Indicator relay?

[NDA]

The rear nearside indicator on my wife's car is out. It's not the bulb (I've replaced and tested), the front nearside indicator is blinking at double speed.... the offside is fine.

Is this a knackered relay?

As you can tell, I'm non too technical!!

Thanks....

[marshalla]

What sort of car ? Moderns seems to have relays and fuses all over the place for indicators so it does seem quite likely that a component between the stalk and bulb has failed.

Mind you - the double speed on the front suggest a decreased load which usually occurs when another bulb on the same circuit has gone. Could it be blowing the rear bulb as soon as it's switched on ?

[MX7]

Have you checked the earths?

[NDA]

I'm embarrassed to say it's a Nissan Figaro. Not mine. Honest. Not sure how old, quite old.

The two other nearside indicators are working fine, just running at double speed.

I haven't checked the earths, do you mean the earth wire going to the indicator or the earth on the battery?

[thinfourth2]

There is something stopping volts getting to the bulb it ain't the relay as the front one is working.

Older cars flash at double speed when one bulb is out

[NDA]

That makes sense Thin. Thanks. I imagine therefore that relays are either working or bust.

I found the fusebox - there aren't that many of them either. A few 15A and a 20A. I doubt it's the fuses as on fuse probably does all indicators. I might check the wiring as far as I can from the indicator housing.

I'm not built for scrabbling around Figaros!

Edit, it's definitely not the bulb by the way.

Edited by NDA on Saturday 17th April 15:37

[marshalla]

If you're absolutely sure the bulb is OK - do you have access to a Voltmeter so you can check that power is getting to the bulb holder ?

Possible failures are :

Earth between bulb holder and body (may be wire, may simply be a mounting point)
Power to bulb holder (positive wire)
Bulb loose in holder
Contact(s) corroded in bulb holder -either bulb side or where power leads connect

[NDA]

marshalla said:

If you're absolutely sure the bulb is OK - do you have access to a Voltmeter so you can check that power is getting to the bulb holder ?

Possible failures are :

Earth between bulb holder and body (may be wire, may simply be a mounting point)
Power to bulb holder (positive wire)
Bulb loose in holder
Contact(s) corroded in bulb holder -either bulb side or where power leads connect

I do have a voltmeter and have already checked... I'm absolutely sure the bulb is working.

Despite being an old car, the engine bay and other internal bits are pretty new looking as it's always been kept in a garage. The earth between the bulb holder and the car is a short run of black wire to an 8mm bolt, it's clean and working.

The power (wire) to the bulb holder is working fine (but no power is coming to it).

Bulb is not loose and the bulb holder is very clean and new looking.

There is no power running to the bulb holder, but I can't really see where the next junction would be between the bulb holder and the battery. Presumably from the relay.

The hazard lights run at normal speed by the way (with no nearside rear lamp of course).

I'm at the extent of my technical knowledge!