How does the emergency switch work?
When you experience difficulties while driving, such as a flat tire, running out of gas, or an accident, your vehicle may be standing still on the side of the road, or worse, in an active lane. If this happens to you...
When you experience difficulties while driving, such as a flat tire, running out of gas, or an accident, your vehicle may be standing still on the side of the road, or worse, in an active lane. If this happens to you, turn on the emergency alarm. The hazard lights on your vehicle signal to other drivers around you that you are in trouble or have problems with your vehicle. They tell other motorists not to get too close and are a signal for help if the hazard warning is combined with an open hood.
How do emergency lights work?
Hazard lights are turned on by pressing the hazard switch on the dashboard. Some vehicles have a button at the top of the steering column shroud, while older vehicles may turn them on when the hazard switch under the column is pushed down. The hazard switch activates the hazard lights on your vehicle any time the battery is charged. If your car stalls due to running out of gas, mechanical problems, or a flat tire, the alarm will work whether your car is running, the key is in the ignition or not.
The only time the emergency lights won't work is if the battery is completely dead.
The emergency switch is a low current switch. When activated, closes the circuit. When it is deactivated, the circuit opens and power no longer flows.
If you have pressed the emergency switch:
Power is routed through the alarm relay to the warning lights circuit. Hazard lights use the same wiring and light as warning lights. The low voltage hazard switch allows the relay to supply current through the lighting circuit to the flashing alarm.
The flasher relay pulses light. When power passes through the signal light circuit, it passes through the module or signal lamp, which only emits a pulse of power rhythmically. The flasher is the part that makes the light flash on and off.
The signal lights flash continuously until they go out. The hazard lights will continue to flash until the hazard switch is turned off or the power goes out, which means the battery is low.
If your hazard lights do not work when the button is pressed, or if they come on but do not flash when turned on, have a professional mechanic check and repair your hazard warning system immediately. This is a security system, and it must work constantly.
