A common problem that we find amongst our readers is that they find their turn signal blinking fast when brakes are applied. There are some simple things you can do to rectify this problem.
Vehicles come with various lights, each serving a different purpose and essential for driving safely on the road.
While driving on the road, a driver must follow certain rules and regulations to avoid penalties and accidents. One such rule is switching on the turn signal whenever you have to take a turn.
But as with any other machinery part, sometimes the turn signals malfunction. Drivers often face the problem of turn signal blinking fast when brakes are applied, whereas the turn signal should have nothing to do with brakes.
This article will discuss the probable causes behind this and ways you can tackle this problem. But before that, first, we need to understand what turn signals are and how they work.
Turn Signals
What Are Turn Signals
Turn signals are nothing but indicator lights on the four corners of a vehicle. Ideally, you should switch on the turn signals on that side whenever you take a turn in either left or right direction.
This helps the driver behind you know where you want to go, and they will adjust their speed or change the direction of their vehicle accordingly.
How To Use The Turn Signals
Most of the time, the lever to turn on the turn signal is located on the left side of the steering wheel. You can move this lever up or down to indicate a left or right turning signal.
However, moving the lever up or down won’t switch on the turn signal lights or make a sound unless your car is running.
Turn Signal Blinking Fast When Brakes Are Applied
Often drivers find themselves in a situation where one or the other lights on their vehicle start malfunctioning. One such situation is the turn signal blinking fast when brakes are applied.
Hyper flashing is the term used to describe it when your turn signals are blinking too fast.
For a novice driver, this situation can be alarming as faulty lights can be hazardous. However, most of the time, the situation is not that complex as we make it, and there is a very simple fix to the problem.
Many similar issues occur in a car, like when you press the brakes, the dashboard lights switch on, or when you activate the turn signal lights, the park lights turn on.
All of these issues have similar root causes. Fixing that would fix all these problems at once.
All the lighting functions on a car, like a brake, park, headlights, and sometimes turn lights, share the same wires and connections. Thus, finding out the reason behind why a turn signal is blinking fast when you apply brakes can be overwhelming for you.
Finding The Root Cause
The first step in solving any issue would be to find out the root cause. Try looking for these issues if your turn signals blinking fast when brakes are applied.
- Bad bulb or other components
- Wrong part replacement
- Bad or broken connection in an electric circuit
Faulty Components
One of the most common causes of hyper flashing would be a faulty component. Most of the time, a bad bulb causes the issue of hyper-flashing.
A faulty bulb alters the current direction in the circuit, making the turn signal blink faster when you apply the brakes.
Checking this would require you to check each bulb on the signal lights for any defect. A bad bulb can have a broken filament or would be clouded in color.
Wrong Replacement
Most of the time, we mistake replacing the parts of our vehicle with parts that don’t match our vehicle system, which can cause issues.
If you have recently got some work done on your vehicle by yourself or at a mechanic shop, that can be the reason for the malfunctioning turn signals.
You should avoid replacing the original halogen bulbs on the vehicles with LED bulbs, resulting in the lights blinking fast.
Electric Circuit Issues
Electric circuits responsible for lighting in the car can get shorted or have grounding faults. Such a fault can lead to the turn signal blinking fast when the brake is pressed.
Wires in the electric circuit can wear out with time, and that can cause a short circuit or a bad connection.
Often moisture leads to the corrosion of the wire, or overheating can cause melting of the wires. All these issues can lead to a defect in the electric circuit that will affect the blinking of the turn lights.
If the connection of the turn signal switch is loose, even that can cause this fault.
How To Fix The Issue Of Turn Signal Blinking Fast When The Brake Is Pressed
After you have identified the reason behind the turn signal blinking fast when the brake is pressed, all you need to do is fix the issue, and the turn signal will work fine. In case of a bad bulb or component, replacing the bulb will solve the issue.
Incompatible Bulb
Often we get some part of our vehicle replaced with components that are not compatible with the vehicle, which can cause turn signal malfunction.
If you have upgraded any of the lighting systems, then that may be an issue. Replacing the wrong parts with the right one will be the solution for this.
Electrical Circuit Faults
In case of a fault in an electric circuit, fix the circuit, and that will solve the issue of the turn signal blinking fast when the brake is pressed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my blinker blink fast when I brake?
One of the common issues a driver faces is the blinker blinking fast when they apply brakes. One of the main reasons this happens is a faulty bulb or grounded or broken electrical circuit.
Sometimes, while replacing the faulty bulbs, we tend to replace them with a different bulb mistakenly. Any of these can cause the blinker to blink fast when you apply brakes. For resolving the issue, you would need to pinpoint the problem and then solve it accordingly.
Why does my indicator light come on when I brake?
The electrical circuits responsible for the lights in a vehicle are complex, and parking, brake, and turn signal lights share the same connection and wires.
Sometimes due to some shorts in the circuit, the indicator lights come when you press the brakes. This happens when the circuit responsible for turning brake lights on somehow connects with the indicator lights.
How do I fix a fast blinking turn signal?
To fix a fast blinking turn signal, the first step would be determining the reason behind this problem. We have discussed the common reasons behind the turn signal issue and how you can tackle them in this article.
Wrap Up
Having a properly functioning car with all its parts working fine is vital for a safe ride. However, malfunctioning of machinery parts is quite common. Turn signals on a vehicle must work properly for a safe ride. This article helps you determine what to do if the turn signals blinking fast when brakes are applied.
