Indicators not working

[scerbera]

Jee this cerbera ownership is already peeing me off. Thank goodness I didn't sell the M5!


Indicators not working today, but they flash on the alarm on and off. Cant find much by searching, what can it be given they work on the alarm?

Many thanks in advance.

[pjnixon]

Could be the micro switches in the stalk, I've heard of a good squirt of WD40 down inside the leather surround can fix them! or possibly the wiring underneath the steering column to the indicator PCB box. Mine is tucked up and wedged on a horizontal bar just above the accelerator pedal, but I'm not convinced that is where it should be.

Lots of small wires and plugs around there anyway, good place to start.

Happy wire wiggling.

[Mad Mark]

Do the hazards work or just the indicators that have stopped?

[gruffalo]

I seem to remember the indicators are on a different flasher unit to the hazards.

Also, I know this may sound weird, but unplug the cigarette lighter and see of that helps, pull the wires off the back.

[scerbera]

No hazards either. I'm sure last owner changed micro switches. Fuse was blown I think, didn't have a fuse guide with me but a 15 amp one was blown. Sounds about right. Changed but no joy.

[ukkid35]

scerbera said:

Jee this cerbera ownership is already peeing me off.

You're only just getting started...

I'm not sure that the hazards are on a different circuit, but I might be wrong. However the alarm immobiliser does run them separately. If the alarm goes off and the indicators are flashing, you can hit the hazard warning button and they will flash independently at a different frequency, sometimes overlapping.

[gruffalo]

scerbera said:

No hazards either. I'm sure last owner changed micro switches. Fuse was blown I think, didn't have a fuse guide with me but a 15 amp one was blown. Sounds about right. Changed but no joy.

Have you tried the cigarette lighter yet, this is not a wind up they really can and do cause problems with the indicators, on mine if I plug something into the lighter socket before I start the car then no indicators but if I start the car first all works OK.

Again several past threads on here about this problem.

Sometimes it can be caused by the socket other times by plugging something in to it.

[scerbera]

Thanks Chaps,

I'm away on business now until Friday evening so will try on Saturday. If I have no joy then I have an old volvo estate going for scrap soon and i'm quite tempted to take all the switches, controls and relays out of that and do a little transplant when and if needed.

I can't be doing with things going wrong all the time it's ridiculous!

[robsco]

Sorry but if it's testing your patience after a couple of little niggles, you've bought the wrong car. It's not ridiculous, it comes with the territory when you buy a low volume car that's approaching twenty years old. I hope you get there with it, but it will never compare to the M5 in that respect.

[scerbera]

robsco said:

Sorry but if it's testing your patience after a couple of little niggles, you've bought the wrong car. It's not ridiculous, it comes with the territory when you buy a low volume car that's approaching twenty years old. I hope you get there with it, but it will never compare to the M5 in that respect.

I've nearly spent 1k in the first 2 weeks of ownership and broken down twice, that's not a niggle. Age is irrelevant my friend, I bought the car to use it not to keep it in a garage!

I'm sure i'll get there and sort it all out so I can do 5000+ miles a year without breaking down, but it most certainly is irritating to say the very least. I'm not one to mess about so it will all get sorted.

It's got gaz shocks on it but im finding it very soft now I've had a reasonable chance to drive it so that's next on the to do list is to try and set the suspension up.

[N7GTX]

The lower microswitch was replaced and then both were adjusted to give a nice positive action. As Gruffalo says, if you have had something in the (brand new) cigarette lighter it may have blown the fuse you found.
Or it could just be the relay.
http://www.clever-trevor.net/TVR/Parts_details/M02...

[robsco]

scerbera said:

I've nearly spent 1k in the first 2 weeks of ownership and broken down twice, that's not a niggle. Age is irrelevant my friend, I bought the car to use it not to keep it in a garage!

I'm sure i'll get there and sort it all out so I can do 5000+ miles a year without breaking down, but it most certainly is irritating to say the very least. I'm not one to mess about so it will all get sorted.

It's got gaz shocks on it but im finding it very soft now I've had a reasonable chance to drive it so that's next on the to do list is to try and set the suspension up.

Not having a go, just making a valid point. Most of the owners who lose their patience at this stage in the game don't keep them for long. Plenty of new owners spend big in the early days too and start getting the cars as they like them. They do seem to perversely enjoy showing owners who the boss is from the off.

[jamieduff1981]

The indicators and hazards are on the same circuits. The fronts are on different earths to the repeaters and rears though.

[gruffalo]

N7GTX said:

As Gruffalo says, if you have had something in the (brand new) cigarette lighter

I think the clue as to the problem is above, daft I know but a not uncommon problem.

[N7GTX]

jamieduff1981 said:

The indicators and hazards are on the same circuits. The fronts are on different earths to the repeaters and rears though.

The indicator arm was replaced with a shiny new stainless steel item from one of the big name dealers, as the original alloy one was wrecked and then bodged by the 'specialist', along with the wiring and microswitches.

It was not possible to remove the microswitch for the hazards in the end of the original arm without damaging it (had all been butchered) so I made the decision to fit a separate hazard switch. This is a push on/off one with a red see through top mounted on the underside of the dash.

1. Check the terminals on the hazard switch - easy access to see. If not got 12v at one of the 2 terminals then:
2. Follow the 2 small and very thin delicate wires back to below the steering column where they join the original wiring. You can see this through the gap under the steering wheel - move the wheel to top position for even better access, and not need to remove anything. Check for 12v at the join in the original wiring.

Edited by N7GTX on Monday 13th October 17:57

[mulsanne]

I have just had a fault with left hand indicators not working on my cerb. The right hand, hazards and immobiliser flashes still worked. Having poked about under the trim, I found the wires from the indicator stalk micro switches go down the column to a small printed circuit board on top of the column. The cancelling gubbins are mounted on this. The onward connection between this to the rest of the car's circuitry is by 2 flat ribbon connectors. They are connected by sliding them down long pins on this board. The connectors seem more like flimsy computer parts than robust automotive stuff and can easily be pulled partially off by accident, especially if you blindly feel about under the dash (like I had previously done!) One of mine was like this, I pushed it fully back and all indicators worked. I know cerbs differ in their wiring (understatement!) but I am a big advocate of checking the easy things first. Check these connectors are fully seated and good luck with your car's fault.

edited to add wiring diagram that might explain my above ramblings more fully.

http://www.thetvrsite.com/files/wiring-diagrams/st...

Edited by mulsanne on Wednesday 15th October 21:21

[scerbera]

Thanks Mulsanne, helpful diagram, will try late friday/ saturday to fix this prob.

[scerbera]

Seems the board which houses the canceling sensors is the cause of problem. Can this board be replaced? The optical sensors are broken and missing on my board.

I am going to wire it around the board as a temp fix, if you short the connectors off the next board then I can get them to work so going to bypass it.

Wiring diagram very useful!! many thanks!!