Driving an old car usually comes with some quirks. A common issue I’ve run into when piloting some of my more vintage wheels in the past is turn signal failure, when one or more of the bulbs for the indicators and hazard lights burn out.
It’s easy to tell when this happens. If a turn signal was malfunctioning on one of my old BMWs, for example, a phenomenon called “hyperblink” would occur. Whenever I’d flip the turn signal switch one way or the other, the turn signal indicator on the dash would flash about twice as quickly as normally, notifying the driver of an issue.
Hyperblink is a built-in feature that’s mandated by U.S. safety standards. It could also happen if you swap your standard bulbs for LEDs, because the difference in power draw might confuse the system. Either way, if hyperblink occurs when you flip a turn signal, something’s wrong.
Chevy has issued a recall that reportedly includes a stop-sale for nearly 33,000 2025 and 2026 Corvettes because of a software error that prevents the car from detecting a turn signal fault. This means the cars no longer conform to U.S. safety standards, since they’d create a dangerous situation if a turn signal light failed without the owner knowing.
Thems The Rules
Before getting into the recall, here is the exact language on turn signal failure notification from Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 108, the section that refers to stuff like lamps, lights, and reflective trim:
S9.3.6 Turn signal lamp failure: Failure of one or more turn signal lamps such that the minimum photometric performance specified in Tables VI or VII is not being met must be indicated by the turn signal pilot indicator by a “steady on”, “steady off”, or by a significant change in the flashing rate.
Basically, if a turn signal light stops working to the government’s minimum standards, the car has to relay that failure to the driver in one of three different ways: With the blinker light staying on, the blinker light staying off, or the blinker light working at a different speed than normal (hyperblinking, for example).
No Blinker For You
Thanks to a software bug, there are currently 32,988 Corvettes in the world that don’t have this function right now. The recall encompasses Corvettes from the 2025 and 2026 model years, and includes the base Stingray trim, the E-Ray hybrid, and the ZR1X (neither the Z06 nor the normal ZR1 is included, per the recall doc).
GM found the problem while testing for the 2027 model-year Corvette, per the recall announcement. The problem surfaced thanks to a change made by a supplier, not by Chevy:
In October 2024, the rear-lamp assembly supplier made a software change to assist technicians performing a tire pressure monitor system (TPMS) learn process. The change inadvertently prevented the exterior lighting control module from detecting a failed rear turn signal in certain circumstances.
This is, of course, pretty dangerous. If a turn signal stops working, and the driver doesn’t know it, it could make for a sketchy situation when the car is turning. I don’t know how many times someone has abruptly turned in front of me without using their signal, only to be nearly struck.
This issue is serious enough that Chevy issued a stop-sale for affected cars, according to Corvette Blogger.
An Easy Fix
Thankfully, this issue won’t result in a bunch of expensive, time-consuming repairs for Chevrolet. According to GM’s official recall website, the fix will be purely software-based. Corvette owners who have opted in to wireless over-the-air (OTA) software updates can have their recall completed without having to bring their car into the dealership. Those who prefer to do things the old-fashioned way will have to make an appointment at their local Chevy service center.
The recall is already available for current Corvette owners, and updates to the production line happened in early February, which means if you haven’t taken delivery yet, you won’t be affected, as your car will already have the new software.
In the meantime, I suggest that everyone who happens to get behind a Corvette in traffic be extra careful about their next moves, since there’s a small chance they won’t be able to communicate them to you.
Top graphic image: Chevrolet
Jeebus…. how else are you supposed to indicate to other drivers that your expensive C8 is about to enter into an uncontrolled spin at speed?
This is veering into Torch territory but the taillights & turn signals that always bugged me are on Minis. They look like the Union Jack… but the right side looks like a left arrow; the left side looks like a right arrow.
He wrote about it at the old site Congratulations, Mini, You Made The Stupidest Turn Signals Ever
Obviously this doesn’t apply to BMW!
Brian is trying hard. This sounds like a Torch article seeing that he is the resident expert on all things taillight.
Did this affect Leno’s Corvette?
“I don’t know how many times someone has abruptly turned in front of me without using their signal, only to be nearly struck.”
Did their brake lights not work? Were you really following so closely that it was difficult to avoid hitting them? If so, I doubt that a turn signal would have made a difference. If they were turning across traffic in front of you, shame on them. They should have waited for an appropriate opening.
Yes, turn signals are important and I use mine even in parking lots, but lack of a turn signal doesn’t cause a crash if people are paying attention and giving appropriate space.
Ask Tiger Woods!!!
It does if they are randomly doing something that I say to my wife in the car as a warning – “engage fancy driving” – without a similar warning to the cars around them.
How long has this been a regulation? I remember hyperblinking from back when I first started driving in the 80’s.
It seems like it must’ve started as a natural consequence when it was all incandescent bulbs. With the burned out bulb no longer drawing power the mechanical flasher unit would cycle faster.
IIRC, if you bought the wrong kind of bulb you could also trigger the same; your signals would work, but just at hyper speed.