Hello - general question here as I am unfamiliar. Generally when any of my newer GM vehicles develops a rapid turn signal, its due to a bulb out. With my new to me 72 cutlass, I just replaced all bulbs for the turn and brake in the rear, as well as up front turn and all side markers. I also replaced with a new flasher fuse.

All of these bulbs light up, however, when I test the left and right turn signals, they are rapid and I don't expect that - is this normal ?

** Also my high-beams do not work, when low beams are on they are fine - when I hit the floor switch the low beams go completely out, and there are no high beam simulated. My Dash dummy light for high beams says they are on :P

Thanks for the time - Brian

 

No, rapid flashing is not normal. If it happens on both sides, I'd suspect the flasher module.


If the dash indicator comes on when you hit the dimmer switch, that means that everything up to and including the switch is working correctly. The problem is from the switch output to the bulbs. Have you verified that you have 12V at the connectors at the bulbs with a test light? Are you sure you don't have four burned out high beam filaments (yes, the low beam bulbs have TWO filaments, one for low, one for high, and they burn out independently). If the bulbs are good, this is brute force electrical troubleshooting. The problem will be somewhere in the light green wire that runs from the dimmer switch to the headlight bulbs. My money is on the splice that is in the LH front low beam plug. There are three wires all crimped into that terminal, and this is a common failure point. Second choice would be the firewall connector.

 

Thanks for the Reply Joe !
I will conduct that level of trouble shooting this evening on the High-beams...

As far as the rapid flashing for each turn signal - it the same speed as when I run the flashers - which they do work, and as mentioned I just put a new flasher fuse in last night...I will check again but I don't think I was getting the audible "click" for each signal, however with the new flasher fuse I DO get the audible "click" when the flashers are running

I was wondering if it would have connectivity to the turn signal cam ?

 

The four way flashers use a completely different flasher module from the turn signals. The module for the four ways is the one on the fuse panel. The turn signal flasher is on a pigtail under the dash, to the left of the steering column.

 

I had no idea there was a separate one from the round flasher module that I replaced on the fuse panel. !..I bet that's it - guess Im going to Auto Zone on my lunch break ** Thanks Joe **
** My luck when I get home and test Ill see I have burnt out high beam's in all of my head lamps and wish I would have just bought while I was there....do I dare buy new head lamps and then take back, the loe beams are dim and yellow...the MAW's (as I have been reading over and over on this forum ! LOL)

 

Most electrical items are non-returnable, for exactly this reason.

 

Joe - Is the flasher fuse the same exact one that I put in the Fuse Panel - just need QTY 2 ?

 

This is where it pays to look at the wiring diagram in the Chassis Service Manual.


The hazard flashers are powered by the 20A STOP-HAZ fuse (meaning that if your brake lights work, the fuse is fine). The turn signals are powered by the 20A DIR SIG-BACK UP fuse (meaning that if your backup lights work, THAT fuse is fine).

 

Waiting on it to be delivered

 

Joe - thanks again for the guidance - the flasher under the dash was the culprit - fully operational now