Blinker and hazards not working now

[intheric]

So after putting a new P RND21 indicator module in today, my hazards and blinkers do not work. Inside or out. I’ve made sure the connections are in and snug (all 3 “snapped” in) after disconnecting everything to take the cluster out. Everything else works (hi beams, theft blinking light, all the back LEDs). I do remember when taking the bezel off it keeps hitting the hazard button and I heard the ticking. Now nothing.

could it be the fuses?

 

[J_C]

The connector on the back of the multi-function switch (aka MFS, the turn signal/etc stalk on the steering wheel column) has a tendency to have the wires come out the back of it. I'd check that first. Some have used hot glue or epoxy to keep the wires in place.

Otherwise if you hadn't just done the work you did, I would've suspected the MFS switch itself as those can have the grease harden and the copper start corroding after all this time then the cure is clean it out, clean the contacts and regrease with dielectric grease or buy a new one (or buy a used from a junkyard and clean it out to have ready to swap in when you take your original off).

If you think it's just your bezel holding the hazard button wrong, then do take it off and try to reposition it back on correctly. I seem to recall that on mine, it was easier if the tilt steering wheel was adjusted up or down to do so, but surely it can't be "necessary" since some don't have tilt steering??

Certainly you might as well check the fuses, and the blinker relay, but for it to happen right after you did the repair, I'd wonder what is/was shorting to blow the fuse, or whether it was an extreme coincidence that the blinker relay went out right after doing a repair in the same area as the MFS.

 

[intheric]

I slammed the door pretty hard and that seemed to do the trick but it’s been on my mind for awhile to check or go ahead and replace all the fuses as I think some are blown. My cig lighter doesn’t work next to the radio and I’d like to use that for my Bluetooth adapter so I can keep my ash tray closed. And the back rear wiper works on occasion. Preventative maintenance for a few bucks I say.

 

[J_C]

I could see something being plugged into the lighter outlet to exceed the fuse rating, or once I even had a lighter adapter plug fall apart in the socket and short it to blow a fuse, but otherwise any blown fuses should have the root cause resolved. If a fuse isn't blown, and it's easy to tell with a multimeter, there's no need to replace it and you could end up worse off if you don't use major brand fuses. Some of the cheap chinese fuses are terrible, pass far more current before blowing than they're rated for, which if you have some fault that blows fuses, could damage wiring or connectors due to their crappy fuse not doing what it was supposed to do.

Our vehicles are pretty easy to add a lighter outlet to since there is some empty trim plastic. Obviously for a bluetooth adapter you'll want to locate it where it's easily seen. There are some basic ones and some fancier with USB charge ports and even a voltmeter, though there are probably some sellers cheaper than these examples:

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-...0001&campid=5574912417&icep_item=292874013566
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-...0001&campid=5574912417&icep_item=121746630793

 

[1998Exp]

I slammed the door pretty hard and that seemed to do the trick but it’s been on my mind for awhile to check or go ahead and replace all the fuses as I think some are blown. My cig lighter doesn’t work next to the radio and I’d like to use that for my Bluetooth adapter so I can keep my ash tray closed. And the back rear wiper works on occasion. Preventative maintenance for a few bucks I say.

My money is on the wires pulling out of the connector, as J_C suggested. Sometimes that creates an intermittent that ultimately becomes permanent. Your door slamming is a good indication - as was, in my case, tilting the steering wheel. It's a well-documented issue with a lot of Ford vehicles from that era. Should have been a recall, because non-functioning direction indicator is a hell of a hazard. I remember using hand signals when that happened (doesn't work at night...) Replacement pigtail is available, though soldering it in may require some acrobatics in that tight space.