Trailer Lighting Problem Causing Directional Signals on 2011 Ford Taurus to Rapidly Flash

Question:

I INSTALLED THIS WIRING ON A 2011 FORD TAURUS. WHEN THE TRAILER IS CONNECTED THE TURN SIGNALS FLASH REALLY FAST. DO I NEED TO UPGRADE TO A HEAVY DUTY FLASHER OR COULD IT BE SOME OTHER ISSUE?

asked by: JERRY B

Expert Reply:

Needing a heavy duty flasher might be a possibility, but before going that route, do a bit of troubleshooting. Check your ground connections. A poor ground connection can cause any number of problems with trailer lighting.

On the converter box, there is a white ground wire with a ring terminal on the end of it. Make sure that this wire is securely attached to clean metal. Also, check the ground connection on the trailer itself. Trace the white wire rearward from the trailer connection. The ground wire typically connects somewhere on the trailer tongue. Make sure that this connection is tight, and not corroded. You should also check the bulbs on your trailer lights to ensure they are correctly installed and are not corroded.

As another possibility, if your trailer has LED taillights, and your Taurus has a bulb-out sensor, it's possible that because the LED's aren't drawing enough power, your vehicle thinks there's a burned out bulb. You can fix this by either switching to incandescent trailer lamps, or by installing a load resistor like part # DI34ZR inline with the turn signal lamp circuits on the trailer. You can see installation instructions by clicking the provided link.

expert reply by: Mike L