Does your car’s turn signal stops blinking when brakes are applied? If you are facing this problem all the time, then read on to know how to remedy the problem from the root.
Turn signals might seem insignificant or a minor feature to a casual driver, but experienced drivers know the importance of turn signals. A common problem that you might have faced is that the turn signal stops blinking when you apply the brakes sometimes.
This problem can arise due to various issues; we will get to know briefly about these causes further down in this article.
Importance Of Turn Signals
It is essential that you first know the true importance of turn signals in your car. Whenever you apply brakes or want to turn on either side, your turn signals should start blinking.
These turn signals are an excellent indicator for the other people on the road that you are about to slow down or turn. As a result, the other drivers can leave the required space for you or adjust their speed accordingly.
Statistics are not meant to shock but to educate: More than 2 million road accidents happen because the driver did not use the correct turn signal. 70% of American drivers admit that they don’t use their turn signals all the time.
Now you might think that you have done your job by putting on the signal even if it goes out after pressing the brake. But the truth of the matter is that a lot could change while you are making that turn. The driver right behind you might choose to change a lane, leaving the person behind him now clueless that you are about to turn.
If the turn signals on your car stop blinking whenever you apply the brakes, then you should immediately check them out. Without these signals, other people and drivers on the road will not be able to guess your next action.
This creates an unsafe environment for everyone involved. Turn signals are an effective method of non-verbal communication among the drivers; you must give appropriate signals whenever you turn and play your role in maintaining road safety.
Causes For Turn Signal Stops Blinking When Brakes Are Applied
The turn signals are connected to a lot of other systems internally. Due to this reason, it is pretty difficult to pinpoint exactly.
Some of the significant components attached to turn signals are the light bulbs, flashing units, wires, fuses, connectors, switches, etc. If any one of these components becomes faulty, then your turn signals might stop blinking when you press your brakes.
Turn Signal Bulbs
A faulty bulb is among the primary reasons the turn signals might stop blinking.
The filaments inside the bulb might short circuit when you brake. You can use bulbs that have two filaments as they rarely short circuit.
These bulbs have an additional filament for emergencies. These bulbs run for twice the amount of time as a standard bulb.
You can also check the circuit board behind the bulbs as they might also have some faults.
Wiring System
Wires are an essential aspect of any circuit system. The wires can disconnect on a lot of occasions due to a sudden impact or bad weather.
These wires can also get burned due to overheating and other factors. You can manually check the wires on the circuit by completely plugging out the console.
Wires that are burnt or short-circuited will be visible immediately. If there are any loose connections, then you can tighten them as well.
Trailer Plug
The turn signals and the rear lights will stop blinking properly if the trailer plug is not connected to the light properly.
There are mainly two types of trailer plugs, one is connected to the harness, and the other kind of trailer plug is hard-wired.
A shortened trailer plug will cause the tail and turn lights on your car to flicker, or they would not even switch on.
Flashers Switch
The flashers switch in a vehicle is responsible for transmitting voltage to your car’s turn and rear lights whenever you brake.
The flasher switch turns on the rear lights, whereas it blinks the turn signals. If your lights are not working correctly, then this could be due to a faulty flasher switch. Due to this, the pulse will not reach the turn signals, and they will not blink.
Bad Ground
If the Ground of the connector is not connected correctly, then the circuit will stop conducting electricity, due to which the turn signals don’t turn on at all.
The bad ground connection can be corrected by checking all the connections and ensuring that an ample amount of current reaches the turn signals.
Find the tail light wire in the ground circuit. If it is not working correctly, replace it with another wire, and your lights should work properly now.
Turn Signal Stops Blinking When Brakes Are Applied: Troubleshooting
The first step is to assess what’s wrong with your turn signals. To properly assess the situation, you would have to take out the signal board and circuit and check if everything is working fine or any visible damage or fault.
Remove the brakes, turn on the lights and take a good look at them. If you feel there is an issue with the light bulbs, then replace them. But if you think there is something else at fault, then you can check further.
A burnt-out bulb should be immediately replaced as it might cause further damage if you don’t replace it immediately. The next step is to check all the wiring and connections.
If a connection is disconnected or burnt, you can replace them with new wires or try reinstalling them. If the problem persists, then you can change the entire system.
How to Prevent This Problem From Arising?
The turn signals on your car may stop blinking or flashing because of the wear and tear your car goes through as you drive it around.
If you check the whole turn and taillight system, there is a chance that you will find all the ground wire connections to be corroded. Corrosion is a common enemy for wires and switches.
If your car uses a common lighting system for both tail lights and turns signals, then it is possible due to corrosion, the lighting system may not be able to conduct enough juice to both the light systems equally.
The best way to avoid this problem is regularly checking and inspecting the system for corrosion and immediately replacing any wires that might look like they have started to corrode.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my signal light come on when I brake?
The majority of the cars have a common warning system for the parking brakes and the brake lights. If you experience that the light indicator is on while driving, there is a problem with the braking system.
A problem in the braking system means that you would not be able to brake while driving, putting you in a lot of danger along with the others. You should stop using this vehicle immediately and arrange for a means of better and safe transport.
Does the brake light switch affect the turn signal?
Cars or vehicles that use the same light bulbs for both purposes of braking and turning might face this issue. A faulty brake light switch will affect the driving capabilities of the person.
A faulty brake light switch might cause the lower brake lights to short circuit and not work correctly. As a result, your turn signals will not blink even when you press your brakes.
You can check the circuit and wires of the switch to ensure an appropriate connection between the brake lights and turn switch signals. Cars that have a separate circuit for brake lights and turn signals will not cause this problem to you.
Why are my turn signals not flashing?
The probable cause or reason why your car’s turn signals are switching on and off but not blinking or flashing can be due to a faulty flasher or turn switch.
The light bulb flasher sends constant input of current to the bulb and then cuts that input immediately to produce blinking. If you want to replace these parts, then you will have to access the electric connector.
What causes both turn signals to stop working?
When both the turn signals stop working in your car, it could primarily be due to a blown a fuse or dysfunctional flasher. The socket of your turn signals could be corroded or even damaged to cause
Wrap Up
If your turn signal is acting up every time you press your brakes, you are in trouble. You need to inspect the car immediately for problems and get the turn signals corrected. Some of the common problems could be a bad bulb, corrosion in the wires, short circuits, or a fault in any of the other systems that are a part of the turn signal assembly.