Dead Blinkers and Flickering Tail Lights

[BigBlueBrick]

So, I've really got 2 issues going on here with my 98 and I'm unsure if they are connected. The big one, if you didn't already guess from the title, is that I've got no blinkers when I move the multifunction lever (which I just replaced). I get absolute zip zilch nada both ways. When I move the switch in either direction, I can hear the relay under the dash make an initial click, but the lights do not illuminate inside or outside and the clicking does not continue. I have no blown fuses and I went through the power distribution box on the fender but nothing seems amiss there. Admittedly I haven't checked the relay box under the airbox because I didn't find a diagram labeling what they are for, so the issue could still be there. My hazards work as they should and did so before I replaced the MF switch. Doing so actually yielded no improvements. I have tried to see if the issue stems from the tilt steering by tilting it back and forth as well as checking the plugs on the column but that yielded nothing. The ONLY life that I can extract from the blinkers is if I hold the brake pedal down and move the MF lever slightly to engage the right blinker which results in the right blinker lighting up solid. The sweet spot to make this happen is very small. This leads me to assume that the blinkers and the brake lights are crossed at some point.

This leads me to my second issue, which is the brake lights flicker while they are on, both with the headlights and when the pedal is depressed. I have also noticed that the third light at the top is slightly illuminated when the brake lights are on with the headlights, which I know should not be the case. I feel that the flickering lights could be attributed to an alternator on its way out because the gauge on the dash is a bit on the lower side, but that might be a stretch given that none of the other lights on or in the explorer seem to flicker. I read somewhere on the forum that the flickering lights could have something to do with an issue with the anti-theft system, but I'm unsure.

What are your thoughts on this? Am I nuts or do these two circuits seem to be crossed in some way? I have a new relay coming in the mail from Rock Auto, so hopefully, that ends up being the fix for the blinkers. It still doesn't explain why the blinker lights up solid with the brake pedal. I'll look for that thread about the brake lights and the anti-theft issue and stick it in this discussion.

 

[mic98xlt]

I know this sounds crazy but have you replaced the two brake light bulbs? If they both are bad (open circuit) it feeds an odd stray voltage to the third LED brake light that looks like strange flickering in the third brake light. I ran into this on my '98 Ex years ago and it made for a lot of head scratching. GL.

 

[BigBlueBrick]

I know this sounds crazy but have you replaced the two brake light bulbs? If they both are bad (open circuit) it feeds an odd stray voltage to the third LED brake light that looks like strange flickering in the third brake light. I ran into this on my '98 Ex years ago and it made for a lot of head scratching. GL.

That's an interesting thought. Did your brake lights seem to work normally even as "bad" bulbs? Mine do aside from that flickering. I'll see if I can get that flickering to disappear by disconnecting one or both of the bulbs, which I assume should indicate if the bulbs are the culprits.

It would have taken me a bit of time to even consider that to be a possibility, so if you're right, kudos to you. I'll try it a few days when my schedule opens up.

 

[fast_dave]

@Manta16

Seriously - Have you taken 5 minutes and removed the rear light housings and PULLED the rear bulbs (as opposed to LOOKING at the rear bulbs)?

The rear light housing is literally snap together - remove one 10mm (if I remember correctly) bolt and pull the housing straight out of it's friction fittings.

The reason I'm asking is I see you are in LA, so I assume your Explorer is a LA / So-Cal based Ex. for most of it's life.

Thus, over their lifetime, So- Cal Ex's spend YEARS with your foot on the brake at intersections and in stop-and-go traffic - which leads to a LOT of heat in the light bulb socket.

I have seen the two lead solder contacts on the bottom of the rear Explorer bulbs literally melted flat due to the amount of power that's gone through them...

I've also seen where the 22 year old assembly line dielectric grease in the light bulb sockets has turned solid, preventing full flow of 12 volt power to the bulbs.

Start easy - K.I.S.S. Principle - report back!

HTH!

 

[BigBlueBrick]

@Manta16

Seriously - Have you taken 5 minutes and removed the rear light housings and PULLED the rear bulbs (as opposed to LOOKING at the rear bulbs)?

The rear light housing is literally snap together - remove one 10mm (if I remember correctly) bolt and pull the housing straight out of it's friction fittings.

The reason I'm asking is I see you are in LA, so I assume your Explorer is a LA / So-Cal based Ex. for most of it's life.

Thus, over their lifetime, So- Cal Ex's spend YEARS with your foot on the brake at intersections and in stop-and-go traffic - which leads to a LOT of heat in the light bulb socket.

I have seen the two lead solder contacts on the bottom of the rear Explorer bulbs literally melted flat due to the amount of power that's gone through them...

I've also seen where the 22 year old assembly line dielectric grease in the light bulb sockets has turned solid, preventing full flow of 12 volt power to the bulbs.

Start easy - K.I.S.S. Principle - report back!

HTH!

I have pulled the lenses before, and never saw any indication of any melting or anything funky. I undid some shoddy auxiliary reverse light wiring the previous owner spliced in. I did not pull the bulbs from their sockets at the time though, since they both worked as they should. On my last explorer, the plastic on my right bulb actually melted and covered the contacts, so you're definitely correct about the heat. I might be ok in this regard though because I actually bought this in Milpitas about a year ago, so it's originally a Nor-Cal truck! You guys do get your fair share of traffic though, so I might not be out of the woods yet. I'll let you know what I find.