turn signal relay

[ncsouth]

my turn signals only work on one side, my right, I know I have power going to the relay, but no go on the left side, I did price a replacement relay and it was 96 bucks. does anyone know of a cheaper replacement?

[beegshot]

Do you have hazard lights?

Every now and then I have a problem with my turn signals on the XJ. And, sure enough, I've managed to bump the hazard switch away from the "off" position, but not quite to the "on" position.

Assuming the bulbs are good, are you sure it's the relay. I'm all out of tech support. Maybe someone else can chime in.

Robert

[TopCatGr58]

Hey NCSouth,

IF they work on one side, will work on the other, so the flasher relay is most likely not at fault.

Problems with grounds, rear is often inside fender around base of mounting shaft, corrosion in the sockets, and bulbs looking good but bad filaments, if one out, the other will not work, remove check continuity, clean contacts, etc.. That's the easiest first.

More complex can be even the wire coming unsoldered from the switch assembly in the handlebar....again remove and inspect, resolder as needed!?
Happy hunting!
T.C.

PS, if going to be doing more inquiries, best to include your year/model-Std/Spcl in your signature or in your profile to help refine suggestions tailored to your specific bike....there are differences!

[Jerry]

I did price a replacement relay and it was 96 bucks.

As a summary....

The OEM unit has an auto cancel feature. If you can live without it, a standard 2-prong 12V flasher will work fine. It will only go in 2 ways, 1 works and the other does not. No harm from plugging it in wrong. (IIRC if you turn the bike-side connector so the open part is closest to the ground, the flasher will plug into the top and right-side socket.)

You can also use an electronic flasher, draws less current and more consistent flashing at low RPM, but cost is around $10.00 - $12.00. Stock 2-prong is $3 - $5 range.

There is a 2nd flasher for the 4-way system found on later XS and XJs; switch is on the bottom left bar on the XS and bottom right on the XJ. Standard flasher works here as well. Just mentioning this so you change the correct flasher. However, as was mentioned above, if one side is flashing and the other is not, problem is not with the flasher.

Side note: some people have been able to take apart the OEM flasher and clean up the insides, then reassemble. This brings the OEM unit back to life in many cases.

If you can, use heavy-duty bulbs, particularly for the 1157 dual-filament lights. I have had failures over the years when 1 filament broke and dropped on the other inside the bulb causing some very strange problems.

Your best bet is to clean all contacts and grounds, including the little strap inside the light stem that makes the connection between the stem and the bulb. Rear light connections are usually worse than front light wiring, as the rear grounds are more exposed to water and dirt than the front ones.

[ncsouth]

the bike is a 79 xs 1100, I just went and got an electronic relay and tried it, no go guys. I did use a 3 prong.

[Jerry]

3 prong will not work without modification. Use a 2 prong unit.

[Jerry]

I should add....

The OEm unit uses the 3rd prong for the auto-cancel feature, which uses a time/distance circuit. A replacement 3-prong unit is wired differently and will not function when used as a replacenent for the OEM flasher.