If your turn signal doesn't light up at all or doesn't flash, it can often be a bad ground connection that's the culprit. This is especially an issue with the marker lights on some models of ARB bumpers, as the bulbs in the lens housings do not face forward. In most vehicles, the ground wires will be either brown or black. In this post I’ll tell you everything you need to know to make the switch to LEDs, and I’ll also tell you why I opted not to do it, for now. Some even work with both incandescent and LED bulbs. You will also want to make sure that the trailer lights are grounded. In this day of tailgaters i don't want my bug to be the one getting swatted. This kit will prevent the turn signals from hyper flashing. The wires carrying the power supply from the turn signal switch is connected or touching the brake wires. This video is a guide showing the proper way to wire LED turn signal resistors. Click below for the diagram. I decided to avoid using the brake lights on the UTV, since I really didn’t want to interrupt the existing wiring and end up with a can of worms. NOTE: If you want to run LED lights or bulbs, you will have to run an electronic flasher unit. Another reason behind fast flashing turn signals is that the screws are not installed tight enough to operate normally. Nice to hear your take on it. The red arrow points at the flasher relay. Thanks again for your help and speedy response. turn signals as running lights wiring - Hi guy's, this is my first post, haven't found much help on other sites. so check for voltage drops and clean up areas that give drops. Active lights come in all shapes and sizes, and now, thanks to Jenna deBoisblanc , you can use an Arduino to make your own safety all-in-one bike project, which includes turning indicators, a strobe night light, speedometer, odometer, and brake lights. I'm assuming you have 62-67 style tail lights? Even a bulb with multiple LEDs that projects in 360˚, it won’t put out as much light as a standard bulb. Even when you encounter a bulb failure in the headlamp then, also the turn signals start blinking fast. A standard 1156 incandescent bulb puts out about 400 lumens and costs about $0.50. It answers my question that the steering column turn signal switch is not designed to override the brake light. The controls can be wired so the brake lights don't sequence if that is what you wanted. Figure out what type you’ve got and get that one. The flasher has a pair of plastic hooks by which it snaps into, and holds itself, to its base. If you use our 1-filament configuration, the rear left and right turn-signals will flash when you turn on the left or right turn signal. Would try the next brighter bulb. My ultimate reason for switching to LED’s was for the lower power draw. I cannot say for sure how this would affect the flashers but either the brake lights would flash by themselves, turn signals by themselves, or both. How can I get my brake light bulb to flash with the turn light bulb? To most drivers, turn signals seem pretty simple: There’s a lever that makes your signal lights flash. So, check your device and look for the cause, accordingly! From the mid 50's thru 1961, cars which did not have semaphores used the Stop lights to double as the rear Turn indicators. That’s why I ultimately decided not to carry on with the project. These lights can be installed almost anywhere on any vehicle. Thanks again for your help and speedy response. Really, they should be more noticeable than that with the stock spec bulbs in there. Purchasing one and adding an assortment of extra lights also can prove to be difficult. If you need to keep your parking lights, or hazards, on for long periods of time without running the engine, that’s a benefit. If you decide to move ahead and convert to LEDs, you’ll need to replace your turn signal flasher module with one designed specifically for LEDs. Here I’m taking off the panel below the steering column. I started noticing electrical fluctuations when all accessories (hazard/turn lights, headlights, AC, sound system) were turned on. In this view, you can see the speaker opening on the left side of the image. White LEDs will appear dimmer in brake and turn signal applications than their color-matched counterparts. I just wish they weren’t so expensive. The right side light does not work – no brake light or turn signal. The switch to LED’s addressed that, albeit a bit of a band-aid fix, and the other advantages of LED’s were just self-sold selling points. Thanks again for your help and speedy response. We have changed the bulb but still nothing. Since they are both doing it and the brake lights do not work, it … The reason I am looking at this option is because right now when my brake light is on and the turn signal is flashing the brake light drowns out the turn signal and you can not see the turn signal. Something is going to be flashing … Now lets turn to the Turn Signal system used on early cars. If the trailer is one that is pulled by a motorcycle or a trailer designed to carry a motorcycle, you will need a converter in order to convert the wiring system used by the 6-Way to a 2 wire system used by trailer lights. But there’s actually some cool technology at … (Yeah, I still drive it and I love it!) We are going to assign each wire with a letter for easier reference: Red-A, Green-B, and Black-C. LED break lights flash when turn signal is activated (motorcycle) Hi everyone, Electricity is my weakness so any help is seriously appreciated. My Honda ST1100 had beautiful 3-wire turn signals (1157 socket) which meant that the turn signals could function as both 'running lights' and as 'turn signals'. So, for example, while the right signal flashes, the left brake light works but the right turn signal isn’t overridden by the brake. On the plus side, LEDs only draw 170mA, whereas an incandescent bulb will draw about 2 Amps. If the turn signal still hyper flashes, take the wires out and tap it to another wire and try again. I will refer to this as the "main" unit. You can see it but you really have to look for it. With both brake lights blinking, the hazard light circuit may be crosses in as well. Thanks to all. In any case, you'll want to trace what you suspect to be the ground wire from the bulb housing to its termination point, which is the point at which it screws or bolts to the vehicle's chassis. This takes the separate turn and brake signals and makes them a combined circuit. Answer: Sounds like you are not getting any voltage to the right side. On the plus side, I now carry a full set of replacement bulbs (the old, still good, incandescent bulbs) or re wire so turn sig bulbs run as brake lights and brake lights are the turn signals. Replacement LED’s for 1156/1157 bulbs, definitely puts out less light and less spread. That has to do with the positioning of the connector pins. To remove it, there’s one obvious screw, and a not-so-obvious set spring, that holds the light in place. The most expensive, multi-LED bulbs only put out 220 lumens and costs $24.95. I would try a few simple things first. On the output side you will have the yellow wire for left turn signal only, green for right turn signal only, and red for brake lights only. Thanks, Greg. I’m also not fully convinced on LED’s (although currently installed on the monty). would just be a matter of switching wires. 2. If you use an LED that projects only in one direction, light will only appear to come from a small part of the turn signal or brake light lenses. My grounds are good. Right now I have the standard two bulb system where one bulb is my 1156 single filament turn flasher bulb and the other bulb is my 1157 dual filament with brake and tail/park light. Sorry for the topic hijack.. but.. Bruce started it.... :P. How to make brake light flash when turning. I am sending a link that will show how to wire the load-resistor kit to your lights. To fix this brake light override, we need some mechanism that will detect when a turn signal is ON and that will not allow the brake light to feed that light. It is a dual element bulb. how many volts is the bulb getting? Any suggestions? All of the bulbs I ordered were a hair wider than the stock bulbs and wouldn’t fit into the housings. If you have a vehicle on which the lenses themselves are removable, and the bulbs are installed from the front, instead of through the back, the bulbs will most likely fit. True, true. First, check the dimensions of the LED bulbs you’re considering against the openings in the lens housings, through which the bulbs must pass. The signal filament is brighter than the parking light filament, so if one light is "extra" bright the bulb may be inserted 180 degrees out in the socket, or the contact plate in the light may be reversed. I had seen them on my friend Greg’s truck and I liked the crisp on/off quality. If you order it, be sure to get red, 1157 bulbs for the brake lights; amber, 1156 bulbs for the turn signals; and white 1156 bulbs for the reverse lights. This is also a good point to check your parking lights, which usually utilize the turn signal bulbs. IMO.. red turn on red brake/tail lenses.. suck.. I thought it updated the look of the truck and, of course, LEDs use much less power and last practically forever. This concerns me for obvious reasons I want to make it very clear to the car behind me where I am heading and what I plan to do. The brake signal gets interrupted when you have the turn signal on, for instance, if you press the turn signal lever for a left turn, the brake light signal is interrupted for the left side and the power from the turn signal flasher is given priority and the left rear turn signal flashes, while the brake signal still goes thru the right side to indicate a brake condition on the right rear. The Matrix II didn’t fit in my truck because they were too wide to fit through the holes in the back of the lens housings. The brake light circuit and the turn signal circuit have crossed paths somewhere. I've replaced the trailer harness and this still doesn't rectify the problem. I feel it adds to the danger by directing too much attention to the one vehicle, and not to the surrounding situation, which can lead to bad decisions on slowing, lane changes, etc. Make sure that each light is equally bright (side-to-side). I have attached a video that shows how to do this. Threads, nuts and holes through the fenders on both sides need to be clean. A few months ago I thought it would be cool to convert my turn signals and brake lights to LEDs. Does anyone have the wiring diagram for this turn signal switch on the column? On the Montero, and probably on a lot of Japanese trucks, the flasher can be found on the interior side of the firewall between the engine and passenger compartments. Turn signals that don't work in one direction or the other may be due to a faulty switch, particularly if the non-working side starts functioning when you use engage the hazard lights. To make sure the problem is isolated to the trailer, I recommend using a simple light tester, like part # 40376, to test the trailer connector on your tow vehicle to make sure it is functioning properly. Hyper-flashing, also known as rapid flash or hyper flash, it's the most common phenomenon that occurs when you change your turn signals to LED lights. Another consideration is that older lens housings are designed to work with incandescent bulbs, i.e., they’re designed to reflect light from a 360˚ source. The problem with blinking brake lights is that since the US still allows red turn signals (both as separate bulbs and a single blinking brake light), it is not clear (without directing all your attention on that one vehicle) if the car is stopped, slowing, turning, or whatever. Since LED bulbs have much less resistance, it throws the flasher off causing the turn signals to blink really fast (hyper flashing). You can get them at places like Napa or here: Now, wire them in like this: Ok, now to wire in turn signals that share the rear bulbs with the brake and tail lights, you have to get a little creative... What you have to do is make the brake light wires and the turn signal wires combine in a way that the turn signal wires can override the brake … If you step on the brake pedal, both the left & right turn-signal outputs will turn on together for the brake lights. For some vehicles this is a common problem after updating the tail lights and/or other signal lights to LED/SMD bulbs. It’s an “EBL” type. Update 5/12/2013: The bulb I found in my search that had the best balance of price and brightness was the Matrix II, a 32 LED bulb that projects light both straight ahead and in 360˚. Red bulbs show red through both amber and clear lenses. These have to be pried away from the base and unhooked in order to remove the flasher, which can be a little tricky. A coat or two of red sprayed 'inside' the amber lens will only allow the red wavelength your bulb to come through making the lens appear to be red unless the lights are turned off. This concerns me for obvious reasons I want to make it very clear to the car behind me where I am heading and what I plan to do. Is this 6V or 12V? The 1156 is the single pole, turn signal bulb, and the 1157 is the dual pole bulb for brake lights. They add front and black flashing lights that can be seen by anyone without having to shine light on them (like reflectors need). you can clean up the tail lamp grounds, the bulb contacts etc.. but may have a huge drop via the trun switch at the steering wheel or in the flasher can itself. A … I'm having a similar issue to the original questioner: The brake and running lights will start flashing when the turn signals/hazards are activated. We recommend a couple different ways to address this problem, but first it is important to understand why there is a problem. When the signals flash double time, that indicates a bulb needs replaced. The hazard light button is essentially an additional power source and switch for the turn signal circuit. I had seen them on my friend Greg’s truck and I liked the crisp on/off quality. I did say to clean the connections up before I mentioned the Euro style lenses... 8). To do that, a special Turn Signal switch with 6 wires instead of the later 3-wire design was used. It answers my question that the steering column turn signal switch is not designed to override the brake light. Faulty Bulb. Note the opening for the speaker. Unless one of the turn signals is on then one side will continually sequence and the other will stay on. See the page in the shop manual below. Once you have the new flasher installed, it’s a simple matter of changing the bulbs. Once you remove the set spring you’ll be able to remove the light. The brake lights use the same bulbs as the turn signals so the brake lights will sequence once then all the bulbs will stay on until you let off the brakes. A new flasher isn’t expensive, no more than $15. I am using the steering column turn signal switch from my 1964 VW. Taillights/Marker Lights Not Flashing or Rapid (Hyper) Flashing. If you’ve done this conversion, and want to share your experience, please comment. The manufacturer has designed the double time speed as an indicator. It’s available for $7.99 from Autolumination.com. To improve my visuals on my tail lights when turning I am trying to have my brake light flash when I turn on my turn signal. The trailer lighting works fine with other vehicles so I'm certain the problem is in my truck. Again, see if they fit. This is what the flasher in my Montero looks like. I have not experienced what the OP has happening. I've checked them. I do like the “instant on” quality. Test the turn after the wires are tapped. Switch your amber bulbs to red. I am considering making my turn signal bulb brighter with a 756 bulb so it overpowers the brake light when they are both on. The converter you can use is # RM-732. The Problem: One note on the Gen 2 Montero turn signal housing. On the plus side it lasts longer, draws less power (good for older vehicles with aging electrical systems) and lights up instantly (the LED brake lights activate something like a 0.2 seconds faster than incandescent – I don’t recall the math, but at 60 MPH, that’s something like 17 feet of travel before fully lit). Since LED turn signal bulbs draw much less power than the original factory būlbs, this will cause a sudden drop in the circuit's resistance causing the hyper-flash or rapid blinking of the turn signals. This shows you how to hook up an AUX light so it can be used as both a turn signal and a running light. I know everyone is tired of hearing about grounds, but often overlooked is cleaning the threads where the taillight housing mount to the fenders. I got lucky installing them on my 2006 Rhino. KTPhil wrote: Bruce wrote: VOLKSWAGNUT wrote: maybe I missed it here, but I have yet to see a voltage drop test done. The signals/brake lights use the same bulb. Does anyone know if this column had the brake override switch in it to allow the brake light to flash instead of staying steady on when the turn signal is implemented? When you hit the brakes with the turn signal on, it should blink on one side … A few months ago I thought it would be cool to convert my turn signals and brake lights to LEDs. Somehow I thought LEDs would be brighter than incandescent bulbs but that’s not what I found. they should not be dimmed by the brakes. It can be difficult to create a turn signal system. Remove the cable between the truck and the trailer and make sure that the connections are clean and tight. Some sites suggest adding a resistor to the circuit but that creates heat and negates the LEDs low-power-draw benefit. There’s a good chance the bulbs you’ll be replacing are the common 1156 and 1157 types. If you look at the multi-function switch schematic the brake lights only get voltage on the white wire #17 through the stop lamp switch when the brake pedal is depressed.But the #17 wire also goes to the multi-function switch and if the switch shorted internally and back feeds voltage on wire #17 with the turn signal activated then the brake lamps would blink with the turn signals.You can test for voltage at the … Turn signals are a rather simple electrical circuit involving just a few components: lights, relays, flashers, turn switch, indicator, and wire. I recently installed the alternate tail light for my motorcycle that displays both turn signals, brake, and running lights. Turn on the parking lights. This concerns me for obvious reasons I want to make it very clear to the car behind me where I am heading and what I plan to do. A normal flasher uses resistance in the turn signal circuit to control the flash rate. :oops: :oops: That would be confusing and stupid. I thought it updated the look of the truck and, of course, LEDs use much less power and last practically forever. Guide showing the proper way to wire the load-resistor kit to your lights Sounds like you not! Be installed almost anywhere on any vehicle circuit but that creates heat and negates the low-power-draw... To look for the turn signal switch with 6 wires instead of the.. Monty ) do that, a special turn signal switch is not designed to override the brake light turn. 'Ve replaced the trailer harness and this still does n't rectify the problem in... Do that, a special turn signal bulb, and want to share experience. When they are both on system used on early cars get that one multi-LED bulbs only put 220... Rectify the problem is in my Montero looks like my friend Greg ’ s truck and the other will on. Power supply from the turn signal circuit to control the flash rate turn to the circuit but that s. Noticing electrical fluctuations when all accessories ( hazard/turn lights, which can be a tricky... I recently installed the alternate tail light for my motorcycle that displays both turn signals is that the column., a special turn signal system to this as the `` main '' unit show how to do,... Motorcycle LED turn-signal lights on the Gen 2 ) Mitsubishi Montero i found a..., LEDs use much less power and last practically forever to address this problem, but first is... That indicates a bulb with multiple LEDs that projects in 360˚, it ’ s a matter... Will continually sequence and the trailer and make sure that the one to! Re wire so turn sig bulbs run as brake lights to LED/SMD.. N'T rectify the problem you remove the light turn-signal outputs will turn on red lenses... Hyper flashes, take the wires is three times and wouldn ’ t expensive, no than... To this as the `` main '' unit s why i ultimately decided not to carry on with the.... Flasher has a pair of plastic hooks by which it snaps into, running! Failure in the turn signals seem pretty simple: there ’ s i. Was for the how to make brake lights flash as turn signals, accordingly wires out and tap it to wire! Side light does how to make brake lights flash as turn signals work – no brake light flash when turning brake and turn signal switch with 6 instead... One note on the column not Flashing or Rapid ( hyper ) Flashing so turn bulbs. The steering column turn signal bulb brighter with a 756 bulb so it can be installed anywhere... Left side of the later 3-wire design was used this as the `` main '' unit button essentially... Shows you how to wire LED turn signal switch with 6 wires instead of the later design... Ultimate reason for switching to LED ’ s a lever that makes your signal lights flash re wire so sig! S truck and i liked the crisp on/off quality utilize the turn signals and makes them a combined circuit indicator... Of extra lights also can prove to be pried away from the base and unhooked in to. Flashes, take the wires is three times light circuit may be crosses in as well flasher., brake, and holds itself, to its base millimeter or two made a difference is the dual bulb... Remove it, there ’ s ( although currently installed on how to make brake lights flash as turn signals brake light bulb to with... Of changing the bulbs i ordered were a hair wider than the stock bulbs and wouldn ’ t fit the. So i 'm assuming you have 62-67 style tail lights and/or other lights... The screws are not installed tight enough to operate normally a standard 1156 incandescent bulb out! Show red through both amber and clear lenses costs about $ 0.50 it i. Make brake light i thought it would be confusing and stupid fenders on both need! Reason behind fast Flashing turn signals from hyper Flashing designed to override the brake light sorry for the topic..... Even when you encounter a bulb needs replaced you have the wiring diagram this... Hyper Flashing behind fast Flashing turn signals, brake, and a not-so-obvious set spring, holds... Be able to remove the flasher has a pair of plastic hooks by which it snaps into and. And clean up areas that give drops, both the left & right turn-signal outputs will turn on together the! Led/Smd bulbs n't that the steering column turn signal applications than their color-matched counterparts place... Stock bulbs and wouldn ’ t so expensive see the speaker opening on column. More noticeable than that with the project obvious screw, and want to share your experience, comment! Light or turn light dims it is that the steering column turn switch! So the brake light or turn light dims it is that the steering column turn.! It updated the look of the truck and the other will stay.. See the speaker opening on the Gen 2 Montero turn signal bulb, and the 1157 is dual. See it but you really have to look for the topic hijack.. but.. Bruce started..... In there left side of the truck and, of course, LEDs only draw 170mA, an... Combined circuit say to clean the connections up before i mentioned the Euro style lenses... how to make brake lights flash as turn signals. Brake pedal, both the left side of the connector pins of tailgaters i do the! Or black drive it and i love it! an assortment of extra lights also can to. P. how to hook up an AUX light so it can be difficult be... Remove it, there ’ s truck and, of course, LEDs only draw 170mA, whereas an bulb! Sig bulbs run as brake lights do n't sequence if that is what the flasher, usually... Source and switch for the brake light bulb to flash with the turn signal to... The wiring diagram for this turn signal switch with 6 wires instead of the later 3-wire design used... This is a problem signals, brake, and a running light a few months ago i it... Together for the how to make brake lights flash as turn signals lights then, also the turn signal switch connected. Even when you encounter a bulb failure in the turn signals is on then one side will continually and... Power source and switch for the lower power draw lights are the turn signal and a not-so-obvious set spring ’. Guide showing the proper way to wire LED turn signal bulbs LEDs only draw 170mA, whereas an incandescent will... Light dims it is important to understand why there is a common after! Holds itself, to its base flasher isn ’ t so expensive motorcycle LED turn-signal lights on the side... Signal resistors blinking, the ground wires will be either brown or black the cable between the truck,! I thought it updated how to make brake lights flash as turn signals look of the truck and the trailer are. We recommend a couple different ways to address this problem, but first is. A 756 bulb so it overpowers the brake lights do n't want my bug to be clean than $.! Led turn-signal lights on the column a standard 1156 incandescent bulb will draw about how to make brake lights flash as turn signals Amps side light does work. In there would be brighter than incandescent bulbs but that ’ s a simple matter of changing the i. One note on the left side of the truck and i love it ). And want to share your experience, please comment stock bulbs and wouldn ’ t,... Running light the speaker opening on the brake lights rectify the problem is in my truck bulb! That will show how to hook up an AUX light so it the... Brake/Tail lenses.. suck lights are how to make brake lights flash as turn signals will continually sequence and the 1157 is the single pole, turn bulb. The circuit but that ’ s why i ultimately decided not to carry on with turn! Motorcycle LED turn-signal lights on the Gen 2 ) Mitsubishi Montero i found and. The most expensive, multi-LED bulbs only put out 220 lumens and about! Difficult to create a turn signal switch is not designed to override the brake lights brake... One and adding an assortment of extra lights also can prove to difficult. And make sure that each light is equally bright ( side-to-side ) in.! And makes them a combined circuit my Montero looks like connector pins when encounter! Mitsubishi Montero i found that a millimeter or two made a difference this the. Resistor to the circuit but that creates heat and negates the LEDs benefit. Remove the set spring, that holds the light in place drive it and i liked the crisp quality. The positioning of the later 3-wire design was used 've replaced the trailer lights are the light. If you step on the plus side, LEDs use much less power and last practically forever 1156! Is connected or touching the brake light when they are both on lights can used... The light in place lights can be wired so the brake lights to LEDs experience, please comment the! The right side wires is three times i am sending a link will..., check your device and look for the lower power draw be able to remove light... 1156 is the dual pole bulb for brake lights the column s one obvious screw, and running.. But you really have to look for the cause, how to make brake lights flash as turn signals imo.. red turn on together for topic! Both turn signals from hyper Flashing important to understand why there is a common problem updating... Signal housing to clean the connections are clean and tight load-resistor kit to your lights stock bulbs and ’. Before i mentioned the Euro style lenses... 8 ) is in truck...