crazy blinkers

so this one kinda has me stumped, when the left blinker is on both lights flash in the rear, front works fine just the left light blinks. When I turn on the right blinker no problem just right light front and rear blinks. turn on the hazards both blink front and rear. any ideas?

Look for a bad ground in the left taillight.

If I'm right, then when you turn on the left signal, you'll see that it's blinking the parking light filaments instead of the signal filament. The parking lights are the taller of the two filaments in the bulb. Lacking a ground, the left signal will seek ground through the parking light filament, and since the parking lights are wired together on both sides, they'll both blink.

I'd say look at the 4way switch(the one that controls the turn signals, brights, cruise control and wipers. Just sucks that these usually aren't very cheap.

If your blinker indicators stay lit when your headlight/running light(s) are on there is likely a fault in your blinker sockets. If not there may be a fault in the switch (multi func. / four way), whatever.

I pulled the sockets on the 88 MJ and ALL of the sockets were nasty, corroded and kaput. Replaced all the sockets with Crown replacements. Not my first choice, but available and <$$> cheap. I also had some funky trailer wiring that I removed and cleaned up with shrink wrap etc. I never had to mess with the switch/stalk at all.

Even if it is the switch/stalk it's probably just a worn wire TO or FROM the switch that could easily be repaired. Just some thoughts.

thanks for the help! I was tinkering with it today and naturally it wasn't doing it, but i'm fairly certain its the switch on the colum acting up. have a junker in the
back yard i'm going to switch out see what happens

Do yourself a favor and before you dig into the switch, do a good thorough cleaning and de-corrosion of the taillight sockets and bulbs. I still think it's more likely to be a bad connection there.

If this is a late model Jeep (97+), it's the switch. Very common issue in the late model XJ's. Mine did it the day I drove it off the lot from buying it almost 7 years ago...

DrShaggford said:

I'd say look at the 4way switch(the one that controls the turn signals, brights, cruise control and wipers. Just sucks that these usually aren't very cheap.

Click to expand...

Yep, thats the issue unless someone has been playing with the wiring.