Common questions

Can you use hand signals instead of blinkers at night?

Can you use hand signals instead of blinkers at night?

At night—or when visibility is poor—you must use turn signal lights, not hand-and-arm signals. That is because hand-and-arm signals do not provide enough of a warning any time that you are driving a wide or long vehicle.

Can a turn signal work when the headlights are off?

All functions of the turn signals and the hazards work perfectly as long as the headlights are off. When the headlights are on, the brake lights, running lights, back-up lights all function as expected. The Hazards and the turn signals do not work.

How can I tell if my turn signal is working?

The bulbs look good and as long as the exterior lights are not on, the signal is fine. I would check the grounds–something is not working correctly. When the headlights are on-look at the turn signal in the dark. If there is a faint glow, you have a powered ground.

Why is my turn signal not working on my GM car?

The turn signals on most older GM cars do not have a ground wire. They get their ground through the screws that mount them to the body. There is a good chance that your mounting screws are corroded enough to cause a bad ground at the light. Take the screws out and clean the screw and hole up and try again.

Why are the blinkers on my car not working?

The most common problem is that one of the blinkers simply stops working while the other one remains fine. Another common problem is one side of the turn signal doesn’t operate. It’s important to remember that your turn signal system also controls your hazard lights. Sometimes your turn signal may work fine, but your hazard lights don’t operate.

Why is my turn signal not working when the headlights are on?

When the headlights are on-look at the turn signal in the dark. If there is a faint glow, you have a powered ground. Electricity—takes the path of least resistance. The turn signals on most older GM cars do not have a ground wire.

What causes a turn signal to stop blinking?

Troubleshooting your turn signals isn’t tough. If your turn signals have stopped working, it’ll be doing one of these things: blinking rapidly, coming on without blinking, or nothing at all. The good news is that all of these symptoms point to two possible issues, a bad turn signal relay or a dead bulb.

What should I do if my headlight light is not working?

The best way to do this is to turn the headlight switch on, connect the negative lead on your meter to a known good ground, and touch the positive lead to each headlight connector terminal. One of the terminals should show battery voltage, and the other two should show nothing if the problem is burned out bulbs.

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Ruth Doyle