fast indicator VXR8

fast indicator VXR8

Author
Discussion

hsv keith

Original Poster:

315 posts

149 months

Saturday 10th December 2011
quotequote all
Hi, now the weather is getting cold I have the fast flashing indicators. Searching the threads I see picador had a module you could plug in-line to fix this problem.
Is this still available ?
My car is still under warranty but I'll rather fix it myself and save a tank of fuel getting there

paul450

7,948 posts

174 months

Saturday 10th December 2011
quotequote all
hsv keith said:
Hi, now the weather is getting cold I have the fast flashing indicators. Searching the threads I see picador had a module you could plug in-line to fix this problem.
Is this still available ?
My car is still under warranty but I'll rather fix it myself and save a tank of fuel getting there smile
because your car is still under warranty i think you will be asked to take your car in to get fixed.

MatrixXXx

653 posts

151 months

Sunday 11th December 2011
quotequote all
I have the same problem and am out of warranty is there a fix?

moif

1,331 posts

159 months

Sunday 11th December 2011
quotequote all
I had mine fixed under warrenty recently,if you were to buy the module itself your looking at £150 from VX

MatrixXXx

653 posts

151 months

Sunday 11th December 2011
quotequote all
Does any one actually know what the problem is? I am an Electrical/ electronics engineer I can usally fix things like this, but assume it must be a pcb problem? Or a timer chip?

ARAF

20,759 posts

222 months

Sunday 11th December 2011
quotequote all
MatrixXXx said:
Does any one actually know what the problem is? I am an Electrical/ electronics engineer I can usally fix things like this, but assume it must be a pcb problem? Or a timer chip?
People seem to think that it's like when a bulb is out, making the relay flash faster - so maybe just a resistor is all it needs.

It wouldn't surprise me, if that is the case, and the only reason for the high charge is because they can - being that a new light unit is so costly.

Cottee

43 posts

170 months

Sunday 11th December 2011
quotequote all
I fixed mine that had a few LEDs out on the light itself, I wrote a short guide follow the link below.
www.vxronline.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?150394-How-to-fix-your-tail-lights-LEDS.
The problem with fixing the led control module is that it's sealed inside so you can't get to the board.

ringram

14,700 posts

247 months

Sunday 11th December 2011
quotequote all
Earlier ones might actually need a new light unit.
Mine needed controller AND light unit. Took them 5x visits to work that one out.

MatrixXXx

653 posts

151 months

Monday 12th December 2011
quotequote all
Any one come across schematics for the car?

r-kid

842 posts

186 months

Monday 12th December 2011
quotequote all
MatrixXXx said:
Any one come across schematics for the car?
PM L2VXR, he seems to have all the specs in pdf format.

jet_noise

5,630 posts

181 months

Monday 12th December 2011
quotequote all
Dear All,

ARAF said:
MatrixXXx said:
Does any one actually know what the problem is? I am an Electrical/ electronics engineer I can usally fix things like this, but assume it must be a pcb problem? Or a timer chip?
People seem to think that it's like when a bulb is out, making the relay flash faster - so maybe just a resistor is all it needs.

It wouldn't surprise me, if that is the case, and the only reason for the high charge is because they can - being that a new light unit is so costly.
nerd
I have been involved with lamp fail detection in cars. A while ago but the theory should still stand smile
Motoring regs. mandate that if an indicator lamp(s) is(are) blown the balance and especially the tell tale(s)/clicker in the dash flash at a faster rate as a warning.
Somewhere there'll be a subcircuit/system in an ECU to monitor the current taken by various lamps.
To get the cost down as many lamps as possible are monitored together. In the indicator circuit there are lots. The more lamps you monitor the bigger the tolerance you have to manage. Eventually with all the variables of supply voltage, components, lamps and temperature a circuit with, say, three working lamps at the low current end of the tolerance looks the same as two working lamps at the high end of the tolerance and vice versa.
Conventional filament lamps take more current when they're cold so I'd expect the system to fail to detect a fault in winter rather than seeing a problem when there isn't!

I'd therefore be looking at the ECU rather then the lamps.
Maybe the extra box puts a little bit more load on indicator circuits in cars where the system is pessimistic i.e. trips at a higher current than it should.

Does this make sense?
To MatrixXXx at least smile

regards,
Jet

ringram

14,700 posts

247 months

Monday 12th December 2011
quotequote all
Its not ECU. BCM will handle indicators..

jet_noise

5,630 posts

181 months

Monday 12th December 2011
quotequote all
Dear ringram,

ringram said:
Its not ECU. BCM will handle indicators..
ah the TLA* smile

Electronic Control Unit, generic term for any 'leccie box. Applies equally to Body Control Module (?) or Engine Management System,

regards,
Jet

*Three Letter Acronym

MatrixXXx

653 posts

151 months

Monday 12th December 2011
quotequote all
I see what your saying, it could be tolerance at low temperatures proberly something that wasent foreseen during testing in Auz.
Most of the bulb failure units I have seen just work on monitoring resistance as the filament will form a circuit all the time unless blown or open circuit. I thought the rapid flashing was down the bi metallic strip having to much current thought it? Are the indicators LEDs or the usual flasher bulbs? If it measures current then it may not be a simple fix.

desert fox

287 posts

161 months

Tuesday 13th December 2011
quotequote all
I had the same problem last year.

Contact Picador Southampton to report the fault so that it is on record for warranty.

Picador have a quick fix that plugs directly into the wiring loom at both rear lights, takes 1o minutes. If this fails (and mine hasn't yet)then take it in for repair.

HSV Keith

Original Poster:

315 posts

149 months

Tuesday 13th December 2011
quotequote all
desert fox said:
I had the same problem last year.

Contact Picador Southampton to report the fault so that it is on record for warranty.

Picador have a quick fix that plugs directly into the wiring loom at both rear lights, takes 1o minutes. If this fails (and mine hasn't yet)then take it in for repair.
thanks for the info I had read that picador had a repair for this issue

goldvxr8

2,949 posts

165 months

Wednesday 14th December 2011
quotequote all
ringram said:
Earlier ones might actually need a new light unit.
Mine needed controller AND light unit. Took them 5x visits to work that one out.
New light for me and 4x visits

V2RAC

463 posts

198 months

Wednesday 14th December 2011
quotequote all
Mine does it but only in extremely cold weather, as of the last two winters. Dealer won't repair unless the fault can be demonstrated. I told them this was a known problem, (better off talking to nearest wall) What's the odds that it won't occur this winter as so far the weather hasn't been nearly as bad as last year. I insisted on them logging the fault as warranty expires September 2012. rolleyes

ringram

14,700 posts

247 months

Wednesday 14th December 2011
quotequote all
V2RAC said:
Mine does it but only in extremely cold weather, as of the last two winters. Dealer won't repair unless the fault can be demonstrated. I told them this was a known problem, (better off talking to nearest wall) What's the odds that it won't occur this winter as so far the weather hasn't been nearly as bad as last year. I insisted on them logging the fault as warranty expires September 2012. rolleyes
PM Dougie. There is a technote about this. Your dealer needs beating up. Dont accept no.

MUST FLY

44 posts

157 months

Wednesday 14th December 2011
quotequote all
I'm no expert on this - plus it (fast indicator) has only happened once to me in 12 months of ownership. But we know for sure that it is related to cold temperatures as it only seems to occur during winter.

Do these cold temperatures alter the resistance (electrical resistance will decrease with a reduction in temperature) of a circuit or chip/s in the LED module or elsewhere ie. wiring loom, which is then sensed in the LED module. Has anyone tried insulating the LED module box from the cold (wiring loom would be more tricky) ?

What is this plug in box that seems to cure the fault - is it just a way of adding some resistance to the circuit, bringing it back above a certain threshold.

Lots of questions - not many answers !