What head/tail light flasher works on my vehicle

foxtrot5

New Member
Sep 26, 2011
3,002
Charleston Area, SC, US
To keep thing a bit neater, SOS has compiled a list of vehicles and provided information on what flashers (of theirs) fit these vehicles. Basic electrical theory allows you to use the information provided and figure out which other brand flashers will work. If you have questions, please feel free to ask them here AFTER you reference the spreadsheet.


SOS HLF & TLF FLASHER REFERENCE GUIDE
 

foxtrot5

New Member
Sep 26, 2011
3,002
Charleston Area, SC, US
foreign vehicles are finicky when it comes to HLF/TLF in my experience. It can be done (sometimes) but the car may not like it. This can cause issues down the road.


I am by no means a professional installer or anything so if anyone with more experience wants to chime in, please feel free.


Finally, if anyone has a more complete ACCURATE listing of vehicles feel free to post the link.
 
Jan 20, 2011
1,264
Lake of the Ozarks
deputybubba said:
Hi All !
Can I ask a maybe stupid question ?


Why only the big 3 car makers listed ?


Just curious


Thanks

Most vehicles used in emergency services are domestic vehicles. Yes, there is the occasional Toyota PD car, but for the most part (excluding POV's) all emergency vehicles are domestics, and for them to research all other vehicles to find out which wires are what and the polarity would be a waste of money and time on their part IMO.
 

mike001

Member
Mar 25, 2013
134
Providence RI
foxtrot5 said:
foreign vehicles are finicky when it comes to HLF/TLF in my experience. It can be done (sometimes) but the car may not like it. This can cause issues down the road.

I am by no means a professional installer or anything so if anyone with more experience wants to chime in, please feel free.


Finally, if anyone has a more complete ACCURATE listing of vehicles feel free to post the link.

Honda for instance I have to use 3 relays to prevent back feeding on the Hlf.


I haven't done many foreign vehicles so can't comment about the others.
 

tcfd126

New Member
Jul 7, 2010
186
Charlotte, NC
Has anyone by chance installed a HLF on a 2005 Toyota Tundra? Thinking about picking up a UHF2150a but wanted to check to see if anyone has installed one before.
 

FireMedic19

Member
May 8, 2012
406
Vermilion, Ohio
foxtrot5 said:
To keep thing a bit neater, SOS has compiled a list of vehicles and provided information on what flashers (of theirs) fit these vehicles. Basic electrical theory allows you to use the information provided and figure out which other brand flashers will work. If you have questions, please feel free to ask them here AFTER you reference the spreadsheet.

SOS HLF & TLF FLASHER REFERENCE GUIDE

Of course they dont have my car on there, Chevy Cruze.... Every other GM Car is on that list lol....
 

Zapp Brannigan

Lifetime VIP Donor
May 23, 2010
3,580
.

crucialcolin

Member
Nov 23, 2012
39
Sacramento, CA
Great thread! I had to look up my ranger out curiousity. Of course I changed my headlights out years ago abandoning the OEM wiring so the flasher doesnt matter anyways but still..
 

ERM

Member
May 22, 2010
720
Omaha, NE
Hello All,

First, does anyone know if the headlights on the 2015 Nissan Pathfinder are positive or negative switched?

Second, I think it would be a good idea to create a sticky of such a thread.  Basically, a single go-to thread for specific +/- switched headlight questions for vehicle NOT listed in SoundOff's pdf.  It could be edited to remove all non-relavent comments so the most accurate information is presented in a semi-organized list.  What do you all think?

Thanks,

Tony
 

Stimpy911

Member
Nov 23, 2011
222
USA / Michigan
Looking at maybe getting some headlight flashers from a guy on these forums. He said I need to find out if my headlights are positive or negative switched. He also said I need to know what the flasher is.


He has for sale a Federal Signal FHL2 SC Flasher


2004 Ford Explorer


Can anyone help me?


Thanks
 

tsquale

Lifetime VIP Donor
Oct 12, 2010
10,511
Minnesota, USA
Steve, I would use caution hooking up a HLF to your Explorer. They have been known to throw costly error codes with the computer module.
 

tsquale

Lifetime VIP Donor
Oct 12, 2010
10,511
Minnesota, USA
by Member ERM. Well respected member here, good product.

Sold by member FEVER http://feverinc.net/erm-ford-interceptor-shutter-override-system-fisos.html
That is for HID's with shutters, if I'm not mistaken and will not apply to a 2004 Explorer

Oh really? What about wig wags? Or would I be best off with something else?


Yeah last thing I need to do is mess my vehicle up lol
I guess I am not understanding what you mean by wig-wags versus a HLF. Any splicing into the headlight circuits is not advised for the Explorer.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

jacobm

Member
Jun 12, 2014
40
SW Idaho
Note that if you have xenon or HID lights, flashing them will kill them, because the start-up cycle is what kills those lights. I don't know how the LEDs would react to flashing, but my assumption would be that they'd probably hold up. If they're just regular halogens then you'll be fine also. 
 
May 25, 2010
7,072
Tunkhannock, PA, USA
Although, now that I'm on a computer that I can actually view the PDF, 2013 models are not listed...  

But as jacobm stated, HID = NO GO for HLF, LEDs are OK as long as they are computer controlled, Halogens are no problem...
 

167

Member
May 27, 2010
324
Memphis, TN
Thought I would try this thread before I start a new one, and yes, I tried searching.

2018 Dodge Charger - is there a compatible headlight flasher? I want to flash the headlights, not the DRL around the headlight, or should I just use an OBD flasher?
 

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