What Does It Mean If Your Turn Signal Is Blinking Fast?

Turn signals are a pretty important part of driving and serve as an indicator to let other drivers know what your intentions are.  If you drive around without using your turn signals and are not only putting yourself at risk but also others. What does it mean when one turn signal is blinking faster than the other?

Well, usually the culprit is that your turn signal bulb has burnt out. This is because your turn signals are part of the electrical system of your car which uses relays to switch your turn signal bulbs on and off.

If you suspect that your turn signal bulb is burnt-out luckily for you this is usually a somewhat easy fix.  Most carmakers design their cars for easy access to the turn signal bulbs so that they can be replaced when needed.

But first, you need to verify that it’s actually your turn signal bulb that is the problem.

What To Do If Your Turn Signal Is Blinking Fast

First, you should know how car turn signals work. Your turn signal relays work by allowing electrical current to flow through the relay which then closes to light up the bulb. It then opens the relay which then breaks the loop and the turn signal bulb will turn off.

The relay will open and close based on the amount of electricity that the bulb consumes.  So if the bulb is burnt out or there is an issue with the wiring the relay will open and close faster than it would if the turn signal bulb were functioning correctly.

This will also be indicated on your dash by your turn signal light flashing faster than normal.  If your turn signal is flashing quickly this is likely a problem with your turn signal bulb.  You can verify this by checking your turn signal bulbs.

How To Fix A Turn Signal Blinking Fast

First, you should park your car so that you can get out to inspect your turn signal bulbs.  You would then want to turn on your turn signal on whatever side that your turn signal is flashing faster.

Then get out and walk around your car to inspect your headlight turn signal bulb and tail light turn signal bulb to see if one of them is burnt out.  If one of them is not flashing that means the bulb is burnt out and needs to be replaced.

What To Do If Your Turn Signal Flashes Fast But The Bulbs Are Good

If you check your turn signal bulbs and they are working properly then you may need to check the other parts of your turn signal system.  There are lots of parts to making your turn signals function and if one of them is not functioning correctly this can also cause issues.

Now if you have brand new bulbs in place and your turn signals still are not working properly you will need to troubleshoot the other components of your turn signal system like your turn signal fuse and your turn signal relays.  You may also have a bad ground connection or sliced wire interfering with your turn signal system.

Turn Signal Fuse

Your turn signal fuses should be easy enough to access by looking at your turn signal box located under your steering wheel or passenger footwell.

You may also have more fuses under the hood of your car that should also be checked. Look through your owners manual to determine where you turn signal fuses are located and then check them to make sure that they are not blown.

Turn Signal Relay

After you have confirmed that your turn signal fuses are not burnt out you would want to check your turn signal relays.  Checking your turn signal relays is venturing into the more difficult troubleshooting steps.

So if you are not very versed with working on cars you may need to take your car to a mechanic or have a friend or family member check your turn signal relays for you.  I’ve included a link to a video that shows how to check your turn signal relays.

Bad Ground Connection

Another reason why your turn signals may not be working properly is because of a bad ground connection.  If your turn signal wires are old and brittle or have become disconnected then they will not be able to provide a proper ground connection which means that your turn signals will not work.

To check that your turn signals are properly grounded you would need to check the wires leading to your turn signals to make sure that they are properly connected. The video below will show you how to test out a ground wire using a multimeter on your car.

Sliced Turn Signal Wire

Your turn signal wires may also be frayed or sliced which may be causing them not to work or only work intermittently.  Some wires may not have proper insulation or may be situated in a way that they could become frayed or disconnected by rubbing against metal body panels.

I’m reminded most recently about this recall on the Mclaren Senna where the engine harness could over time chafe and wear down.

“Specifically, the engine harness could come in contact with a metal link pipe heat shield. Over time, the wires may rub against the component and wear down.”  The same sort of issue could also happen to your turn signal wires which would cause your turn signals to no longer function.

How To Replace A Turn Signal Bulb

If your turn signals are blinking fast and you find that your turn signal bulb is burnt out then you will want to go ahead and replace it.  Replacing a turn signal bulb is typically an easy job because auto manufacturers will make the turn signal bulb easy to access.

In my car, I can access the front turn signal bulbs by removing a clip and a screw and then by peeling back the wheel well which then allows you to get access to the turn signal bulb with your hand.

The turn signal bulbs on the back of the car are easier to access as you only have to remove a panel in the trunk to then be able to access the back turn signal bulbs and brake light bulbs.

Every car is different so you should go on youtube and see how difficult it would be to replace a turn signal bulb in your car. You can then determine if you feel like you are capable of replacing the turn signal bulb yourself or if you’d be better off having someone else do it.

If replacing your turn signal bulb still doesn’t help with the situation then there may also be something wrong with your headlight or taillight and it may need to be replaced.

If you’ve explored all other avenues and you think that your headlight needs to be replaced then check out my other article, how much does it cost to replace a headlight?

Should You Use LED Turn Signal Bulbs?

Because LED bulbs use less energy than normal turn signal bulbs that have filaments this will typically cause your turn signals to flash faster than normal even if they are working properly.

What you can do to get around this is to install resistors that would emulate you having a turn signal bulb with a filament which will make your turn signals blink more like normal.

LED turn signals would be brighter than halogen turn signals which is one benefit of using LED turn signals but just know that they will likely require resistors to function like halogen turn signal bulbs.

Related Questions:

What Does It Mean If Your Turn Signal Flashes Fast On One Side?  The culprit is likely a burnt out turn signal bulb.  Check your turn signal bulbs to make sure that one is not burnt out and in need of replacement.

If you find that your turn signal bulbs are working properly you would then need to investigate the other components of your turn signal system like your turn signal fuse and turn signal relay.

Is it illegal to drive with a burnt out turn signal bulb?  Turn signals are required to be used when turning so if you are driving around with a burnt-out turn signal you can expect to be pulled over by a cop for that.

The good news is that you won’t go to jail for a burnt-out turn signal bulb. But the bad news is that the ticket will be way more expensive than if you just had replaced the turn signal bulb in the first place.

What To Do If Your Turn Signal Is Blinking Fast -In Conclusion

Hopefully, this article was able to give you a better understanding of how turn signals work and how turn signal bulbs play a part in how fast your turn signals blink.  After reading this article you should also have ideas as to why your turn signal is blinking fast and how to go about fixing it. Good luck with getting it fixed!