Left turn signal doesn't like the cold

[reks95]

Bike is a 2010 WR250X.
Bike is used and the previous owner replaced stock lights
with smaller units, more attractive units.

When it was warm out, both blinkers worked.
In my garage, both blinkers work.

Out on the street, when it's really cold, the right blinker works.
When I hit the left blinker, the ECU indicator light comes on once and then does nothing (no lights).
Interestingly, unless I reset the switch and wait couple seconds, the right doesn't work either.

I suspected the switch, so I took it apart and cleaned the contacts leaving it connected.
As I was reassembling it, I did some continuity checks.
Intermittently, the meter reported continuity along all three legs of the switch,
when clicked it over to the left signal.

So, I think I need a new switch. Should I be suspecting anything else?
If I could figure out where the switch harness plugged in, I'd pull it and test it disconnected, but I'm too noobish.

[NobodySpecific]

A poor wiring job is more likely to break or result in an intermittent bad connection when it is cold outside. I would take the time to trace the wiring back from the turn signal as much as you can and inspect any connections. I would also replace the switch.

[Pittenger5]

Have you checked the blinker fluid level? Might be a bit low.

[reks95]

Have you checked the blinker fluid level? Might be a bit low.

Level was okay, but it had a frothy head on it. Is that bad?

[Bkilm]

Level was okay, but it had a frothy head on it. Is that bad?

I heard that the frothy head can be from your exhaust fluid being to high actually...


To answer the orig question though, sounds like its just a short in the wiring.

[B440]

Could also be a long in the wiring. I had that happen once.

[Kitt]

my bet is the replacements are LED's that use a resistor or relay to filter oem current to LED appropriate current. Find this piece, tape a hand warmer to it and go for a cold weather ride... if you don't lose your blinker, that's the culprit and the test cost you $0.99 worth of "hot hands"

[TheIglu]

Also, if you have water somewhere critical like the socket or connectors, when it froze and expanded, it may be enough expansion to sever the connection.

[reks95]

So I had some time today to pull the panels off the bike and follow through the wiring.
The non-stock signal lights are still lights, not LED's. No problems with resistors.
Tried hitting the switch and the relay with freezy spray and couldn't reproduce the problem.
Tried various scenarios disconnecting and reconnecting the rear signal light.
At one point, disconnecting the rear light while the blinker was not working resolved the issue (fast blinking front).
But after doing that a few times, both blinkers started working all the time.

40 miles later in 35 degree weather and I am unable to reproduce the problem.
So, something was loose or the thing that was broken has now jiggled into not being broken for now.
In any case, I got blinkers again until something breaks all the way.