Changing Turn Signal Lever? | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

  • Register Today It's free!

Changing Turn Signal Lever?

Tony407

Well-Known Member
Joined
July 13, 2014
Messages
271
Reaction score
14
City, State
Portland, OR
Year, Model & Trim Level
2017 Ford Explorer Sport
One of my gripes (and there's not many) in my '15 Sport is that the turn signal lever is very confusing and takes too much of my attention when switching lanes, especially more than once or when quickly switching from one direction to the other. I really don't like having the stalk return to the center position every time. I know others have complained about this and like me, would prefer to have a traditional lever that stays in the up (right) or down (left) position while the turn signal is activated.

My question is can we replace just the lever from a subsequent model year? One that has the more traditional style? Are they interchangeable? I really can't remember what model year these changed, although I've driven a newer model year with the different lever and loved it. I stopped by the dealership to inquire but that was a wasted trip, as these sorts of trips usually are.

Thanks! - Tony
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.





One of my gripes (and there's not many) in my '15 Sport is that the turn signal lever is very confusing and takes too much of my attention when switching lanes, especially more than once or when quickly switching from one direction to the other. I really don't like having the stalk return to the center position every time. I know others have complained about this and like me, would prefer to have a traditional lever that stays in the up (right) or down (left) position while the turn signal is activated.

My question is can we replace just the lever from a subsequent model year? One that has the more traditional style? Are they interchangeable? I really can't remember what model year these changed, although I've driven a newer model year with the different lever and loved it. I stopped by the dealership to inquire but that was a wasted trip, as these sorts of trips usually are.

Thanks! - Tony
Put it up or down further for it to lock into place while the signal is active. What you're doing only does 3 blinks and then turns off. It's meant for lane changes, but apparently very abrupt ones.
 






Put it up or down further for it to lock into place while the signal is active. What you're doing only does 3 blinks and then turns off. It's meant for lane changes, but apparently very abrupt ones.

It’s not the Lange change feature...which works on the 2015s like other years. Unfortunately, on the 2015s the turn signal mechanism is very different than even my 2018. The 2015 turn signal lever is not held up or down when you are making a right or left turn like other models...instead the lever activates a relay to indicate your turn, then the lever moves back to the center position...even while your turn signal keeps flashing until you cancel or complete the turn. It’s difficult to explain, but it’s not the typical turn lever operation.

Side note: I have used a steering wheel off a 2015 Explorer and put it on a 2017 Expedition. I had to use the turn signal cancel cam for a 2017 for the turn signal lever to function properly on the 2017...the 2015 and 2017 were totally different.
 






It’s not the Lange change feature...which works on the 2015s like other years. Unfortunately, on the 2015s the turn signal mechanism is very different than even my 2018. The 2015 turn signal lever is not held up or down when you are making a right or left turn like other models...instead the lever activates a relay to indicate your turn, then the lever moves back to the center position...even while your turn signal keeps flashing until you cancel or complete the turn. It’s difficult to explain, but it’s not the typical turn lever operation.

Side note: I have used a steering wheel off a 2015 Explorer and put it on a 2017 Expedition. I had to use the turn signal cancel cam for a 2017 for the turn signal lever to function properly on the 2017...the 2015 and 2017 were totally different.
Oh I see, that is so weird! Why wouldn't Ford just make it normal, jeez.

Nb: would love to do a reverse swap of wheels, Expedition or F150 wheel into the Explorer.
 






Oh I see, that is so weird! Why wouldn't Ford just make it normal, jeez.

Nb: would love to do a reverse swap of wheels, Expedition or F150 wheel into the Explorer.

I have a 2017 Expedition Steering Wheel sitting in my garage if you’re interested ;). Very cheap..has the airbag with it.
 


















So, you are saying that someone on the west coast actually uses a turn signal besides me?

LOL! Yep! I always do, and I rarely forget...but it happens.

Recently got back from San Diego for a week, and signal use there is WAY lower than here in Portland.
 






Yeah, I think everyone here thinks its a sign of weakness to actually let someone else know your intentions.
 






The switch is cheap, around $35. They changed it to what you want in the 2016, I think, so you could just order one and try it out. It's also easy to change out. Just a few screws. I did my '13 in 10 or 15 minutes.
 






The switch is cheap, around $35. They changed it to what you want in the 2016, I think, so you could just order one and try it out. It's also easy to change out. Just a few screws. I did my '13 in 10 or 15 minutes.

Thank you very much for that!

Got a call from the dealership, they quoted me $400, that's with the part(s) and labor to install. However, they also said they can't guarantee it'll work so it would cost me a little bit of labor to figure this out, but the part would be refundable.
 












Well like Jon M said, the 2016 turn signal lever (which operates like the one I want and stays locked in the "up" or "down" position like the 2016 Explorer I looked at on the dealership lot) was only $26 at Autozone and was a super-quick plug-and-play install, but...

I don't know if my photo uploaded or not, but there's a small, white arm that extends beyond the body of the switch that my 2015 switch does not have. This arm is meant to be pressed up or down, presumably from making contact with a physical protuberance that turns along with the steering wheel, and thus resets the signal lever to the middle position after the steering wheel goes past a certain point - indicating that you've made your turn and now it's time for the turn signal to turn off.

Two problems:

1) In my '15 steering wheel assembly there just isn't anything to make physical contact with this arm to tell the lever to return to the middle position. I fashioned a small piece of ABS plastic to act like an extension and zip tied it onto the end of the arm so it makes contact with a small "nub" that rotates with the steering wheel assembly so that it pressed on the arm and did indeed return the signal lever to the middle position after a turn, but...

2) Even when returned to the middle position, the turn signal does not shut off. It just blinks and blinks until you physically cancel it by slightly depressing the lever in the opposite direction.

I suspect that in my 2015 model, there's some sort of position sensor in the steering wheel that electronically tells the turn signal to shut off (since the signal lever always returns to the middle position as default as soon as you use it to make a turn), whereas the 2016 switch uses that white arm to physically return the lever to the middle position, So I can only assume the 2016 switch isn't compatible with whatever electronic wizardry is going on inside the 2015 steering wheel assembly.

I hope that makes sense.

I'm not sure what the dealership is planning on doing with my $400 to make it work the way I want (and I don't think they know for sure either), but it's definitely not something a $26 part will fix.

Thanks, everyone. - Tony

Screenshot_20190709-191232_Gallery.jpg
 






What was the part number of the switch you bought? I assume it does not have the lane change feature anymore
 






Well like Jon M said, the 2016 turn signal lever (which operates like the one I want and stays locked in the "up" or "down" position like the 2016 Explorer I looked at on the dealership lot) was only $26 at Autozone and was a super-quick plug-and-play install, but...

I don't know if my photo uploaded or not, but there's a small, white arm that extends beyond the body of the switch that my 2015 switch does not have. This arm is meant to be pressed up or down, presumably from making contact with a physical protuberance that turns along with the steering wheel, and thus resets the signal lever to the middle position after the steering wheel goes past a certain point - indicating that you've made your turn and now it's time for the turn signal to turn off.

Two problems:

1) In my '15 steering wheel assembly there just isn't anything to make physical contact with this arm to tell the lever to return to the middle position. I fashioned a small piece of ABS plastic to act like an extension and zip tied it onto the end of the arm so it makes contact with a small "nub" that rotates with the steering wheel assembly so that it pressed on the arm and did indeed return the signal lever to the middle position after a turn, but...

2) Even when returned to the middle position, the turn signal does not shut off. It just blinks and blinks until you physically cancel it by slightly depressing the lever in the opposite direction.

I suspect that in my 2015 model, there's some sort of position sensor in the steering wheel that electronically tells the turn signal to shut off (since the signal lever always returns to the middle position as default as soon as you use it to make a turn), whereas the 2016 switch uses that white arm to physically return the lever to the middle position, So I can only assume the 2016 switch isn't compatible with whatever electronic wizardry is going on inside the 2015 steering wheel assembly.

I hope that makes sense.

I'm not sure what the dealership is planning on doing with my $400 to make it work the way I want (and I don't think they know for sure either), but it's definitely not something a $26 part will fix.

Thanks, everyone. - Tony

View attachment 171724

I think this is the first time I see a real attempt to change this. A suggestion that might be worth to try, in SCCM As-Built Data, ForScan, did you try to change type of turn signal (On Until Canceled - OUC - link to F-150 Thread about it)?

SCCM 724-01-01 xxxx xXxx xxxx

For a stock 3-Flash turn signal, your setting should be "7", try changing it to "6".
 












What was the part number of the switch you bought? I assume it does not have the lane change feature anymore

Duralast SW12067.

Yes, it had the 3-blink lane change feature.
 






I think this is the first time I see a real attempt to change this. A suggestion that might be worth to try, in SCCM As-Built Data, ForScan, did you try to change type of turn signal (On Until Canceled - OUC - link to F-150 Thread about it)?

SCCM 724-01-01 xxxx xXxx xxxx

For a stock 3-Flash turn signal, your setting should be "7", try changing it to "6".

I have no idea, sounds too complicated for me. LOL
 









Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.





Back
Top