Ford F53 No Turn Signals

[JESTIMATOR2]

I have a 1997 F53 and my turn signals quit working. Checked all the fuses and all were good, took the flasher out, took it apart and put it back and after several tries the turn signals all started working! Went to leave on our trip and no turn signals again! Replaced the flasher and still no turn signals!
My wife and daughter followed me to our destination and on the way down they said each time I would apply the brakes and the turn signal, the brake light would go out on the side the turn signal was switched to. Sounds like a bad ground to me. Going to check around this weekend. Just wondering if anyone has any other ideas, solutions or has had a similar problem. Thanks in advance for the help!

Hope you are reading Subford!

[Aguyfromcalg]

If possible trace your rear lights assembly back to the first wire connection. At this point check both sides with a circuit tester. You may have to disconnect the wires to do this.
This may help you locate the short or bad ground. Most times the problem is between the rear wire connections and the rear signals and brake lights.

[subford]

The ground to the frame in the photo below is the last ground to frame that Ford used on your F53. The plug in the photo by it is all of the power wires to the rear on the coach lights with no ground.

From that point to the rear lamps was wired by the coach builder and how they grounded the rear lamps is anybodies guess.

From what you say you have a bad ground return from the rear lamps to the frame where ever the coach builder grounded them.

Fleetwood may be able to tell you were they grounded them.


Sounds like the brake lights are trying to ground through the turn power wires and when you put power on the turn wires the brake lights are cancelled out.

The plug is located on the drivers side frame rail by the rear of the fuel tank.


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[ga traveler]

Did you replace the flasher with a Ford flasher? I had a couple of customers tell me that you had to be careful with replacements because some would fit, but would not work on Fords. My motorhome did the same thing and I went back with Ford and it fixed the problem.

[Horseshoe]

Make sure you changed the turn signal flasher instead of the 4-way flasher. Many of them look alike.

[JESTIMATOR2]

Thank you everyone for the great ideas and suggestions. I did not replace the flasher with a Ford OEM part I will see if I can get one from the local dealer. I will be sure to post the fix when I find it. Thabks again!

[rjdelapp]

Did you find the problem with the turnsignals? Don't think the ground is the problem or they would not light for brakes. The reason the side goes out that turn signal is switched to is the brake light goes through the turn signal switch and will flash thru the flasher. Sounds like you are loosing 12v power to the turnsignals. Loose wire around fuse block likely.

[JESTIMATOR2]

Spent a day checking grounds and wires and everything was good! Only thing was turn signal wires had continuity with ground. I took out the Autozone flasher, found my old factory one again and beat it around a bit, re-installed it and tried the turn signals and they worked! I changed the flasher with a Ford replacement and they worked for our trip home for the holidays. So at this point I am ruling it the flasher and that I should have used the Ford replacement to begin with. Thanks for all the help and suggestions!