QuestionI have a '98 Crown Vic P71 Police Interceptor and recently it has acting strange.
The O/D light began flashing intermittently when driven
The turn signal intermittently flashes at an extra fast
and the passenger side head lamp socket works, but only for low beams. I bought new bulbs, and swapped them from left to right, both bulbs light high beams in the left socket, but not the right.
This morning it blacked out when I tried to start it, I hand tweaked the battery (moved the cable with my hand) and it started up strong).
Is this just a loose battery or something worse?
Answer
Turn Signal Switch
The battery terminals have to be as tight as possible without breaking them. If you must, break off a small metal piece of an old wiper blade and use it as a shim if the batterry terminal is worn down too small. The variation in voltage can cause all kinds of wired things to happen such as you described. However, you problem sounds to me that it is in the actual turn signal handle. If the O/D button is located on the end as on regular Crown Vic's, and it also controls the high beams, I think it is a safe bet that this part is defective.
