Hi all,

I'm experiencing a few issues relating to my headlights/indicator stalk.

When the headlights are on, indicating left or right causes the centre console lights and (more worryingly) the tail lights to go out. I only realised the second part of this the other day.

It's all a bit temperamental but pressing the computer cycle switch on the end of the stalk can also cause similar problems. To get the lights back on, indicating left and then returning it to normal brings everything back, usually.

I've read a few related posts and it seems that this sort of problem can be caused by a knackered battery, but I don't think that's causing it. I tried connecting it to another car with jump leads and again testing all of this with a very good level of charge and the problems were still occurring.

So now I think it's a faulty connection on the indicator stalk which some people have also mentioned. Does anyone have any tips or ideas as to how I can check the connections or remove the indicator stalk altogether?

Thanks,

Jack

 

So, I've managed to fix it. But it was a fairly laborious process! Basically, there were two wires that had become detached. They come from the lighting stalk and are attached to a part behind the steering wheel. In my case, the green and grey ones had broken free.

For anyone else who might stumble upon this, you need to get the steering wheel off which is a bit of a ballache. Removing the airbag is like defusing a bomb as I've read posts by a lot of people warning that these can go off if you aren't careful!

I came across this set of technical instructions on the switches themselves:
http://ww2.justanswer.com/uploads/cr...ion_switch.pdf

However this still left me at a loss once I had everything open as I didn't know where the green and grey wires were supposed to be attached. And then from the heavens I stumbled upon this and it saved my bacon! None of the electrical diagrams explain the leads in terms of colours and connection points as far as I can tell:
http://jagrepair.com/images/AutoRepa...s%20Repair.pdf

My soldering wasn't brilliant but it has done the trick. Everything is working great in my car now and even the auto light feature is working (I had assumed that this was gone for good.)

Cheers,

Jack

 

Jack,

Good to hear you got the switch repaired.

Note the warnings in the Vehicle Care Handbook on emergency starting with another vehicle (see the section I've boxed in red):



There's a lot of sensitive electronics can be fried with a spike.

Graham

 

Whoops, thanks Graham. I did check that when I had to jump start it a while back but as both engines were running I hadn't imagined there would be any problems.

Luckily it looks as though I got away with it this time but I won't do that again. Fortunately the car I was linking it to was only a VW Up and I don't think their batteries are particularly powerful, otherwise I could have created many new issues!

 

Thanks so much for that Ajax! I love this website.
I'd put a new LCM in and kinda come to the end of what I could do, so earlier today I took the indicator stalk off just to see and i had 3 wires off!Green Red and Grey!
Luckily in your pic I could just about see where the red and grey ones were soldered.After I had finished my side lights/tail lights/front fogs/dimmer switch and trip computer, fuel used/average speed etc all started working again!!
I still can't quite believe it :-)

 

Oh yea, and my auto light feature works too :-)

 

Jack,

That was exactly the info I needed for my X308! Been driving around with my mist lamps for weeks now...

Cheers,

Leo

 

Hi Leo/Greg,

Very pleased to see this has helped!

My auto lights have stopped working so I may need to revisit my soldering job.

Best,

Jack

 

Jack,
My blinkers do not operate, indicator blinks fast. I have power at the rear blinker board while on, bulb is good but no blinker.

Would I experience this if the wires had come loose at the location you had?

Thanks
Tauni

 

Hi Tauni,

Apologies for the massive delay in responding. I hope you've managed to get this fixed. I don't think the above fix is related to the problem that you are (or probably were) having.

Cheers,

Jack

 

That is frickin' hilarious!:icon_crac kup:

 

Thanks from me to Ajax, and the chap who wrote the repair guide. Driving home from the airport last night my auto lights got in a right muddle, on, off warnings to say lights not on etc when I wiggled the stalk or pushed the info button they went haywire, so I figured a loose connection or faulty stalk. I followed the guides posted by Ajax, the wire that was loose in my case was a gray wire, I found where it was supposed to attach to by the picture in the repair guide. Soldered on, all seems good just now, I'll check after dark too.