Indicator Fault

[stuRALLYE 5]

Hi all,

My car is still refusing point blank to be MOTed. After a long spell off the road my indicators aren't working. With the hazards on the rears flash at normal speed with nothing from the fronts. With the indicator on I get rapid flash at the rear and nothing from the front, or sometimes nothing at all from the relay.

I've changed the hazard light switch and tried mine in my 306 and its working with no issue.

I've swapped the earth blocks in the engine bay for insulated ring terminals with a good earth point.

I'm assuming it's the relay/flasher unit at fault. When I provide the bulbs with an earth via a power prove that side works normally (hazard lights).

Any thoughts would be great!

[welshpug 1,647]

more than likely corroded wire and terminals in the engine bay, on a car with side repeaters theres a sub loom that the main loom plug connects to which in turn plugs into the indicator and branches back to the repeater.

[toolie72 67 1 Cars]

Agreed-proving bulbs with power is fine but it won't pinpoint wiring issues (brake lights in poxy works transits are a case)

I suppose you could put 12volts down wiring looms and trace it back until you've proved connections, that way you know for definite power is being supplied ie relay etc out of the equation

Is the earth for the indicators at front the little plastic blocks that go yucchy? I did away with mine years ago, put ring connectors on and used small bolts in the mounting holes for earth blocks

[toolie72 67 1 Cars]

Duh!!! I just reread about your earth points-long day

[stuRALLYE 5]

I'm providing the bulbs with an earth and the indicator and side repeater then work on that side. It's almost as if I missed and earth out when I rewired them but I can't see anything!

[welshpug 1,647]

itll be the terminals/wiring then.

[Alan77 78 1 Cars]

I've just had this on my NSF indicator, turned out to be the pins inside the bulb holder. Found a replacement newer indicator bulb holder and that sorted the problem.

[Kane 34]

I've had this happen a couple of times, both being wiring/connector faults as mentioned. Best to go and clean them off one by one using a small wire brush or similar. Oh and a dab of conducting fluid stuff for good measure won't do any harm.

[Grim.Badger 15]

I'm providing the bulbs with an earth and the indicator and side repeater then work on that side. It's almost as if I missed and earth out when I rewired them but I can't see anything!

 

Take a look at the sub-loom connection that WP mentioned above (a two-pin multiplug, brown iirc). I took my wiring apart recently and even though I put everything back together properly the indicator didn't work. A quite wiggle of the sub-loom connector got it all working again. If in doubt, replace it altogether with new terminals.