Car indicator - How will I explain this one!!?

Trotter

To cut a long story short, my left indicator has started clicking and flashing about twice or three times the speed of the right one.

Now.. I like things to work properly, and it probably borders on obsessive!, so you can see why this clickclickclickclick is driving me maaad.

Its as if by turning on my right indicator, which is fine, that Im saying..I'd like to turn right when its possible thank you.

My left indicator now says.. Get out of the F'n way I'm going left!!!


Both the dashboard light, the indicator sound and the actual indicator light are after kicking up, so Im thinking electrics of some sort.

Any ideas? Any at all? For the sake of my SANITY??

clickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclick :mad:

Anan1

One of your left hand indicator bulbs has blown. Replace it and all will be well again.

Trotter

Anan1 wrote:

One of your left hand indicator bulbs has blown. Replace it and all will be well again.

Oh thank you so so so much.

Pherekydes

Anan1 wrote:

One of your left hand indicator bulbs has blown. Replace it and all will be well again.

Why would that make it flash faster?

Probably the flasher unit.

crosstownk

Yep - blown bulb. Just turn your hazard warning lights on to ascertain which one is blown. It flashes faster because the load has been reduced in the relevant circuit. Not a flasher relay problem.

ciarsd

It is also flashing faster as per design - notifying you that you've got an indicator bulb out. Usually only happens with the front indicators.

Trotter, would I be right in saying that the bulb thats out on your car is indeed the front left?

Pheww, quick fix for you thankfully - shouldn't cost you more than €1.50 & about 10mins of your time to sort

JoeySully

Ok

I think that this kinda stuff should be put into the driving theory test if it isnt already. i knew this when i was 10

Rovi

Slow coach wrote:

Why would that make it flash faster?

Probably the flasher unit.

A flasher relay is merely a 'switch' that keeps turning itself on and off so long as there is current supplied to it, which is what you're doing whan you operate the indicator stalk inside the car.

Ordinary 'old-fashioned' thermal flasher relays (like this- http://auto.howstuffworks.com/turn-signal2.htm) are rated to the load they will be carrying in the particular car in which they are installed.

A typical flasher circuit will contain the two main front and rear bulbs (21w (watts) each), a side repeater (usually 5w), and the dashboard indicator light (2-3w), so the flasher relay will be rated to flash at a rate of approximately once per second with a total load of 50w (21w x 2, +5w,+3w).

If this load is reduced, the relay will flash faster because it has less work to do in each switching operation. This may be barely noticible if it's one of the small bulbs that's missing, but will be very noticable when one of the big ones goes.

They'll also run slower if there's more 'load' on the circuit- dirty/corroded contacts, incorrect bulbs fitted (24 volt instead of 12v), extra bulbs (trailer lights), etc.

All/none of this may or may not apply to more modern solid state systems. Someone else may know more about this.


If your car develops 'fast flasher' syndrome, can I ask everyone to please make immediate efforts to see which bulb has failed, and alter your driving accordingly until it's fixed?
Particularly if it's the right-rear one that's gone.

We should all be carrying a set of spare bulbs anyhow

Trotter

JoeySully wrote:

i knew this when i was 10

Well done! :eek:

Fair play to ya! Pat on the back.





Thanks again to all those that helped.

saobh_ie

Rovi wrote:

We should all be carrying a set of spare bulbs anyhow

Yep, and it wouldn't hurt for people to check just once a week to see that all thier bulbs are working. In the last three days I've spoken to two people about thier brake/tail light problems. On Wednesday morning I was at the rear of a column of three cars each with a tail light out.

Question for ye: Whats the story when somebody hits the brakes and they get a brake light on one side and an indicator solid on the other? Tail lights working as normal.

Alun

saobh_ie wrote:

Question for ye: Whats the story when somebody hits the brakes and they get a brake light on one side and an indicator solid on the other? Tail lights working as normal.

Isn't that usually down to some dodgy earthing somewhere in one of the tail light clusters?

milltown

Alun wrote:

Isn't that usually down to some dodgy earthing somewhere in one of the tail light clusters?

Spot on!
Electricity will follow the path of least resistance so if the earth is bad or corroded the electricity will choose one of the other bulbs as it's return path, rather than the chassis.

ballooba

JoeySully wrote:

Ok

I think that this kinda stuff should be put into the driving theory test if it isnt already. i knew this when i was 10

It is.

niall mc

saobh_ie wrote:

Yep, and it wouldn't hurt for people to check just once a week to see that all thier bulbs are working. In the last three days I've spoken to two people about thier brake/tail light problems. On Wednesday morning I was at the rear of a column of three cars each with a tail light out.

Must be something going around.

Ive seen 3 cars in the last 2 weeks with bad brake wiring, all 3 brake lights stuck on. Makes it very hard to drive behind them, all occured at night time so it was blinding.

Also saw a guy with no brakes lights and a kid climbing around the back seat. It would be easy for someone not paying attention to plough into the back of it.

its not that hard to park with a wall behind you and check the lights.

ciarsd

niall mc wrote:

Ive seen 3 cars in the last 2 weeks with bad brake wiring, all 3 brake lights stuck on. Makes it very hard to drive behind them, all occured at night time so it was blinding.

VW Golf MK IV's & Peugeot 206's being the main culprits for dodgy rear lights/failures.

kluivert

Trotter wrote:

Fair play to ya! Pat on the back.

How old are you.

Am sorry but someone who doesnt know this shouldnt be allowed to be in charge of a car.
At least you know for next time, make sure you pass on your new found knowledge.

Try reading the manual, that helps too.

I know people who took their car to a mechanic to change a light bulb, and got charged €15 for two minutes work.

Am in the wrong business.

Big Nelly

kluivert wrote:

How old are you.

Am sorry but someone who doesnt know this shouldnt be allowed to be in charge of a car.
At least you know for next time, make sure you pass on your new found knowledge.

Try reading the manual, that helps too.

I know people who took their car to a mechanic to change a light bulb, and got charged €15 for two minutes work.

Am in the wrong business.

Aint I supposed to be the angry man on the motors forum?? someone trying to take over my position.

I have drove cars for years but something still mystify me about them, I just make sure I service them regularly and I know the basic around the engine but once it goes to electrics etc I leave that to my mate who does it for a living. I would prob know more about engines than the average driver on the road but still if this happened in my car I wouldnt have a clue. Don't see why OP is getting attacked for asking a question. Better to ask and find out how to fix than play dumb and leave the problem there!!

JHMEG

Jeez, I can't believe this thread...

Trotter

Look.. If nobody ever explained to me that the fast flashing of an indicator meant it was gone, then how can I have known?

Go somewhere else and preach about the amount you know about cars because this forum is for asking questions to get knowledge you dont already know.

Everyone is an expert in something.. excuse me for not knowing all there is to know about indicators. I'll ask somewhere else in future.

Anan1

Trotter wrote:

Look.. If nobody ever explained to me that the fast flashing of an indicator meant it was gone, then how can I have known?

Go somewhere else and preach about the amount you know about cars because this forum is for asking questions to get knowledge you dont already know.

Everyone is an expert in something.. excuse me for not knowing all there is to know about indicators. I'll ask somewhere else in future.

I have to say that I completely agree. I knew the answer to your question because - guess what? Someone told me.:)

Seth Brundle

kluivert wrote:

How old are you.

Am sorry but someone who doesnt know this shouldnt be allowed to be in charge of a car.
At least you know for next time, make sure you pass on your new found knowledge.

Try reading the manual, that helps too.

I know people who took their car to a mechanic to change a light bulb, and got charged €15 for two minutes work.

Am in the wrong business.

Very unfair comment. The OP is looking for advice. Would it be better if they just left it like so many others out there?
As for it being in a manual - I don't recall seeing it in any of my car manuals

bazz26

kluivert wrote:

I know people who took their car to a mechanic to change a light bulb, and got charged €15 for two minutes work.

Am in the wrong business.

Some cars are designed these days for you to go to a mechanic/dealer to change the bulb. They don't want you doing any DIY work anymore.

kluivert

My bad I apolagise for my rashness.

Its always good to ask when you dont know someone rather than sit in silence.

What better way to learn. Normally am the first to offer advice on how to fix car problems.

Its in the Haynes Manual.

www.howstuffworks.com is a great site for learning about every thing. You can spend hours reading up on all different topics.

Before I posted that I saw a woman driving a Toyota Landcruiser anti clock wise around the roundabout outside my office. :eek:

They dont want you to change the bulb, not for your own safety. Renualt Megane - you have to take off the bumper to change a blow in the headlight wtf!!

Trotter

kluivert wrote:

www.howstuffworks.com is a great site for learning about every thing.

Apology accepted.

MarkR

kluivert wrote:

How old are you.

Am sorry but someone who doesnt know this shouldnt be allowed to be in charge of a car.
At least you know for next time, make sure you pass on your new found knowledge.

Try reading the manual, that helps too.

I know people who took their car to a mechanic to change a light bulb, and got charged €15 for two minutes work.

Am in the wrong business.

Must be nice to know everything. I'm assuming you invented cars, electricity, and light bulbs and so didn't have to learn any of this information?

muffler

kluivert wrote:

How old are you.

Am sorry but someone who doesnt know this shouldnt be allowed to be in charge of a car.

And you should be old enough to know better than say something stupid like that

kluivert

MarkR wrote:

Must be nice to know everything. I'm assuming you invented cars, electricity, and light bulbs and so didn't have to learn any of this information?

Ok ok.... I get it ok....

Am a petrolhead, it even annoys me when I see women pull into a garage and sit and wait for a young lad or someone to come out and fill the tank for them.

I seriously didnt mean anything about it, and nobody told him that when he goes to change the light bulb make sure that you dont touch the glass with your fingers, as the natural oil from your skin will cause the bulb to over heat the blow.

I know it was an indicator bulb but in case the headlight goes as well.

**Shouts** Am ssoorrryyyyy!!!!

MercMad

Actually mosty modern cars that utilise CANBus wiring systems are programmed in such a way that if a particular buylb blows, another will take over. The Peugeot 206 is one of these cars as well as most Mercedes/BMW's of the past 5/6 years.

For example on the C-Class if the sidelight bulb or indicator goes on the front, the foglamp will take over its duty and a warning light comes on on the dash.

Modern cars rarely suffer from poor earthing, however sometimes when damaged and poorly repaired the earthing can be compromised !

Trotter

MercMad wrote:

Actually mosty modern cars that utilise CANBus wiring systems are programmed in such a way that if a particular buylb blows, another will take over. The Peugeot 206 is one of these cars as well as most Mercedes/BMW's of the past 5/6 years.

For example on the C-Class if the sidelight bulb or indicator goes on the front, the foglamp will take over its duty and a warning light comes on on the dash.

Modern cars rarely suffer from poor earthing, however sometimes when damaged and poorly repaired the earthing can be compromised !

Trouble is its a 98 punto.. I may need a hatchet.

Pherekydes

Rovi wrote:

A typical flasher circuit will contain the two main front and rear bulbs (21w (watts) each), a side repeater (usually 5w), and the dashboard indicator light (2-3w), so the flasher relay will be rated to flash at a rate of approximately once per second with a total load of 50w (21w x 2, +5w,+3w).

So with the hazards on (all indicator bulbs) the lights should flash more slowly? This isn't the case. The hazards flash at the same speed as the direction indicators, even though there is twice the load. If you play the little animation on the link you provided, you'll see that "as soon as contact is made, all of the current bypasses the resistive wire which starts to cool", so it doesn't matter how many bulbs are in the circuit. I removed a bulb while the direction indicators were on, and they began flashing super fast. So I learnt something new today. But then again, I've never (16 years of driving and 8 models and 4 different makes) had fast-flash syndrome. But then again, I always have spares.;)

Rovi

Slow coach wrote:

So with the hazards on (all indicator bulbs) the lights should flash more slowly? This isn't the case. The hazards flash at the same speed as the direction indicators, even though there is twice the load. If you play the little animation on the link you provided, you'll see that "as soon as contact is made, all of the current bypasses the resistive wire which starts to cool", so it doesn't matter how many bulbs are in the circuit. I removed a bulb while the direction indicators were on, and they began flashing super fast. So I learnt something new today. But then again, I've never (16 years of driving and 8 models and 4 different makes) had fast-flash syndrome. But then again, I always have spares.;)

The hazard relay is a seperate item to the flasher relay, and while it works in a similar way, it is much less sensitive to the load to which it's subjected.

It'll operate at the same speed even if there's only one bulb conected, up to it's full rated load (much more than the usual 4 main bulbs, 2 side repeaters, and 2 dash lights), at which point it'll burn out.

This is a safety feature, so that you'll still have some sort of recognisable flashing signal even if half the lamps are smashed off one end/side of the car.

Pherekydes

Rovi wrote:

The hazard relay is a seperate item to the flasher relay, and while it works in a similar way, it is much less sensitive to the load to which it's subjected.

It'll operate at the same speed even if there's only one bulb conected, up to it's full rated load (much more than the usual 4 main bulbs, 2 side repeaters, and 2 dash lights), at which point it'll burn out.

This is a safety feature, so that you'll still have some sort of recognisable flashing signal even if half the lamps are smashed off one end/side of the car.

If the load is on the flasher, then the speed of the flashing would change depending on the wattage of the blown bulb, but it doesn't matter whether the bulb is a main one of a side repeater, the speed of flash is the same. Referring back to the link, when the flasher element is connected the bulbs are not, and vice versa. There is no load on the flasher.

In modern cars, with the solid-state flashers, when a blown bulb is detected the circuit receives a signal that tells it to flash twice as fast (or whatever). When the hazards are on this detection element of the circuit is disabled.

There wouldn't be any point in having two flashers to do what is essentially the same job.