Intermitent Indicator problems

Our facelift (53) Freelander 1 is having some intermittent issues with the indicators.
Sometimes they work fine, other times nothing at all.
Its my Fiancé's car and after reading posts on here she has tried wiggling the stalk with mixed results - it did start working at one point and then stopped moments later.

I need to narrow down if its the stalk or the relay. Any suggestions?
Does the hazard switch use the same relay or a different one?
It has a towing pack, so I presume a uprated relay may have been fitted.

Is the stalk the 2-part one on a central round hub, or the individual one? (I've seen lots listed on eBay)

Any advice or suggestions much appreciated.

The stalks are a known issue in most Rover vehicle's. The grease used in manufacture hardens over time. This keeps the contacts apart. Normally a quick spray of WD40 onto the contacts does the trick. The flasher relay does both indicators and hazards.

Nodge68 said:

The stalks are a known issue in most Rover vehicle's. The grease used in manufacture hardens over time. This keeps the contacts apart. Normally a quick spray of WD40 onto the contacts does the trick. The flasher relay does both indicators and hazards.

Click to expand...

So if the indicators stop working from the stalk and the hazards still work from their switch, it must be the stalk?

Do you need to take the stalk apart to spray WD40 on the contacts?

Thanks for the assistance!

Thought you meant on, off, on, off, on etc.

Blue407 said:

So if the indicators stop working from the stalk and the hazards still work from their switch, it must be the stalk?

Do you need to take the stalk apart to spray WD40 on the contacts?

Thanks for the assistance!

Click to expand...

If the hazards work but the indicators don't then it's most likely to be the stalks. You can spray WD40 onto the contacts without removing the stalks, but it's best to remove the column cowling.

ok, thanks.

I was thinking it was the contact within the switch/stalk, not the external wire contacts.

UPDATE: I took the Freelander out for a drive last night, indicators stopped working for me on 2 occasions. Tried the hazard switch both times and it didn't work either.

There was a lot of water around on the roads last night - I did wonder if any water in the towing electrical socket could affect the indicators?
I did notice (probably because I was being particularly paranoid) that the trailer light kind of glowed when the indicators flashed, not properly lit but brighter with the flash. Could this be related?

Failing that, I presume it will be the relay?

I would look at the trailer plug from what you are saying. They are prone to corrosion etc as they are dangling on the back low down in all of the cack.

Also if the wiring has been scotch locked into the loom rather than proper plugs or other methods this can also cause gremlins.

But could still be relay or other issue. But I sounds like the stalk isn't at fault.

I have Freelander 1 (face lift 2004 ) with this problem... I have tried new relayes ....no lights flash ....fuses seem fine ... the relay buzzes and thats it ...if it is earth fault ... where do I start looking ?

Mine is the opposite, sometimes they won’t go off after moving the stalk back and I have to confuse the other drivers getting them off (moving stalk in the opposite direction) lol

Blue407 said:

UPDATE: I took the Freelander out for a drive last night, indicators stopped working for me on 2 occasions. Tried the hazard switch both times and it didn't work either.

There was a lot of water around on the roads last night - I did wonder if any water in the towing electrical socket could affect the indicators?
I did notice (probably because I was being particularly paranoid) that the trailer light kind of glowed when the indicators flashed, not properly lit but brighter with the flash. Could this be related?

Failing that, I presume it will be the relay?

Click to expand...

One of the few things that WD40 was designed to fix ... it should help to expel any water you may have in the back of the socket, failing that undo it and remake the joints, putting a thumbfull of petroleum jelly in there to keep the water out before fixing the back on ...