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My beloved LHD X300 has been in a nice comfy storage for the past 6 months, the reason for which I need not go into. However, when I retrieved it the other day and fired it up, everything was fine, that is until I had driven about 15 miles or so when the right hand front direction indicator started to act up. Can anyone help?
The problem:
All indicators appear to be working correctly with the exception of one of the bulbs on the front right-hand side. The bulb failure light on the dashboard is illuminated and the indicators flash in double-quick time. When the hazard flasher is used, everything works correctly with the exception of one of the bulbs of the front right-hand unit.
Action/Checking so far:
1. Removed unit and checked bulb by switching with 'good' bulb. It worked!
2. Removed bulb holder unit and with bulbs in place connected the unit to a 12v source; both bulbs could be illuminated.
3. Using a 'continuity tester' while the indicator stalk was in the right-turn position and the ignition on, I checked that the two outside pins of the three-pin connector that feeds the bulb holder flashed; both indicated that intermittent power was flowing to the connector as I would have expected.
4. Despite everything done so far, I cleaned all the contacts as best I could and replaced the bulb that is failing to illuminate; nothing!
This is beginning to drive me crazy as logic tells me that by now I should have identified a lack of energy getting to one of the pins of the unit or a problem with continuity within the unit or the bulb itself. So, what am I missing or not properly appreciating?
Could the flasher unit need replacing? By the way, can someone tell me where the flasher unit is located and if there are any tricks I should be aware of as regards replacing it eg is it necessary to disconnect the battery, remove a fuse or, God forbid, are the air bags going to explode?
The bulb contacts on the blade type base loose contact and can be sprung back out on the bulb itself .
The flasher is located in the lamp module but you don't need one as your test with a meter is correct .
The square black connector with about 10 wires gets corroded due to it's location in the environment and can be cleaned . located about a foot from the lamp . The bulb monitor is a current sensor inside the lamp control module and with a dirty connector you may have enough current going through the connector to light the lamp but not enough to satisfy the bulb monitor .
It's a fical circuit to work with
Last edited by Lady Penelope; 03-06-2018 at 04:06 PM.
Thank you Lady P. I appreciate the quick feedback.
The bulb contacts on the blade type base loose contact and can be sprung back out on the bulb itself . Yes, I tried this.
The flasher is located in the lamp module but you don't need one as your test with a meter is correct . Noted, good to know. As a matter of interest, where is the lamp module?
The square black connector with about 10 wires gets corroded due to it's location in the environment and can be cleaned . located about a foot from the lamp . I'm away from the car at present but assume you are referring to a connector inside the engine compartment. I'll look for that in the morning. I'm saying this because the connector at the back of the bulb holder has only 3 wires, not the ten you mention.
The bulb monitor is a current sensor inside the lamp control module and with a dirty connector you may have enough current going through the connector to light the lamp but not enough to satisfy the bulb monitor . I can see that that could happen but in my case the bulb monitor is lighting AND the bulb is failing to illuminate. Interesting to note that the bulb monitor is not lighting when the Hazard Warning is switched on.
It's a fical circuit to work with So it would seem.
I should add that I've just remembered that some time before she went into storage 6 mths ago, I did have occasion to 'tap' the bumper in that vicinity because the indicator wasn't working. At that time it immediately started to work correctly, and continued to do so until this latest experience. That would suggest a poor connection but all the connection points I've looked at so far seem okay. I'll look inside the engine compartment tomorrow and if that doesn't bring a solution, I'll just have to go over everything again.
Its a big plug behind the bumper corner that corroded and that's why you don't have power to the indicator. Not sure you can get to it with the front undertray, but remove it and you'll see it straight away or take off the whole bumper and follow cables from the indicator plug. Mine was doing the same thing, just had to unplug and clean it, although now outside air temp doesn't work occasionally so will have to clean it again(same plug)
I wouldn't remove the bumper as my lower trim is off and can be accessed easily . I think I have the part number for the connector somewhere if you feel the need to replace it .
Thank you one and all. After a concentrated effort to clean the connection to the bulb holder I have the indicator working, intermittently. I suspect that I will need to replace the cable feeding the bulb holder so yes Lady P, if you can produce the part number I will be very grateful. Today is a very wet day here and as I need to work in the open I doubt if I'll make any progress. On the other hand I will go and buy a new can of electrical connection spray to see if that helps. The male connector pins on the bulb holder are easy to clean but the female side on the cable is another matter. The spray may help to do the trick.
An easier and more satisfactory longer term solution might be to replace the plug with suitably insulated spade connectors - comments welcome.
Its not the cable that feeds the indicator as such, that's almost always fine, its a large white plug/socket where it joins the engine loom, like I said you'll find it behind the undertray in the bumper corner.
Electric contact cleaner is a must. New waterproof plug and socket is a good idea too but that's obviously more work
Looks exactly the same as the top side engine connectors Papa Indy 1 & 61 . You might want to look to those also as from history they are a problem engine killer and covered in a TSB . Mine were bad . The connector you are dealing with is the BR1 connector on page 85 , 91 , and 159 in the doc below :
Very many thanks to everybody and especially to Lady P for all the information you provided.
After spraying the bulb holder connections with my brand new can of electrical connections cleaner and getting nowhere, although the one bulb that was working is now even brighter than before, I accessed the other end of the feed cable in the front right corner and sprayed all the connections I could reach and separate.
Bingo! That did the trick and my indicators are now working as they should.
I suspect this is not the last time I will have to do this little job, perhaps the next time in will be the left-front indicator, so all the information provided will again be useful.
As a footnote about electrical connector cleaning spray and after I had bought by new can, I was talking to a mechanic in our local garage about such sprays who told me that they use brake cleaning spray to clean connectors. I would not have considered doing that but I pass the comment on in case it is useful for anyone.
03-06-2018, 02:34 PM
Direction indicator driving me crazy
