Series 3 Indicators issue

Bit of a strange one! My indicators on my series 3 are playing up. A few months ago yesterday flashes of the indicators were getting slower then stayed on solid. I changed the relay and it fixed it.
Now the indicators stay on solid every now and again and to get them to flash I have to turn the hazzard switch nob (not pull to turn on).

Anyone know what could be causing the issue and how to fix it?
My thoughts is a faulty hazzard switch.

Start with the earth's

X1 take off the lenses n bulbs and give them a generous squirt of WD40.

Earths, sounds like they are not drawing enough current to trigger the flasher.

We have all been through it!

Right so,
Went and cleaned the earths and going to take it out for a run.
Then there was no power to the fuse box. Might be related, might not. Got the wiring diagram out and I think I might have a problem with a wire going from the clinch connection to the fuse box. The other ones from the clinch connection are fine and working (inspection sockets and side lights)
Having trouble tracing it and I’ve never heard of a clinch connection. What does one look like?
Took a wire from the inspection sockets to the fuse box to test if it would work but nothing was still working so there could be a short somewhere.
Has anyone had this happen to them before?

It's not uncommon. Have you checked the fuses are secure in the clip holders. Also check the connections behind the front grill that are in front of the radiator, they can sometimes come loose.

My series indicators are a nightmare, one second they are on, the next they are off again.

Col

Afraid i cannot help you with the fusebox, I have not heard of the clinch connection either, however I had the same problem with my indicators and kept blowing flasher relays. I fitted good earths at all the lights and chased it around for a long time before I gave up and bought a new rear chassis loom! Was much cheaper than I expected (autosparks) and I was fed up with playing with the multi meter. When I removed the old one I discovered that in not one, but two places inside the chassis it had been cut and put back together with connectors and/or tape so guessing this was the main cause of my problems. (What I don't understand is it has had a galvanized chassis fitted before I bought it so someone mush have refitted the loom in that condition during the rebuild!)
Having done that my indicators now always flash, however now the switch is playing up, it will drop and indicate right without being switched on, it really is never ending.

Search ebay for electrical contact cleaner spray then give your hazard switch a good spraying.
Looking at the drawings the supply for the indicators comes through the hazard switch.
When you operate the hazard switch do all 4 indicators flash.

Tonight I managed to get power back to the fusebox. It was down to a dodgy wire from the ignition switch to the fuse box.
So back to the inidcators issue.
Cleaned all bulbs and redone the earth at the front and cleaned the earths at the back but still no joy.

Yes Blackburn all 4 flash with the hazzard.
Is there any earths behind the dashboard for the indicators?
Another clue could be there is a faint light from the trailer flasher light on the dashboard.
There is no trailer plug. But when I check the back there appears to be wires cut and taped up that could be from a old plug that a P.O. has removed.
Another question is where does the trailer wires connect up to the normal indicating unit. As I could look at removing that.

Drawings may be the same

I had a similar problem turned out to be loose fuse

Hd1966 said:

I had a similar problem turned out to be loose fuse

Click to expand...

That's what I'm suggesting the problem could be quite basic.

Update: after checking the suggestions above and getting nowhere.
Working behind the back of the dash cheickng to old wiring. The earth for the hazzard switch and trailer warning light is on the same bolt and when moves make a small click from the relay but lights still stay solid.explains why when turning the hazzard switch the indicators click. When indicating there’s is a faint glow from the trailer light. After testing the earth and finding it fine. My main suspicions now lay with the flasher relay.
Time to get a new one and try that

On a series with hazard flashers, there are two relays, one for the indicators and another for the hazards. You might have to reach down into the wiring to find either one of them.

Col

Colthebrummie said:

On a series with hazard flashers, there are two relays, one for the indicators and another for the hazards. You might have to reach down into the wiring to find either one of them.

Click to expand...

On mine the flasher relay was literally just behind the instrument panel on the right hand side. But the hazard relay was buried down under the steering column and the rest of the loom. You might be lucky and it is nice and easy to find.

Great news!
Replaced the relay and it works!
Thanks for everyone’s help!
On to the next thing now

When I first started fiddling with the electrical system of my S3, I found this page to be of great help!

Nice link, thanks for that.