PM me if you need: comprehensive Autodata information; Mazda's 2nd generation workshop manual; Mazda's Z5 overhaul workshop manual.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Originally posted by gybe View Post
                      Sorry, INSULATION, yes. I am not a native speaker so mistakes are not excluded!
                      That's ok. As long as you don't feel isolated here my Transdanubian forum friend.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        I am almost having the same problem on my 97 Protege, My 4 ways wont work. Directionals do. I changed hazard switch and flasher relay. and the hazards still don't work. the fuse for hazards is good.

                        Comment

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