Inside, left kick panel?

 

What year? Flasher relay is in the dash straight up probably behind the tachometer and near impossible to reach.

 

Sorry, my car is a 2004 Solara SLE Convertible. I need to add that such that it displays beneath my avatar.

I presume the location will probably be the same for the 2nd generation cars from 04 through 08, but perhaps not.

It's not that I couldn't use resistors, but it's a PITA to figure out where to mount them, as hot as they get, and on the front lamps that will probably be far more of a challenge than the rear ones.

I may learn to live with the fast flash, as I don't think Virginia has any requirements as far as how quickly they flash, just that all that are supposed to do that actually do.

I can't believe that a flasher relay would be buried in the way it appears to be, as I've known of these going bad, not frequently, but frequently enough that "near impossible to reach" without tearing things apart is a stupid design decision.

 

They go bad but exactly how often? I've barely seen any threads about them going bad and the threads I do see are about LED turn signals... I've thought about LED turn signals but the thing is... amber gonna be amber... OTHERWISE...

But it is dependent on your vehicle so mine will likely not assist you.

 

I love my 08 Solara convertible except for one thing The turn signal flasher is almost inaudible, I know by looking at it that it comes in a Plastic can...but I or my passengers cannot hear it. does anyone make one in a metal can ( noisier ) like in my 2021 Rav4 or have a solution for this ?

 

It would be hard to match the 2021 Rav4 since that one is electronically controlled and the sound comes from a speaker on the instrument cluster. No flasher relay.

 

So you are saying there is no remedy for this, it is hard to believe that after all these years that this has not come up before.

 

Posted for future searchers (unless guyslp is still looking 😊) From Alldata for the 2004 Solara 3.3 V6

 

In my limited experience as a GM Service Manager ( retired after 40+ years) when a customer complained about not being able to hear the Flasher/Relay when using the turn signals the remedy was to replace the OE flasher unit, that came in a Plastic can with an aftermarket unit in a metal can (much louder) problem solved.

 

@gcrawdad

Thanks! This looks somewhat easier to get to, but I still can't figure out the precise access method.

At this point I'm just accustomed to the hyperflashing and it doesn't bother me at all. Since this doesn't cause a failure of Virginia Safety Inspection I'm just going with it.

 

No problem at all. I don't know about access. It may be just removal of the scuff plate and the side trim.

 

Would any of you know if the flasher unit on an 05 Solara Convertible controls both the right and left turning signal? I believe I'm currently dealing with a bad flasher/relay unit since turn signals won't work (no noise or dash lights either) but the hazards work. No fuses blown, and replacing the turn signal switch wasn't the solution either.

 

did you remedy this & if so how? Because I’m currently dealing with this issue on my ‘07 solara & im at my wits end

 

On every car I've ever worked with, there has been one flasher for BOTH turn signals, and another for the hazard lights. The blink rate for hazard lights tends to be somewhat slower than turn signal flashing is.

Presuming you have your Owner's Manual, if you look in the section near the end of the manual that discusses the fuses, you will see the hazard lights are on one fuse, while the turn signals are on another. In the case of my 2004 Solara, the hazards have their own dedicated fuse, #21, and the turn signals are on fuse #36 with a number of other items. So the hazard lights (and their flasher) are not even part of the same electrical circuit as the turn signals are.

With any luck the 2005 turn signal flasher will be located in a far more accessible location than the one on the 2004, and if memory serves the 2005 was the first year for the LED tail lights, so things may have been moved as a result.

 

I just did a relay swap on my 2006 Solara about 10 minutes ago, Thanks to @gcrawdad 's schematic, I located the relay under the driver's side kick panel, it's the gray/tan box in the middle of the bunch of wires. Took a couple minutes trying to non-destructively remove the old relay, but finally got it with a screwdriver. I replaced it with an adjustable flash rate relay I found online just to have control over the signals. My hazard lights still function the same, and they still work without the key in the ignition. It made the "clicking" noise a little bit more noticeable when the signals are on which is nice. Hopefully the picture helps give a better "realistic" visual for anyone else doing this for LED signals.

 

@StealthSolara06,

Thanks very much for taking the time to post this photo, which will not only help me but many others who search on this later as well.

I do have a question for you, though, how many pins are on that relay? There seem to be 2-pin, 3-pin, and 5-pin versions and if I can avoid trying to get this thing out before I have the replacement it would be great.

 

Find your favorite automotive store online and just do a search for your vehicle. I use O'Reilly here locally for many parts so use their online parts lookup so I can see if it's store available or an order in part. In my case, a 2003 Camry also uses an 8 terminal flasher as well. I can't tell if this flasher is LED compatible however. When I picked up a flasher for my F250 (5 pin btw) the new one was LED compatible. So maybe most new parts are?

 

The relay I replaced claimed to be an 8-pin style. No modification was needed to swap the two just plug and play. The relay doesn’t claim to be LED compatible on it, but I have LED’s and have no issues with flickering or low power.

 

8-pin style.

Thanks a bunch. Having that screenshot is particularly helpful. I like the fact that the flash time adjustment is on top of that model so you can fine-tune once you have it installed.

 

Wow... I wanted to go with LED bulbs for rear turn signals, but getting to flasher up in instrument panel.. shelved the idea. Now it's back on the agenda. THANKS !!

 

Yeah it’s especially nice if your state has laws about the frequency of blinks in a minute for safety inspection. I know where I’m at in PA it’s 60-120 per minute, and the old stock one was 85.

 

Would also like to know where that relay is located. Inaccessible way up behind the instrument cluster, or easy, in one of the fuse panels ?

 

It’s kind of easy to access, it’s in the drivers footwell on the left hand side. You remove the one plastic nut on the panel thats up against the footwell, peel the rest of it off, and it’s right in there. On the first page you can see a post I made of the location of it when I relay for one that works with LED’s.

 

2006 Solara new to me, wanted to change or ck the turn signal relay and could not locate.
Like another poster the sound / click is very faint, I wanted louder
Glad I am not the only one.... it would wait
Anybody found a louder CLICK for turn relay?????

The turn relay was not in the fuse panel where I also expected it to be

Thank you .... Guyslp & Others,
was looking for the Solara Turn Signal Relay few months ago.....Driver Left Side Kick Pannel

 

StealthSolara06,
Thanks for the adj freq Turn Signal Flasher Modual & drivers kick plate location
How is the volume on adj flash relay you used??? I am looking for louder

8-Pin Flashing Speed Adjust Electronic LED Flasher Relay Fix

8-Pin LM449 Flashing Speed Adjustable Electronic LED Flasher Assy Relay Fix For Lexus Scion Toyota LED Turn Signal Light Bulbs

iJDMTOY 8-Pin Flashing Speed Adjustable Electronic LED Flasher Assy Relay Fix For Lexus Scion Toyota LED Turn Signal Light Bulbs

store.ijdmtoy.com

Web$12.99 USD SKU AA1186 Quantity Add to cart Features Description FAQ 1 piece 8-Pin, Part # 81980-50030, 81980-53010, 81980-02030, 81980-34020, 066500-4650 Produce no …

Link & info easier for others to locate

Great Price, just called Advanc Auto for "is there a louder turn relay" and they only offer one, plastic cover, and it was $49. So the relay above is a good value price wise. Looks like all the Std LAMP "1157" turn signal flash relay are all pricey. Any good value options that have been found??? I gues another junk yard find.... I was just there for 1/2 price weekend shame. Anything I found cost effective was for LED to stop the quick flashing due to low current draw of the LED.... they were all $12 range. Does look like this flash modual controls the turn signal and the hazzard flash..... not what I am used to seeing.

I have a 2006 Solara has all std bulbs 1157 etc, purched LED headlamps & reverse.... but not installed yet. Did lots of research, will see if I picked good ones or not.

 

I am looking for louder

Then it's worth taking a look here: Loud Turn Signal Flasher | Turn Signal Alarm | Turnalarm.com

Given the physical placement of the flasher it's not likely that any conventional one is going to be loud enough for many of us to hear. I wish many cars did as a 1999 Jag I had did, using an auxiliary "drum" unit to make the turn signal sound rather than relying on the click from the flasher. I also wish that all included a feature my 1996 Buick Roadmaster does, and that's an alarm chime that goes off if you have left the turn signal on for an unusually long time.

I've had a number of cars (including my Toyota) in which hearing a turn signal is nearly impossible, and that's even with my hearing aids in and turned on such that I can hear the world at large at volume levels that my young ears had.

 

By the way, for anyone so inclined toward DIY electronics/electricals, there are several YouTube Videos related to creating the equivalent of TurnAlarm yourself:

(same basic principles, different buzzer).