Indicators working both sides at same time :(

My 90 has developed a bit of a problem......... when I use the indicators it flashes all indicators at the same time (like the hazard lights are on), but......... when I connect a trailer board they work exactly as they should (vehicle and trailer board)!!!

I have checked all bulbs and connectors, I have checked the hazard light switch, I have checked the relay and I have checked the trailer socket.

I think that moisture is causing a bridge somewhere, or there is a bad earth which is causing them to earth via the easiest route when the trailer board is not connected.

I have LED bulbs (all 6 inc wing repeaters) and an LED relay, but as discussed all the hardware works fine. I think it is down to wiring.....

So, my question to the experts are:

1) Is this a common problem and if so what is it likely to be?
2) If it is a bridge/moisture problem, then where should I look first? Is there a common place for a muddy 90 to accumulate damp mud if used regularly off road?
3) If it is an earth problem (however everything else works fine) then where should I look?

Any advice would be very much appreciated as I have drawn a bit of a blank!

James

By the relay do you mean the flasher unit?

Turn the hazards off!!! Sorry had to say it I know it don't help. Have you changed lights recently?

Thanks guys. Yes, by relay I mean flasher unit.... and yes I have switched off the hazzards!!!

I fitted LED lights to the 90 about 6 months ago and all has been ok until I went Green laning a few weeks ago (hence why I think moisture has got in somewhere). I have also been told that LED's don't need much to make them illuminate, therefore my guess is that there is a bridge somewhere and only by connecting the trailer board (which I assume is earthed separately) that it sorts the problem.

At them moment I'm driving around with the trailer board connected but in the boot!

James

Not sure about the moisture problem, but sometimes the hazard switch itself can cause problems with indicators. You could try swapping it out for only a few quid to see if it makes any difference.

Langers said:

Not sure about the moisture problem, but sometimes the hazard switch itself can cause problems with indicators. You could try swapping it out for only a few quid to see if it makes any difference.

Click to expand...

Agreed , the hazard switch can cause all kinds of problems as all the indicator functions run through it

Nope, not the hazard switch...... Any other pointers? Perhaps an area underneath the vehicle where the wires come together in a connector block etc that I can look at?

The wires don't go under the vehicle - the loom passes from the front to the back inside the chassis. Do you have a multimeter? It makes tracking down electrical problems a lot easier.

Hi there,

I have exactly the same problem, All six indicators are LEDs and I have an LED flasher unit. When I indicate left or right all of the indicators flash on, but tend to be a fraction brighter on the side which the indicator stalk is assigned. Now I'm totally stumped because its only just started with last night's frost, yesterday they were all working independently. Now my hazard switch is a little bit ropey but works fine when I flick it on for the hazards, the high beam/horn stalk works fine with the obvious indicator fault. Suggestions and help desperately required!!

Mine now work, but...........

After lots of head scratching I have had a resistor wired into each front indicator which has done the trick.

I have no logical explanation for this as they worked fine for a while and all of a sudden started to play up after a trip off road. My only thoughts are that it's because they a cheap bulbs and relay from eBay. They dud start to go wrong on one side only but the next day both sides were playing up. Only noticed something was amiss because the dash light fir the indicators was very weak.

Can I suggest that you put normal filament bulbs in the front to increase the resistance and see if it fixes it..... If so then it's exactly the same issue that I had.

Another test would be to hitch up trailer electrics if you have them?

Hi again,

I suppose I could put the filament bulbs back in but it'll really destroy the look I'm going for with the truck. My dash indicator is very dim too! that's the only reason I noticed! could you by any chance give me some further details regarding splicing in a resistor and the necessary alterations to the indicator wiring? It would be a great help!

James

What I meant was to put the normal bulbs back in to diagnose the problem, not permanently!

If it works fine once you've done this then you will have confirmed that you have the same issue that I had and can go along the resistor route.

My understanding is that the resistor just tricks the system into thinking a normal bulb has been fitted and is wired in series to the + side just before each bulb holder. I think they'll be sold at Maplin etc. Mine were fitted by a garage so you may need someone techy to advise on the rating etc.

Hope this helps?

James

I will get the old bulbs back in tomorrow, when this dreadful rain ceases! Could I not try fitting one of those aftermarket LED flasher units that compensate for the lower wattage drawn from LED bulbs?

James

I have an LED flasher unit to stop the lamps flashing double-time. I'm surprised that you didn't have any issues initially.

So to clarify, I had an LED flasher unit to calm the flash rate down, which was fine fir a while and then they started working together which was fixed by the in-line resistors.

The set up i currently have is with the standard filament bulb flasher unit (they flash a bit fast but are or were independent when indicating) they started flashing together yesterday for no apparent reason, Im going to install an LED flasher relay and see if it returns the directional indicators back to flashing left or right on command!

Good luck with it, I'd be interested to see how you get on. When my fault cropped up I tried swapping the original and digital flasher units over but the problem remained. All it did was change how quickly the incorrectly flashing bulbs flashed!!

Righty-ho, new hazard switch installed and new LED flasher unit installed, the result: The LEDs flash at a more respectable rate but alas, all four corners and side repeaters flash in unison. I swapped the front two bulbs back to filaments and the problem has resolved itself, therefore I am almost sure that our problems are akin, if you could let me know the resistance of the resistors that you had installed, I can pop to Maplin and buy the appropriate parts. your help in this matter would be very useful, if you are unsure of the Ohm of your resistors just take a snapshot and i can elucidate it.

Regards

James

Yes no problem, however it may be quicker if someone else is reading this and has the answer. I won't be near my 90 until Tue/Wed at the earliest and I know that the guy who sorted it for me is on his honeymoon as he got married today. Will come back to you asap, but hope they are visible as I've not looked for them.

James

Problem solved!!!
I just spliced in two ballast resistors into the front indicator circuit. Bought them from mobile centre: 12 volt Ballast / Load resistor indicator kit with cable [LR12 kit sctotchloks] - £5.95 : LED Lights, Marker Truck LED Vehicle Lighting Trailers Commercial Lightbars Warning Lights Land Rover

James

Thank goodness I read this as I'm home tonight and was going to roll the old girl out of the garage to take a snap for you. Glad you got it sorted!

James