Series 3 Indicator Problem

Evening,

I own a 1976 Series 3 (88" Diesel) which is my daily driver in London (yes I am that mad) so a problem with indicating a left or right turn isn't ideal!

I have an indicator issue that is driving me nuts. From time to time I lose both right and left turn signals, both the indicators themselves and the left/right green dash lights. Everything else works fine, horn and dipped/full beam etc. I do not have hazard lights fitted on my model.

The indicators will work fine for a couple of weeks and then, part way through a journey, stop working and then work again a period of time later. Today they were working fine and then simply stopped. Tomorrow they may start working again, who knows!

So I'm looking for advice to a likely cause for this problem, currently think that maybe the column switch is tired and needs replacing.

Seems unlikely to be a wiring or earthing issue because its not a consistent problem?

Any thoughts gratefully received.

Could be the wiring, flasher unit or switch. Probably in that order

Welcome to Landyzone
You can see the common wire from fuse to flasher unit and then to indicator arm I would check these connections are sound, this would affect right and left same time, could be faulty flasher unit but then it works ok later
I have found intermittent faults can be poor earths and bad connections
You can remove the shroud around steering and inspect the connections when the turn signal is on , poor connections will get hot , they should be in firm contact
Cheapie replacement indicator stalks have poor brass connections I had problems with a. Cheapie then got a Lucas one been on for years now

Thanks both for the quick reply.

I guess poor connection or earth is the most obvious thing to check first.

As you say it does normally work again so unlike to be the flasher unit.

Will have to run the gauntlet tomorrow if still not working and investigate at the weekend!

Don’t risk a fine

steve2286w said:

Don’t risk a fine
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Thanks I had enough old classics to know the signals but I think we’re crediting other drivers in this city with more attention to the road than they actually have!

I get an intermitant problem with my indicators too. They usually pack up whilst it parked in the mot bay. Its nearly always a dodgy earth.

Col

Colthebrummie said:

I get an intermitant problem with my indicators too. They usually pack up whilst it parked in the mot bay. Its nearly always a dodgy earth.

Col

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Unhelpfully, given I was fault finding today, mine started working again on my commute to work on Friday and have kept working. I’ve checked and cleaned all the connections between fuse box, switch and relay and cleaned the contacts on the switch itself so will have to see how we go from now.

It may be the light bulb fitting itself, I replaced mine and put led bulbs in but they still play up from time to time. The problem with led bulbs and electronic flasher unit is that the dash tell tale light acts normally even when the indicators are not working.

Col

I had that problem in the flasher unit itself was poor connections, took the whole thing to bits and soldered the connectors. No problems since. You can check the flasher unit with a multimeter on the wires to eliminate probs further back up the line

Thanks, that’s a good thought about the flasher unit.

Have you sorted this problem yet? My money would be on the flasher relay, the older units had 2 terminals, the modern ones have three ( the extra terminal is an earth), try a new relay, they are fairly cheap. You could pull the old unit apart and clean up the connecters etc, I've found they get damp and rust up.

I seem to have sorted it insofar as I’ve had no more problems since I tinkered with it but time will tell. I brought a new 3 pin flasher unit but thought I’d wait for the issue to start again before changing it out. Otherwise I’m going to get into a parts swapping game without knowing if a particular part is the issue! So far so good, so possibly it was a loose connection or dodgy earth. Thanks for the advice.