Strange problem with turn signal lights? please advise.

KY00XJLimited · 07-19-2003, 09:10 PM

I was towing a trailer with my xj the other day. I was afraid some of the lumber I was carrying would blow off so I drove slow.

In order to be safe I turned on my Hazard lights. When I got home (went about 30 miles) and went to turn them off I noticed they were not working.

My signals no longer work either. I mean none of them, and it no longer makes the signal click click noise when you push down the signal stick.

I thought it was just the fuse, but its not, I checked it today.

Anyone got any suggestions? Its not very safe driving without signal lights and I like having my hazard lights.

sr · 07-19-2003, 09:13 PM

Did you try a new flasher?

KY00XJLimited · 07-19-2003, 10:05 PM

I guess you mean an emergency flasher? Can you buy this as a seperate part or something?

If so where does it mount? how can I take it off?

Also I just realized none of the brake lights are working either.

What fuse are the brake lights on?, there is no fuse listing in my owner's manual.

I not much of a mechanic, changing the oil is about the extent of my mechanical knowledge.

red87cherokee · 07-20-2003, 02:06 AM

Quote:

-=- originally posted by KY00XJLimited -=-
I guess you mean an emergency flasher? Can you buy this as a seperate part or something?

If so where does it mount? how can I take it off?

The flasher unit is a little silver can, normally on the fuse box, on the firewall beneath and to the left of the steering column. You can remove it by pulling it straight out like unplugging an electrical cord. I haven't checked, but other posts have stated that there is a different flasher for the emergency lights and the turn signals.

Quote:

-=- originally posted by KY00XJLimited -=-
Also I just realized none of the brake lights are working either.

What fuse are the brake lights on?, there is no fuse listing in my owner's manual.

I not much of a mechanic, changing the oil is about the extent of my mechanical knowledge.

According to my owner's manual, the fuse for the turn signals are different from those for the hazard lights and different from the brake lights. I find it hard to believe that 3 different fuses burned out at the same time, it's possible but not likely. Even if it is 3 different fuses, you will need to locate the problem before replacing the fuses. By any chance, did you try to tap into the XJ's wiring harness when hooking up the trailer - or could you have pinched the wires and shorted something out? Another possibility might be a bad ground somewhere, but I wouldn't even know where to start looking.

I had problems with my turn signals, and discovered that I had a bad ground. When I replaced all the sockets in the front and rear of the rig, the problem went away.

Good luck.

rix85XJphx · 07-20-2003, 02:41 AM

Relative to towing:

Most utility trailers are 4-wire (taillight, Rturn&Brake, Lturn&Brake, ground). XJ's have the yellow turn signals, so there's a special adapter from the XJ 5-wire connector.

Is something short-circuited in the connector?

red87cherokee · 07-20-2003, 03:32 AM

Quote:

-=- originally posted by rix85XJphx -=-
Relative to towing:

Most utility trailers are 4-wire (taillight, Rturn&Brake, Lturn&Brake, ground). XJ's have the yellow turn signals, so there's a special adapter from the XJ 5-wire connector.

Is something short-circuited in the connector?

Good point.

KY00XJLimited · 07-20-2003, 05:24 PM

My XJ did not come with factory towing, so I have a standard 4 wire aftermarket harness installed.

My neighbor, who is a mechanic, hooked up my wiring harness to the left running light.

When the trailer lights won't work, I have to change the fuse for the left running (park) light. I have had to change this fuse one time.

07-19-2003, 09:10 PM	#1
KY00XJLimited Registered Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Pikeville, KY, US Posts: 53 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Strange problem with turn signal lights? please advise. I was towing a trailer with my xj the other day. I was afraid some of the lumber I was carrying would blow off so I drove slow. In order to be safe I turned on my Hazard lights. When I got home (went about 30 miles) and went to turn them off I noticed they were not working. My signals no longer work either. I mean none of them, and it no longer makes the signal click click noise when you push down the signal stick. I thought it was just the fuse, but its not, I checked it today. Anyone got any suggestions? Its not very safe driving without signal lights and I like having my hazard lights.

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07-19-2003, 09:13 PM	#2
sr Registered Join Date: May 2000 Location: No. Cal. Posts: 662 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Did you try a new flasher?

07-19-2003, 10:05 PM	#3
KY00XJLimited Registered Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Pikeville, KY, US Posts: 53 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I guess you mean an emergency flasher? Can you buy this as a seperate part or something? If so where does it mount? how can I take it off? Also I just realized none of the brake lights are working either. What fuse are the brake lights on?, there is no fuse listing in my owner's manual. I not much of a mechanic, changing the oil is about the extent of my mechanical knowledge.

07-20-2003, 02:41 AM	#5
rix85XJphx Registered Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 1,376 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Relative to towing: Most utility trailers are 4-wire (taillight, Rturn&Brake, Lturn&Brake, ground). XJ's have the yellow turn signals, so there's a special adapter from the XJ 5-wire connector. Is something short-circuited in the connector?

07-20-2003, 05:24 PM	#7
KY00XJLimited Registered Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Pikeville, KY, US Posts: 53 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	My XJ did not come with factory towing, so I have a standard 4 wire aftermarket harness installed. My neighbor, who is a mechanic, hooked up my wiring harness to the left running light. When the trailer lights won't work, I have to change the fuse for the left running (park) light. I have had to change this fuse one time.