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I've been trying to sort out an intermittently-working flasher issue with my new-to-me 1985 XJS.
When I got the car, the hazards worked every time, but the flashers would only work sometimes. Fuse 2 and fuse 5 were both good.
This led me to try to replace the flasher relay. I used what a major online autoparts store said was a compatible flasher relay for my car, plugged it in, and promptly blew both fuse 2 and fuse 5.
Ok, so I replaced those two fuses and put the original flasher relay back in place, but now the flashers never work AND the hazards don't work either.
I have a good relay on order now from Coventry West (should have done that originally), but is there anything else I should be looking at? Is there anything else I could have blown with the bad relay?
I would have thought that after replacing the blown fuses and putting back the original relay that I'd be back where I started, with working hazards and intermittently-working flashers, but neither show a peep of working now.
I get that they often fail, but it seems odd that it would fail exactly at the same moment I switched relays. And, the turn signals are completely dead too.
The hazards were working fine. The turn signals worked half the time. I switched to a new (apparently bad) relay, which blew both fuses 2 and 5. I replaced those fuses, and put back in the original relay (which had been working fine for hazards and half the time for turn signals). But now, I have no hazards and no turn signals. I'm concerned I could have fried something else other than the fuses. I suppose I could have fried the switch and the flasher stalk switch?
I need to figure out how to pull/check out the hazard switch. I'm hoping it doesn't involve removing the dash. :-)
Try wiggling the plug and switch and working it with a bit of cleaner. Also there are some copper connectors on the indicator stalk that probably need scraping clean. Hazard switch is a pain. Make sure all is clean. Don’t panic someone with more knowledge will be along soon I’m sure but I’d start with those.
How are your brake lights? See fuse #5 and branches in the pic...
I think you're going to have to break out the meter and start chasing things down. For the fuses and fuse sockets, you might want to recheck them. It just might be that that last overload made a close to toast connection at the fuse, toast. Make sure you're getting 12v to both sides of the fuse.
Probe the relay receiving plug sockets. You should be seeing 12v steady in places, good earth/ground in places and changes in that when you attempt to run the flasher. I'm sorry, but I don't know enough about the exact way the flashers work with the relay to give the alternating on/off... I'll post a snap of the ED. Mind you, it's from a 1990...
And as someone said and I think it's good practice - as a habit and general rule go around and clean EVERY connection involved. Relays plug and socket, fuses outlets and,,, ground points, etc etc etc. Make a day of it. It will pay off. I think you may even need to remove the steering wheel to get to the contacts for the stalk - but I'm not positive about that. Maybe just the shell casing on the column behind the wheel...
Just checked, and the brake lights are working, so I suppose that's good. I managed to get the left hand pair of switches by the trip computer out -- hazard and defroster I believe. I disconnected the hazard switch and cleaned its contacts. So far still no go.
My next steps are to wait for the replacement relay from Coventry West and hope it works. If I still don't have flashers or hazards after that, I'll try replacing the hazard switch and possible the turn signal switch.
After that, I'm going to declare myself a failure and take it to a local indy shop unless you guys have any more suggestions.
Don't give up. Clean those connectors on the indicator stalk. Clean as many earth's as you can. It won't be much. It's unbelievable how fragile and susceptible to poor connections these cars are. Keep going!
When I first got my XJS it had been sitting for a couple of years. The turn signals and flashers weren't working. I checked the forum and read that the contacts on the switch and turn signal mechanism could be dirty. The recommendation was to exercise them by moving the stalk and turning the hazard switch on and off numerous times. No luck. I had replaced a couple of turn signal mechanisms in my other old cars over the years. There are copper contacts that move around to make the connections. The hazard and brake light functions are usually channeled through the turn signal mechanism, as there is a priority/logic function. The brake light cannot override the signal function. I thought that I would have to remove the turn signal mechanism from the steering column to check it. Instead I tried to clean it by spraying some cleaner, all I had was WD40, through the straw directly into the mechanism as best as I could while moving the arm up and down. After a short time, 20 secs. perhaps, the signals and hazards, started working. They been working for the last four years so it might be worth a try. I think that I removed the bottom cover for better access.
I got a replacement flasher/hazards relay from Coventry West. It wasn't the original Hella unit, but apparently is from the same era and was used commonly in Porsches at the time.
With the new relay, now the turn signals work, but the hazards (which worked before) don't work. Ok, no big deal -- now I can get out on the road without drawing the attention of the police.
My current guess is that my previous adventure with an incorrect relay probably fried something in the hazard switch, so I'll try replacing that next.
I did take apart the dash, pulling out the trip computer, carefully prying out the hazard switch panel to the left, etc. After I reassembled everything, the turn signals stopped working again, but that seems to be because the connector that attaches to the left side of the hazard switch doesn't stay on really good, so I had to be super gentle when putting everything back into the dash. After that -- good turn signals.
Does it sound like from everything in the thread above (sorry to make you guys read so much) that my next step is to try replacing the hazard switch to get those working again? I'm not so much worried about it for me, as in many decades of driving, I've only had to use the hazards maybe twice...not counting state inspections. But, I want to make sure that everything is good for the next owner a few years from now (and me at my next state inspection a year from now).
One other weird thing -- when I open the doors, both the right and left dash lights (you know, by passenger right knee and driver left knee) work just fine. However, when I hit the switch for the front lights on the dash, only the passenger-side light works. So, I'm thinking it must be a switch issue. If it was a wire issue, fuse issue, or bulb issue, the driver-side light wouldn't work, so it must be something about that switch, right?
One other weird thing -- when I open the doors, both the right and left dash lights (you know, by passenger right knee and driver left knee) work just fine. However, when I hit the switch for the front lights on the dash, only the passenger-side light works. So, I'm thinking it must be a switch issue. If it was a wire issue, fuse issue, or bulb issue, the driver-side light wouldn't work, so it must be something about that switch, right?
Been a long time since I owned an XJS but I recall two interior light switches. One for general illumination and one for the map light function.....which operated only the passenger side dash light. Presumably your passenger would be reading the map and, what's more, having both sides light up while driving would be distracting to the driver.
My current guess is that my previous adventure with an incorrect relay probably fried something in the hazard switch, so I'll try replacing that next.
If you haven't done so already try the vigorous exercise trick as mentioned above. I've had great luck in the past with this method. The internal contacts become oxidized. The exercise thing will often clean them. If you can, spray some contact cleaner into the innards of the switch......via some small hole or seam that you'll hopefully be able to discover.
The switch only operates the passenger side light, because as Doug said, the passenger would be the one doing the reading; also the idea being that the driver would not want illumination to spoil his or her night vision.
Last edited by Greg in France; Aug 5, 2021 at 09:21 AM.
The switch only operates the passenger side light, because as Doug said, the passenger would be the one doing the reading; also the idea being that the driver would not want illumination to spoil his or her night vision.
Great, thank you. One more thing learned, and one less thing to worry about! :-)
To close out this thread -- I got a new old stock Lucas hazard switch from someone on eBay. Installed it, and presto -- hazards are back to working. Turn signals were back to working after I got the right relay from Coventry West. Happy car, happy driver.
Moral of the story: go with quality parts, and don't trust the major auto parts stores assurances about something electrical being compatible with your car!
1985 XJS flashers/hazards/relay, etc.
