Programmable turn signal and hazard flasher control system

A programmable turn signal and hazard flasher control system (10, 100) includes a lamp control module (12, 108) coupling a turn signal request unit (14, 106) to a number of turn signal lamps (20-30). The module (12, 108) couples the turn signal request unit (14, 106) to a number of vehicle turn signal lamps (20-26) in a first mode of operation and to a number of vehicle turn signal lamps (20-26) as well as a number of additional turn signal lamps (28, 30) in a second mode of operation to thereby accommodate lighting requirements of a trailer or other towed vehicle or to accommodate different lighting requirements in vehicles of a common vehicle platform. The load current to the turn signal lamps (20-30) in either case flows through a shunt resistor R1, and is controlled by a flasher circuit (54) during normal operation to a first flash rate and during a lamp failure condition to a second faster flash rate. The module (12, 108) further includes a control circuit (62) responsive to an appropriate signal state at a lamp designation control input (34) to provide a predefined load activation signal to the flasher circuit (54) regardless of whether the module (12, 108) is coupled to only a minimum number of vehicle turn signal lamps, or the minimum number of vehicle turn signal lamps as well as a number of additional turn signal lamps.