How to slow down LED turn signals on a car?

[jason_]

I figured this would be a good place to ask this, since we all deal with lights, LEDs, and electronics. 

I recently put new LED turn signals on my car. The problem now is, they flash way faster than they did before. What can I do to slow the flash rate down?

Thanks,
-Jason

[chrisatpsu]

were the old ones LED, or incans?

most cars that have incan turning signals, have a relay that detects the load on the circuit. if the bulb is working, then you have load, it blinks fine.
if the bulb is blown (or maybe LED with not much load) it flashes twice as fast to alert driver of a blown bulb.

[jason_]

My old bulbs were incans. I'm sure the flasher unit thinks the bulb is bad, since the LED turn signals put barely any load on the system, compared to the incans. I was hoping there was somewhere I could wire in an additional capacitor or resistor to slow the flash rate down again.

[rdebolt]

Replace the flasher relay with one rated for LED lights. The reason it is blinking fast is because there is not enough load on the circuit. They do that so you know when you have a light that is not working.

[jason_]

Replace the flasher relay with one rated for LED lights. The reason it is blinking fast is because there is not enough load on the circuit. They do that so you know when you have a light that is not working.

I had already considered this, but then learned that the flasher unit is built into my steering column / multi swtich, and can't be replaced. I know, it's a stupid design, but I'm stuck with it. I was hoping there was some sort of inline solution.

Thanks,
-Jason

[rrawlings]

What type of car?

[gophergrove]

A quick search yielded the following:

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Sounds like you just need to add a load to the line as suggested before.

[jason_]

What type of car?

Its an '86 Subaru GL

A quick search yielded the following:

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Sounds like you just need to add a load to the line as suggested before.

This is exactly what I was looking for. It looks like Mouser has a few resistors that will work too. Thanks for the links, and thank you!

-Jason

[rrawlings]

Wow, I loved my two Subies I have had, glad I never encountered that one.  Good luck, my Dodge was much easier