bulb outtage

[andyfanshawe]

Interesting one this.
I have a 97 mark and have been getting a bulb outtage fault code for the turn signals (both sides). But no bulbs are out

When the right or left turn signals are turned on, the front ones were very hit and miss. Sometimes flashing and sometimes trying to flash at odd intervals. So what the heck is going on?

Out with the multimeter and resistances checked from the SCIL module out to each of the front right corners. 5 ohms out to the front right and 11 ohms out to the front left. Thats puzzling. Up to the front and a check of the resistances across just the bulbs to eliminate the wiring. same results.

When the bulbs are lit up their resistances changed from 5 ohms to 25 ohms in about 10 seconds..??????????

So it looks as if the bulbs are causing the problem. Too old? Tired? I've certainly heard of VAG and BMW cars causing cruise/traction/ABS lights to come on when bulbs are faulty/mismatched...but a Lincoln Mark 8?

I can't get the bulbs here in the UK, so I swapped out the bulbs and bulb holders from a Suzuki Alto! Did it cure it? Oh yes. No fault codes since then and rock steady turn signals.

Andy.

Has anyone else had this?

 

[budpytko]

I had a rear one do that once. I had to replace a blown bulb on the pass. side rear. I used a bulb that I had here at the house for a very long time . About a month after I changed it, I intermittently started getting a fault on the center console about that lamp being out...... turn lights on....go check. It's ok. Reset fault and in a day or week it does it again. Replaced the bulb with another I have had about the same time....no faults lights for about a year now. It HAS to be a low resistance on that bulb.