Front indicator not working
Discussion
Just got the car back after a couple of months away having a few jobs sorted. Have a couple of niggles now. Vibration at idle is causing a very irritating squeaking sound from the bulkhead. Sounds like leather on leather. Goes away on the run, but will be really annoying if it continues. I'm hoping it will go away.
More urgently the nearside front indicator is not working. The bulb is fine and the rear and sides work fine, although they tick away at double the normal speed. I've taken the indicator out and fiddled with the wiring, but to no avail.
Trouble is it's a couple of hours drive back to the garage, which I want to avoid if I can. Any ideas what I should be looking for to sort this myself? Thanks.
More urgently the nearside front indicator is not working. The bulb is fine and the rear and sides work fine, although they tick away at double the normal speed. I've taken the indicator out and fiddled with the wiring, but to no avail.
Trouble is it's a couple of hours drive back to the garage, which I want to avoid if I can. Any ideas what I should be looking for to sort this myself? Thanks.
Deadfast said:
More urgently the nearside front indicator is not working. The bulb is fine and the rear and sides work fine, although they tick away at double the normal speed. I've taken the indicator out and fiddled with the wiring, but to no avail.
Normally a duff bulb (because of the 'double time' ticking). Swap the bulb first. If that dosent do it check you have power at the bulb holder. If not you just have to trace the wiring back, possibly the connector where the flasher joins the main harness is the fault.Failing all that a good local auto-electrician is your new best mate!!
Checked the bulb and it's not that. Have new amber ones for my soon-to-be arriving smoked lenses (thanks Norman)! Hazards work fine. I traced the wire back under the wheelarch but no further. Is the connector somewhere close to the side flasher? We've had a problem with the wiring of the front foglights as well. Every time they are connected a fuse blows. They're not connected at the moment.
ard.
Deadfast said:
We've had a problem with the wiring of the front foglights as well. Every time they are connected a fuse blows. They're not connected at the moment.
I had this problem too and spent ages trying all sorts to fix it. Had a few beers and went back to it the next day. Then realised the spade connectors at the back of the light unit were touching the metal bowl part hence the short. They need little plastic sleeves over the connections and as the French would Voila! (or something like that anyway). Worked for me so have a look and see if your plastic sleeves are there.TVR-Stu said:
I had this problem too and spent ages trying all sorts to fix it. Had a few beers and went back to it the next day. Then realised the spade connectors at the back of the light unit were touching the metal bowl part hence the short. They need little plastic sleeves over the connections and as the French would Voila! (or something like that anyway). Worked for me so have a look and see if your plastic sleeves are there.
Thanks, I'll have a look at this tomorrow.Edited by Deadfast on Tuesday 31st May 23:29
The connection between the front lighting loom and the main loom is at a multi-pin connector in front of the front wheel. It's an interior grade connector and corrodes like mad under those conditions. If the bulb is OK and you don't have power to the bulb holder, that's where I'd look.
Edited by GreenV8S on Wednesday 1st June 21:33
Yep I would go for that connector, just beside the hinge. Mine had the indicator on a separate connector from the headlamps / foglamps though.
Switching on the lights was like a fruit machine - you never knew what combination of working lights you were going to get each time. I cut those connectors out and put in waterproof connectors a few years a go - not a single problem since.
Switching on the lights was like a fruit machine - you never knew what combination of working lights you were going to get each time. I cut those connectors out and put in waterproof connectors a few years a go - not a single problem since.
Deadfast said:
Just got the car back after a couple of months away having a few jobs sorted. Have a couple of niggles now. Vibration at idle is causing a very irritating squeaking sound from the bulkhead. Sounds like leather on leather. Goes away on the run, but will be really annoying if it continues. I'm hoping it will go away.
More urgently the nearside front indicator is not working. The bulb is fine and the rear and sides work fine, although they tick away at double the normal speed. I've taken the indicator out and fiddled with the wiring, but to no avail.
Trouble is it's a couple of hours drive back to the garage, which I want to avoid if I can. Any ideas what I should be looking for to sort this myself? Thanks.
Can't help with the squeaking, although mine does this too. I am going in with a can of copperease and silicone spray at the weekend, I suspect it's just the engine mounts. However the indicator issue I had last weekend. It's easy to work out what it is as the wiring is very accesible. Mine turned out to be a a poor connection in the bulb holder. A few squirts of WD40 and some moving in and out of the spring loaded part and all done. It looked quite corroded in there. The connectors under the wheel arch are quite ecposed though so it could be that. I gave mine a good coating of grease to keep it safe while I was at it.More urgently the nearside front indicator is not working. The bulb is fine and the rear and sides work fine, although they tick away at double the normal speed. I've taken the indicator out and fiddled with the wiring, but to no avail.
Trouble is it's a couple of hours drive back to the garage, which I want to avoid if I can. Any ideas what I should be looking for to sort this myself? Thanks.
The bulb holder looked pretty clean but I’ll definitely give it a good greasing up. I’ve bought a multimeter. I’ve never used one before, but presumably it’s just a case of putting the prongy thing on the contact and if we have movement there is power there? I’ll then work from there. I’ll give it a go tonight and post the result. Cheers.
No luck. The wiring is a mess, all taped up together. I've noticed other issues that side too. Sidelight comes on fine, but it takes a second for dipped beam to come on, and main beam comes on as and when it feels like it. I think I shall have to bite the bullet and get an autoleccy in. Thanks for the tips anyway. I now know where everything runs from at least!
If you can detach the front loom complete I could probably make you a new one. You would have to replace the connectors that are on the end of the main loom but I'm sure someone in your local TVRCC regioon would help you out / do it for you if need be.
If you want to label up the wiring get some white insulating tape and a permanent marker. Take your time, and if you lose your bottle you can then put it all back again.
If you want to label up the wiring get some white insulating tape and a permanent marker. Take your time, and if you lose your bottle you can then put it all back again.
If you're thinking of repairing that connector, you should check the wires in the main loom for the dreaded 'black wire' corrosion and be prepared to cut out and replace the wire as far back as necessary to eliminate it. Don't be surprised if you need to go back a foot or more. For waterproof connectors there are plenty to choose from, I use SureSeal connectors because they're completely waterproof, easy to assemble and have a good current capacity in a small package size.
Unfortunately, it gets worse.
A friendly motorist came up to me when I was filling up this morning to say that the reversing lights still come on with the brake lights/changing gear (he wasn't sure exactly, as it was when I approached a roundabout). Typically, Mr Plod followed me part way up the A30, so I kept well away from the gearstick and the brake pedal. I must have passed the PNC check as he then sped off.
I think there's too much for me to handle, so time to call in the professionals...
Cheers,
A friendly motorist came up to me when I was filling up this morning to say that the reversing lights still come on with the brake lights/changing gear (he wasn't sure exactly, as it was when I approached a roundabout). Typically, Mr Plod followed me part way up the A30, so I kept well away from the gearstick and the brake pedal. I must have passed the PNC check as he then sped off.
I think there's too much for me to handle, so time to call in the professionals...
Cheers,
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