1971 Emergency Flasher unit

[merccougbird]

I wonder if someone could point me in the right 'direction' for the location of the emergency flasher ( it should be a green D1FZ-13350-A / SF 552 B ). The turn signals sequence just fine, but the emergency flasher is a weak 'blinkety-blinkety affair - not a solid repeating on and off. And no audible click from the relay, wherever it is, as well ( the turn signal relay is audible, and you can feel it click if you put your fingers on the relay itself ).

I have checked the Ford Service Manuals and the MPC ( illustrations section ) to find an approximate location for the flasher, and from what I can determine it SHOULD be to the RHS of the glove box, near the fuse panel. No such luck. I located the turn signal 'can' ( D0WY - green unit ) to the Left of the glove box, secured into the holder, no problem. I have removed the glove box to make it easier to gain access to the area. But the emergency flasher whereabouts is a mystery ! The car has only 24, 000 miles on it - so everything underneath the dash is pristine and in 'survivor' state - no dust, dirt or alterations since assembly !

Any help you can provide would be much appreciated,

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[merccougbird]

I've posted this before, and still looking for some help / direction as to where I might find the 'elusive' flasher unit. I've taken off the lower drivers access panel and removed the glove-box for better access and visibility. I've used an automotive stethoscope ( could clearly hear the turn signal relay from anywhere under the dash - but not the emergency flasher ) and I purchased a DEPSTECH scope for use with my cell phone to look in all the nooks and crannies inside the dash ( the cam is flexible and has a built-in illuminating light ).

All of this to no avail. The regular turn signal relay is exactly where the service manual and MPC diagrams show it to be ( to the left of the glovebox ). The emergency flasher should be to the right of the glovebox, in a clip holder by the fuse panel. NO such luck. It just isn't there. I've searched the entire length of the dash interior, numerous times. Really annoyed / frustrated.

I have had some suggestions :

(1) the MPC '71 wiring diagram was uploaded in response as an 'aid' to finding the relay location - but I've already seen this, and the flasher relay just isn't in the location as depicted in the schematic
(2) that the emergency flasher relay might be by the parking brake assembly. Sadly it isn't in that location either.

Any other suggestions ? Anyone actually removed or replaced this relay and truly knows where it is ?

 

[Apriliaalex]

Mine were resting to the left of the glovebox just placed on the little shelf back there. The Cougars Unlimited instructions say the"flasher relays are clipped on just above the glovebox" They are further up in the tbirds than the others for some reason. I'll take a photo of mine tomorrow so you can see the color of the wires and try to trace them back to where its hiding.

I'm in the process of doing all LED lighting and am running into some issues because the previous owner spliced some of the column wires for unknown reasons.

 

[merccougbird]

Mine were resting to the left of the glovebox just placed on the little shelf back there. The Cougars Unlimited instructions say the"flasher relays are clipped on just above the glovebox" They are further up in the tbirds than the others for some reason. I'll take a photo of mine tomorrow so you can see the color of the wires and try to trace them back to where its hiding.

I'm in the process of doing all LED lighting and am running into some issues because the previous owner spliced some of the column wires for unknown reasons.

Hi Apriliaalex : Wonderful - that you actually found it. Not where the MPC nor the service manuals indicate it should be, right ? I did find ( easily ) the turn signal relay, and it is to the left of the glovebox, in it's proper clip and affixed to the lower dash - just as it should be. Not so for the emergency flasher. I look forward to some images, and the wire colors from you. I hope to be able to find this relay and replace it - the whole reason for going through this 'exercise' in the first place !

 

[Apriliaalex]

Hi Apriliaalex : Wonderful - that you actually found it. Not where the MPC nor the service manuals indicate it should be, right ? I did find ( easily ) the turn signal relay, and it is to the left of the glovebox, in it's proper clip and affixed to the lower dash - just as it should be. Not so for the emergency flasher. I look forward to some images, and the wire colors from you. I hope to be able to find this relay and replace it - the whole reason for going through this 'exercise' in the first place !

 

[Apriliaalex]

I uploaded a video for you on YouTube.

Hope that helps!

 

[merccougbird]

I uploaded a video for you on YouTube.

Hope that helps!

Hi Apriliaalex :
Thanks for the video. I went to my T-Bird after looking at the video, and sleuthed out the area, once again. Nothing. I traced the glovebox light ( on-off switch on the RHS ) wiring back to the harness ( just before where the harness loses its wrapping and the wires enter the fuse block ) and those wires are the only ones exiting the harness at that point - no emergency flasher wires ! Sigh. This T-bird has ATC, and the three big bundles of wires ( with about 4 - 6 wires in each ) enter the ATC box on the LHS, so they aren't in the way, and preventing me from carefully inspecting the area around the fuse block, where the Emergency flasher + wires should be. Who knows what if anything, having ATC has to do with that area and the wiring under the dash ?

But there is still one small pair of wires going behind the ATC, which is odd, since the dash and A/C schematics don't show that. But I don't think it the flasher - the colors don't look right - and there are only two wires. The ATC is also somewhat loose, as the only one bolt on the bottom isn't fully screwed in - who knows if that's the way it was from the time of assembly, or it had been replaced at one point ? The car only has 24,000 miles on it !

Comfirm for me that the three wires that go the connector for the flasher appear to be white with red stripe, red with white stripe, and ? ? I'll have to look in the Car service Manuals ( CD ) to see the wiring diagrams, for the exact colors. It was hard to see in your video the colors of the wires, as they were to the top of the screen, and also blocked somewhat by the names and captions at the top of the video.

Thanks again for your help, your video is excellent and would be more than sufficient, except in my circumstance........

 

[Apriliaalex]

So weird! I just want to be 100% sure, you said glove box light? You want to follow the footwell light wires. Not the glovebox light.

 

[merccougbird]

So weird! I just want to be 100% sure, you said glove box light? You want to follow the footwell light wires. Not the glovebox light.

Hi Apriliaalex :
Yes I realized my mistake after writing the 'glovebox light wires'. I followed those as well as the underdash / courtesy / footwell light wires. Sorry for the confusion. But regardless, the flasher isn't that small, that it could be 'lost' in the area between the firewall, ATC box, cowl and the backside of the lower dash. I've been in there visually, with my hands and then with an automotive stethoscope and finally the cell phone probe camera. I know what I'm looking for, how big it is, and what color it should be. The turn signal flasher is VERY easily identified under the dash ( and I could find that the old fashioned way - with a visual inspection ) - goodness knows why the emergency flasher is so elusive.

 

[Apriliaalex]

Hi Apriliaalex :
Yes I realized my mistake after writing the 'glovebox light wires'. I followed those as well as the underdash / courtesy / footwell light wires. Sorry for the confusion. But regardless, the flasher isn't that small, that it could be 'lost' in the area between the firewall, ATC box, cowl and the backside of the lower dash. I've been in there visually, with my hands and then with an automotive stethoscope and finally the cell phone probe camera. I know what I'm looking for, how big it is, and what color it should be. The turn signal flasher is VERY easily identified under the dash ( and I could find that the old fashioned way - with a visual inspection ) - goodness knows why the emergency flasher is so elusive.

It’s not toward the firewall, it’s towards the dash. Like, in between the dash and fuse box. So, just to the right of the glovebox, against the dash, tucked between the passenger side of the car and in front of the the fuse box. You’ll never see it, you’ve got to follow those wires and feel for it. After removing the glovebox. (You probably can’t even reach it without removing the glovebox) Put your right hand on the footwell light (for reference point) and with your left hand reach in there and find the top of the foot well light. Follow the footwell light wires up to the harness. There will be a few other wires coming out of the same spot where the footwell light wires meet the main harness. Those are your em flasher relay wires. Follow those toward you/ toward the dash. It could have been replaced at some point and moved but those are for sure the wires. As far as I know, there is only one main dash harness and it’s the same in all 70/71 birds. Good luck, it’s a B but once I saw the wiring diagram it just clicked and I was like “finally, I know how to definitely find it. If you have a hazard switch, it’s there, just a matter if finding it’s. Good luck!

 

[merccougbird]

So weird! I just want to be 100% sure, you said glove box light? You want to follow the footwell light wires. Not the glovebox light.

Hi again, Apriliaalex :
So I got 'into' my car again today. It's getting a bit chilly here now that fall is fully underway. So I was very careful to trace the footwell / courtesy light wiring on the passenger side back to the main harness from where it originates. The wiring bundle there is very clean and tight, and only about 1 - 1.5 " above the actual fuse block. The plastic tension wrap still feels flexible and 'tacky' as new - not tight and dried out as I've noticed on most other cars I've worked on. I was able to see the wires coming out of the bundle as I lay across the front seat. There are NO other wires coming out of this bundle / harness. Nothing - just the two for the footwell lighting. I even undid the one screw that secures the lamp housing to the lower dash to see for certain that they come from that source. Sadly no other wires exit that harness above, and certainly not below that point, as it is so close to the fuse block.

I've got on order a set of the ( FoMoCo ) wiring diagrams for the 1971 Thunderbird. Maybe I might find some additional information there ?
Thanks for your help and suggestions !

 

[Apriliaalex]

Hi again, Apriliaalex :
So I got 'into' my car again today. It's getting a bit chilly here now that fall is fully underway. So I was very careful to trace the footwell / courtesy light wiring on the passenger side back to the main harness from where it originates. The wiring bundle there is very clean and tight, and only about 1 - 1.5 " above the actual fuse block. The plastic tension wrap still feels flexible and 'tacky' as new - not tight and dried out as I've noticed on most other cars I've worked on. I was able to see the wires coming out of the bundle as I lay across the front seat. There are NO other wires coming out of this bundle / harness. Nothing - just the two for the footwell lighting. I even undid the one screw that secures the lamp housing to the lower dash to see for certain that they come from that source. Sadly no other wires exit that harness above, and certainly not below that point, as it is so close to the fuse block.

I've got on order a set of the ( FoMoCo ) wiring diagrams for the 1971 Thunderbird. Maybe I might find some additional information there ?
Thanks for your help and suggestions !

Holy smokes! I thought for sure they’d be there. I’m bummed you couldn’t find it! Weird thing is I just, yesterday, received a “updated service part” turn signal switch New Old Stock. So it’s the second version w/tilt and has “hazard” on the hazard switch, manufacturer date of 1975. Well, the reason I am bringing this up is that it had the original wiring color scheme in the box and guess what? The scheme shows different, but somewhat similar, color wires for 71/72 from the 70. I was kind of thrown off because 72 is a completely different car. I even had to look up a photo of a 72 to see if it has the same amount of lights around car and it doesn’t even have cornering light! How can it have the same signal switch? Either way I guess that’s proof from ford that the 71 might be different that the 70 wiring. Might be why I have had so many problems finding any accurate wiring diagrams for the 70 bird.

 

[merccougbird]

Holy smokes! I thought for sure they’d be there. I’m bummed you couldn’t find it! Weird thing is I just, yesterday, received a “updated service part” turn signal switch New Old Stock. So it’s the second version w/tilt and has “hazard” on the hazard switch, manufacturer date of 1975. Well, the reason I am bringing this up is that it had the original wiring color scheme in the box and guess what? The scheme shows different, but somewhat similar, color wires for 71/72 from the 70. I was kind of thrown off because 72 is a completely different car. I even had to look up a photo of a 72 to see if it has the same amount of lights around car and it doesn’t even have cornering light! How can it have the same signal switch? Either way I guess that’s proof from ford that the 71 might be different that the 70 wiring. Might be why I have had so many problems finding any accurate wiring diagrams for the 70 bird.

Yup the 1972 T-bird was a lot closer a 'clone' of the Mark IV than previous T-bird / Mark siblings. Lighting is similar, and YES the Mark IV does have cornering lamps ( just a LOT further down the front fender - nearly at the curb ! ) I installed one of Fords "expanded application" turn signal switches into my 1971 ( when the rear signals didn't sequence properly ) and that fixed it. And yes some of the wiring colors were a bit 'off' but it still was an easy retro-fit. More proof that the 1971 is a wiring conundrum is this excerpt of the MPC showing 15 different harnesses availble in the two years ! That must be a record. Do note that the differences seem to revolve around the wiper systems and the ATC. I'll have to put my quest for locating the Emergency flasher relay on the back burner until my wiring diagrams come in.