Hazzards/Flashers Stopped Working
 

The hazzards or flashers in my 96 Grand Marquis have never worked since I owned the car. I want to get this fixed since it can be dangerous not to have them. When the hazzard button is pushed down nothing happens and the blinkers stop working (which I guess would be normal). Any ideas? I did some searching and it seems this car doesn't have a flasher relay but a lighting control module of some sort?

we had this sort of issue with my wife's 93 crown vic. what we ended up doing was hosing out the hazard switch and blinker switch with contact cleaner. haven't had any issues since.

but first, check your fuses. according to the manual (PDF) posted at www.motorcraftservice.com your fuse #1 is the one to check. If that is good and your blinkers actually blink, then the hazard switch is probably in need of cleaning or bad. if your blinkers don't actually blink, then it's the flasher that needs to be replaced in the fuse box.

The blinkers work fine. I checked the fuses a while ago and they were fine, I will look again though.

How do you get acess to the contacts? I have some electronic contact cleaner at home...

I didn't even take anything apart... I just sprayed into the cracks in the button itself and into the blinker switch in the side of the steering column (we were having blinker issues too). you should only need to hose off the hazard switch though. actuate it as you spray it to help the cleaner get down in there and do it's job. if that doesn't work, you may have to take the column shroud off. usually all that is required for this is to take the bottom off and then the top will lift out with some wiggling. you may have to remove the knee plate (panel where your knees generally are - not sure that is the proper name for it). I'll double check my chiltons when I get home to make sure.

All fuses are good. I sprayed the contacts and nothing changed. I forgot to mention that my blinkers only work when the hazzard button is pushed down. When it is up my blinkers do nothing. The hazzards/flashers never work.

I see that the Lighting Control Module is in the fuse center, think maybe that is bad?

if the blinkers never flash either, then the flasher is dead (the round can looking thing in the fuse box). just replace that.

I think we are getting confused...

The blinkers work fine when the hazzard button is pushed down (when the hazzards are supposed to be working).

When the hazzard button is up absolutely nothing works.

oh ok. then there is most likely an issue with the hazard switch itself not engaging (off is down, on is up). Seems it's not connecting the circuit for the hazards to flash, but will switch the circuit from blinkers to hazards (aka, not supplying power to the hazard circuit).

you may have to replace the hazard switch. Hopefully I'll remember to take a look in my chiltons at the 96 electrical schematics and make sure.

from what I can tell, it looks like the hazard switch isn't getting power through it to the lighting control module but is making contact in the off state for normal blinker usage. you may have a disconnected wire, bad hazard switch, or a blown fuse 1. if the brake lights work, it's not the fuse.

Isn't normal off state when the button is up though?

The blinkers only work when the button is down.

no. the off state for the hazards is down. The hazards disable the blinkers when they're on.

I got the hazzards working. All I did was took it all apart and took off the 5 small torx screws that hold in the plastic housing that the hazard switch is mounted on. I peaked behind there and saw a ton of contacts that appeared loose so I just put it back together. The hazzards started working now (there must have been some dirt or grit on the contacts that fell off when I took it apart) but the switch will not stay down, it is always in the hazzard mode now. If I hold the switch down the blinkers work so everything is good except the switch stays up. I have some zip ties around the steering column holding the switch down for the time being but would like it fixed...any ideas?

In my '93 Grand Marquis, when the hazard button is down, the hazards are off and the blinkers work. When the hazard button is up, the hazards turn on and the blinkers would not work.

I'm not sure, but you said the '96 has an LCM. Are there any other lighting issues such as dome lights or anything? This may show trouble in the LCM which might need to be replaced. The LCM controls the blinkers though, I thought.

On the '93 Grand Marquis, there are separate flashers for blinkers and hazards. The hazard flasher I have yet to locate, but the blinker flasher is on the fuse panel. They are separate and that leads me to suspect a bad hazards flasher.

You must not have read my last post carefully...everything is working as far as electronics go...the switch will just not "click" down to stay there. I assume there is some sort of catch to enable the switch to go to 2 different positions.

if it won't stay down, then you'll need to get a new switch. the catch is probably broken that holds it down. You can always try taking it all apart again and possibly fixing the switch, but it may just be easier to replace the switch. This will probably be a dealer part (or junk yard). I can't find anyone with it on-line.

Sorry I didn't see the post before mine. You must have updated while I was writing. As slymer said, I'd first start by reopening the column and attempting to fix the switch. Watch the movement of parts if you can to see what's not catching to keep the switch down.

Are there loose contacts in this switch? When I took out all the torx screws I peaked inside while begining to take the plastic housing apart and I saw contacts that looked like they were going to fall if I opened is up farther. That is the reason I stopped and put it back together.

that could also be the issue. sounds like you'll just have to replace it.