Vinlander

Well-Known Member

• Nov 20, 2015

• #1

'93 200Tdi, replaced a faulty flasher this morning, and since, the indicator dash light flashes every few seconds, and when I press/release the brake pedal, turn the heater on/off, etc. . Blinking seems most frequent when idle or under braking.

Indicators work normally, but do I really need a little green light which reminds me that I have them? Or ... did they send me the wrong unit?

Sort of seems like there's a short somewhere, and maybe that's why the old flasher died. I guess I start looking for trouble connected to those red and black wires hanging out from under the steering wheel (presumed previously connected to work light switch), but hope I don't have to go delving into the reason behind the missing fuses on the panel

Any thoughts?

 

Zed.

Well-Known Member

• Nov 20, 2015

• #2

You're lucky, my '93 200 3 door d1 has no working dash indicator repeaters . But outside indicators work perfectly

But my (road going) '91 200 3door d1 works perfectly

Rich.

 

Vinlander

Well-Known Member

• Nov 21, 2015

• #3

That's what I had, which is why I replaced the flasher. I could just go back to the old flasher, but I'm not sure if the little green "everything's OK light" (or the something's-wrong-but-I-don't-know-where light, illuminating an arrow pointing in both directions to indicate indeterminate fault location) is any more or less legal than having no dash indicator light at all lol

Found a melted headlamp fitting too, reckon I'll eBay it this time .. can't be any worse than what I've got

 

Vinlander

Well-Known Member

• Nov 24, 2015

• #4

Ordered a new flasher relay which actually looks like the old one, so that might be a good start. If everything (absolutely everything electrical sets it off - brake pedal, heaters, wipers, ...) is earthing through the indicator dash light I'll be surprised, and very sad, and confused. More likely this unit is just too sensitive.

Those random wires lead straight to the battery terminals, as one might expect, could use them to wire up work lights, but they look a bit thin, really.

Lucky for me I've got an intermittent hardness and occasional pulling to the right under heavy braking to keep me busy while I wait for bits. Servo seems OK so prob just new front discs.

 

V

Vincemcdonald

Active Member

• Nov 25, 2015

• #5

Certainly sound like a bad earth. Start at the beginning and clean and remake the connection where the battery earthing strap meets the body.

 

Vinlander

Well-Known Member

• Nov 25, 2015

• #6

Gawd. Alright then. I've got the day off tomorrow, so I s'pose I'll spend it up to my armpits in wiring and "engine coating".
My earth does look a bit odd, to be honest. It's a bare braid with what looks like a join, sort of a braid cover over a section of it, pinched over the lead at the ends. Is that normal?

 

V

Vincemcdonald

Active Member

• Nov 26, 2015

• #7

I would say no that doesn't sound normal. Try running an auxiliary earth using a jump lead and see if that fixes your problems.

 

Vinlander

Well-Known Member

• Nov 26, 2015

• #8

PRC8878 (the correct flasher unit) turned up today, and magically fixed everything. I don't have my please-go-off-road-now light, but I don't really need the encouragement anyway.
My guess is that if you use the other unit I was sent, you have to earth it somewhere on the firewall over on the driver's side, away from the main earth connection?
I will investigate the earth at a later date, but everything seems to be getting plenty of juice, so no rush, and I haven't been able to find a part for the strap anyway, so not really sure where to go if I decide it needs renewing.

While on the subject of electrics, I don't need my caravan socket, so I can just trace that back and get rid of it all, right?

 

V

Vincemcdonald

Active Member

• Nov 27, 2015

• #9

As long as your chopped off wires don't short out I can't see any problem.

 

Vinlander

Well-Known Member

• Nov 27, 2015

• #10

No danger .. if I can't disconnect it properly I'll just leave it.
Come to think of it, do those caravan sockets power trailer winches? If so I might have to get a new one, only getting rid because it's all messed up. Luckily the trailer socket is pretty straight.