Irregular Turn Signal Behavior

[maroonhoo]

I have the same problem with the signal on my '13. For me, it occurs intermittently when I signal to turn right off of a one-lane road going straight. It also happens when I'm waiting for traffic to pass to make a left turn with my car not even moving, and while on a road with a slight left curve just before a right turn. If I'm on a country road that curves very slightly left, I don't expect my turn signal to cancel before I can turn right. Great way to get rear ended. This didn't happen with my 2010 FFH, so this is definitely different behavior. If it's by design, it's a poor one.

[Terps]

OK, I see where this is going: You aren't going to accept any answer except the one that you WANT to hear.

 

Ford is not going to "fix" something just because one individual doesn't like the way it works.

 

It's pretty obvious from the responses in this thread that nobody else has a problem with the way it works.......if they have even noticed that it is different than the old mechanical mechanisms.

 

Changing lanes and THEN turning are two separate actions.

I think it is perfectly fine to cancel the signal after the lane change is completed, and certainly don't think it is "absurd".

 

I pity the service department that you are dealing with.

You see it going that way because you see the need to attack my driving style and concern without even knowing the situation... okay, glad you see it that way. I feel that I have a legitimate issue and have no idea why you feel the need to keep throwing your opinion around unless you are a disgruntled service writer that works for Ford. I'm trying to reach out to the community to see if others are experiencing this while I wait for the next opportunity to have my service department look at it. Either way I'm done with your input on this matter.

 

Easy, Easy Rider, your 2014 doesn't have the same turn signal design, so you're not really talking about the same thing here. The fact that it's different in the 2014s is because so many people complained to Ford that they changed back to the "old" system. However, I've driven plenty of different Ford's with the "no stick" signal stalks and none of them do what Terps is describing, so I think it's a legitimate problem.

 

I wonder if the turn signal uses the steering wheel angle sensor for position info and something is out of calibration. That might explain why it's inconsistent left to right.

So the 2014 has the stalk that sticks in place when fully depressed? Is there any known documentation for this change or just something that the community has noticed? I'm fine with the way this style is supposed to operate, I just feel that having to re-activate a turn signal mid-turn or after entering a turn lane isn't the way it was intended to operate.

 

 

I agree with Waldo the designs are different and he might be on to something with the calibration.

 

On my morning commute I have one left turn onto the freeway ramp that I would see very similar to Terps video. I can turn on my left turn signal make the lane shift and straighten my wheels back out without the signal turning off.

It can be a pretty short turn lane when are cars are already waiting because there are curbs marking the beginning of the lane. Sometimes I need to get out of the way before being rear ended by the thru traffic so the steering wheel movement can be very "extensive".

This is also another good point, if it is working as intended wouldn't it shut off early closer to 100% of the time with a slight movement? I have sat in my garage trying to replicate it and about 95% of the time it takes 1/4 turn of the wheel to the left and then back for it to shut off, which is where it shuts off when it operates throughout the turn like it should. Any time it shuts off early the wheel is traveling the direction of the turn, not back towards neutral which is when you would expect to shut it off.

[acdii]

Well here is my observation on this system. When you make a slight left or right turn with the signal on, about 1/8th turn of the wheel, it wont turn off, but go past 1/8th turn and return to center, depending on road speed, it will shut off. If you are barely moving, it wont, but go 40 MPH and it will. Pretty sure it ties in with wheel position and speed, unlike previous systems that use a disk in the column to unlock the stalk. Sounds like yours is just out of calibration.

[Terps]

Well here is my observation on this system. When you make a slight left or right turn with the signal on, about 1/8th turn of the wheel, it wont turn off, but go past 1/8th turn and return to center, depending on road speed, it will shut off. If you are barely moving, it wont, but go 40 MPH and it will. Pretty sure it ties in with wheel position and speed, unlike previous systems that use a disk in the column to unlock the stalk. Sounds like yours is just out of calibration.

 

That sounds reasonably close to how it operates 90% of the time. I really hope it's just a calibration issue and not the sacrifice of them going with an electric/sensor signal instead of a mechanical one.

[acdii]

There are times I could swear I had my signal on, but as I complete the turn, notice that it wasn't.

[Terps]

There are times I could swear I had my signal on, but as I complete the turn, notice that it wasn't.

That explains it perfectly. Maybe it is a design flaw then... I just notice it unfortunately.

[corncobs]

That explains it perfectly. Maybe it is a design flaw then... I just notice it unfortunately.

It seems more frequent for you as for others. Maybe it's a combination of things in your car (calibration slightly off) and the turns you take that triggers an early / weird turn off more frequently.

[Easy Rider]

It seems more frequent for you as for others. Maybe it's a combination of things in your car (calibration slightly off) and the turns you take that triggers an early / weird turn off more frequently.

 

Or his driving style or sensitivity to the issue.

 

[Extensive edit applied at 5:35 PM. hybridbear may not "like" the new version so much.]

 

I take back my apology, that has now been deleted.

 

Why ??

Because today the fan failed on my almost brand new FFH-T and I got a 2013 Lincoln MKZ as a loaner.

Sure enough, if I TRIED to make the signals act up by doing strange stuff with the wheel, it would "fail" about 50% of the time.

But guess what, when I stopped doing weird crap with the wheel......the failures stopped too.

 

Only one strange thing remained and that was self-cancelling early, about half way through a turn.

That, however, is NOT a problem as no law anywhere requires you to KEEP signaling after you actually start to turn.

Anybody who can't SEE that you are turning also wouldn't see the signal blinking.

 

So, I refer back to post #22 and reinforce that by saying to Terps:

If you continue to obsess over this perceived failure, it will hurt nobody but YOU.

It is engineered that way. Ford will not change it to please you.

So, unless you can get a CRAP load of people to complain about it with you (not likely)

OR

Convince the NTSB that it constitutes a safety hazard, which requires the proof of actual accidents (also not likely)

You need to be practical and reasonable and just let this DROP.

 

The ONLY way that you are going to "fix" the "problem" is to change your driving style.......or trade the car for something else.

This is not worth making yourself sick over.......and making your dealer's service people HATE you in the process.

 

This is the best advice and most help that you will get on this matter, from anyone or anywhere.

Reject it and ignore it if you must but just remember a year from now that I warned you that it you can't win this battle.

Edited May 6, 2014 by Easy Rider

[acdii]

As with everything else about this car, there is a learning curve. Some grasp it right away, while others can't. Thats just the way it is and always will be. I much prefer the signal stalk in the Fusion. Took a bit to get used to it not staying in place when past the detent, my F150 was the first one I drove that had it and it drove me nuts for the first few trips, but once I got used to it I liked it. The only think that still bugs the crap out of me is in the Flex and now the MKT, I hit the brights when signalling some times. Haven't done it in the Fusion because the design of the stalk it slimmer, but I do it a lot in the MKT/Flex.

[Easy Rider]

The only think that still bugs the crap out of me is in the Flex and now the MKT, I hit the brights when signalling some times. Haven't done it in the Fusion because the design of the stalk it slimmer, but I do it a lot in the MKT/Flex.

 

I want the hi-beam button back on the floor......where it BELONGS !!! ;)

 

Had the first chance to test the "automatic" high beams last night.

Not only do they turn the HI's off when other vehicles are approaching, it turns them ON when the road ahead is clear too.

It is quite a feat....as it works a lot better than I expected.

Seems to be able to detect that you are approaching cars from the rear and dim for that too.

 

There was one stretch where street lights and over-hanging trees seemed to confuse it but turning it back over to manual solved that.

 

Gotta admit that I'm liking these new gadgets a LOT more than I though I would.

[acdii]

The way it works is it detects tail lights, head lights and street lights and switches to low beams. Sometimes though it will confuse bright road markers and switch to low beam. It is designed that way so the brights aren't on in city driving.

[Jim Deneault]

I also have this problem. On some days the turn signal works perfectly whether doing a 'full' turn signal or a 'lane change' signal. On other days this problem is so bad that the turn signal is essentially non-functional. When I turn the signal on 'full' all I have to do is nudge the steering wheel (e.g. 0.5° rotation) and it turns off. It drives me nuts. I'll be bringing it in to the dealership very soon. Here's a video showing that all I have to do is nudge the steering wheel to turn off the signal:

 

http://youtu.be/jOPmdf0aIDw

[hybridbear]

I also have this problem. On some days the turn signal works perfectly whether doing a 'full' turn signal or a 'lane change' signal. On other days this problem is so bad that the turn signal is essentially non-functional. When I turn the signal on 'full' all I have to do is nudge the steering wheel (e.g. 0.5° rotation) and it turns off. It drives me nuts. I'll be bringing it in to the dealership very soon. Here's a video showing that all I have to do is nudge the steering wheel to turn off the signal:

 

http://youtu.be/jOPmdf0aIDw

Your wheel is straight at the time? Please let us know what the dealer says.

[aaronj1159]

I too have this issue on my '13. I almost avoided posting in here because I see a member attacking the OP, but I just wanted to join in and say I have this issue with my left turn signal. Sometimes I can even have the signal on and NOT MOVE THE WHEEL, and yet the signal will still shut off for whatever reason. After re-engaging the signal, it generally stays on. When it happens when I'm beginning my turn from a turn/straight lane (if that makes sense) with oncoming traffic, I get nervous that someone opposite me will assume I'm going straight and turn into my destination lane (rather than keeping to the "slow" lane). I don't know if any of that made sense.

 

Bottom line, the problem exists.

[Jim Deneault]

(Deleted)

Edited May 21, 2014 by Jim Deneault

[Jim Deneault]

Your wheel is straight at the time? Please let us know what the dealer says.

Yes, it had been doing it the entire way home from work and I had just pulled into my garage. My wheels were pointed straight ahead. Also, the next day everything was working perfect again. "Erratic" is definitely a good descriptor for this problem.

[Easy Rider]

I too have this issue on my '13. I almost avoided posting in here because I see a member attacking the OP,

 

Bottom line, the problem exists.

 

It was not an "attack".

It was an attempt to put the "problem" in proper perspective.

 

There is a big difference between reporting a problem......or something that you don't like about the design.....

AND

Calling the design absurd and INSISTING that Ford fix it so that it conforms to your sense of how it should work.

 

By all means, speak up.

Take it in to the dealer to have it checked out.

Just don't get yourself all worked up if they tell you that is just the way it works on that model.

 

Life is too short.

Pick battles that you actually have a chance of winning.

[hybridbear]

I believe that there is really something with these 2013s with the turn signal design that it sometimes behaves erratically. We all saw the video posted earlier where the wheel is just barely moved with the wheels straight and the turn signal turns off. Twice today I had the turn signal turn off when I was just beginning my turn rather than at the end of it. It doesn't normally do this. I'm beginning to think that this issue isn't operator induced, but is some sort of electric issue in the car. Ford stated that they went away from this turn signal design for the 2014s because the 2013 design had too many problems.

[FordService]

Hi folks,

 

If you're concerned that your turn signal is not operating as designed, I recommend going to the dealer to have them take a look. Once you've got an appointment set up, send me a PM with your name, phone number, VIN, mileage, and dealer info.

 

Ashley

[acdii]

I have noticed the same, usually making a left. I look down at the dash as I'm turning and notice no signal, and think to myself, I thought I turned it on?. Erratic for sure.

[SteveB_TX]

It's only happened onc... never mind. Don't want to jinx myself. :)

[DeeCee]

Since this thread started I have been watching mine closely and so far have not experienced any problem with the turn signal operation.(knock on wood!)

[c152driver]

I also have this problem. On some days the turn signal works perfectly whether doing a 'full' turn signal or a 'lane change' signal. On other days this problem is so bad that the turn signal is essentially non-functional. When I turn the signal on 'full' all I have to do is nudge the steering wheel (e.g. 0.5° rotation) and it turns off. It drives me nuts. I'll be bringing it in to the dealership very soon. Here's a video showing that all I have to do is nudge the steering wheel to turn off the signal:

 

http://youtu.be/jOPmdf0aIDw

 

That's how I'd describe the way the turn signals on my 2013 FFH behave as well. Do let us know if the dealer is able to find an issue. I haven't brought mine in for this yet as unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it) the problem is so intermittent, that I don't expect the dealer to have any luck reproducing the problem. However, when it is acting up, I can be sitting in a turn lane at a red light, and have the signal turn off on its own. It will also turn off in the middle of a turn. And yes, I am aware of the "lane change" mode. I am making certain I am activating the turn signal all the way.

 

I also believe this is a problem that emerged as opposed to being a design flaw present from day one. The turn signals worked fine for the first several months. I'm hoping a TSB will emerge at some point.

Edited June 13, 2014 by c152driver

[machoman1337]

Experienced this problem yesterday while waiting in a left turn lane. A very, very slight nudge canceled my turn signal, and it had been clicking for nearly a minute so I know I didn't accidentally use the lane-change signal instead.

[acdii]

That I have seen too, very sensitive to input.