My blinkers are on the blink (some troubleshooting)

Post by **Lonewolf** » 23 Apr 2005 01:15 pm

I noticed that ALL my blinkers had stopped working yesterday, which i thought may have been a fuse. Checked all the fuses and they are intact. Next i thought maybe the globes had all simultaneously blown, so i put my hazards on and walked round the car, they all worked with the hazards. I thought maybe the switch column on the steering wheel might be faulty and is readily accessible. One of the wires was pretty much disconnected, and one of the mounting bolts missing so i reconnected the loose wire, still no blinkers. Also checked all the wires going to that switch, no voltage in any of the wires, so i fugure it must be before that.

Ran out of time so went to work, and the blinkers were working intermittently, so i'm guessing theres a bad connection prior to the swtich. I dont think its the flasher unit as the hazards blink normally as does the blinkers when they momentarily work. What is there between the battery and the blinker switch that i should check, cause i'm guessing the problem will be along there somewhere.

Cheers

Post by **Nisse** » 24 Apr 2005 03:54 pm

Took a photo of the electric diagram of the blinking section.

Seems like when ignition is on, the relay is giving pulses contantly, and when you close the circuit with the switch the pulse reaches the lamps. And when the warning-lights switch is turned on the blink realy gets power directly from battery and gives pulses to lamps.
As you say if there isn't voltage before the turning switch on the steering wheel and there IS voltage to the relay, then maybe it's bad connection on the cables or in worst case, broken relay.

Post by **Lonewolf** » 25 Apr 2005 11:24 am

it wont matter too much when i found out where it is, i work in an electronics shop so can get pretty much any broken relay/fuse/connections that are needed, but i lack in a wiring diagram of the car so am not overly familiar with where the wires go when i cant see them and they go beyond the reaches of what i can feel. I am guessing its a dodgy connection somewhere though, like i said it does infrequently come good for a couple of seconds, then a bump in the road, coming to a stop or re-accelerating kills it.

Where is that relay located? i might see if that has shot connections, it could possibly be that or a connection on or in it, as i do remember a spout of activity similar to this just after it got its roadworthy certificate, which was during a rainy week, and it rained the night the problem re-emerged. Possibly a bit of trapped moisture short-circuiting or earthing out somewhere?

Post by **Chris_C** » 25 Apr 2005 06:02 pm

Wolf... not sure if it's any use, but Kar did this once, after I had been fiddling under the dash. Ended up being one of the wires from the stalk switch, might even have been the earth screw that is next to it....can't remember now though, but I fixed it roadside. As you found a loose wire there, worth double checking all them connections.

Nisse, I see what you mean that from the diagram it looks like its permanently pulsing, but as there is a relay built in it (I think) wouldn't we hear it clicking?

Post by **Lonewolf** » 01 May 2005 08:26 am

I'm gonna have another crack at it on tuesday, i think the problem will be in the depths of the dashboard if anywhere. I'll see how i go.

Post by **Lonewolf** » 28 Aug 2005 11:17 am

I finally got the blinkers working again, started at the blinker stalk, no power... nor was there power to the blinker unit, no power to the hazard switch... power to the fuse... but no power leaving... so the fuse is stuffed! but the fuse hasn't blown? well it had... but on the bottom side of the fuse itself... it was only when i took it out to replace it that i noticed the metal tag that makes contact with the bottom part of the fuseholder was broken
(looked like it had melted off... it was scorched black on the lower side, and the break was smooth like it had melted... but it looked like a completely normal fuse when it was in place). Suddenly the blinkers were semi working again, the rear globes werent though.

Inspecting the globes, they werent earthing properly to that earthing bar strap that all the rear globes use, but were making contact. pulled the globe+holder out... looked like corrosion(white powder) on the earth strap on the car and some on the earth tab on the globe holder, went to clean it off and whats this... its gooey... and blue... I am certain the original owner was doing wierd things with the car before me... blu-tak to fasten the globeholder to the earth strap, i also noticed recently the broken but rewelded boot latch, but that was done properly, shotgun and rifle shells in the car, fried Airflow meter, suspected but unproven front end damage... cleanly disconnecting the wires to the driver side power mirrors, and i wont mention their method of joining wires together through the whole center consol. Surely they couldnt have done any other cheap-outs on the car...

I must say its a shame some people are so honest that they must do shoddy jobs, and with some parts lie about it to prospective buyers...

[/rant]

Post by **classicswede** » 28 Aug 2005 01:09 pm

On the subject of wiring faults. The earth on the stalk can cause loads of problems. All that is often needed is to tighten it up.

Typical it would have to be a fuse. When I get a car I always fit a full set of new fuses. For a couple of pence each it is well worth it especialy on 240's as the fuses corrode badly.

Dai

Post by **Chris_C** » 28 Aug 2005 08:27 pm

If your having issues with rear cluster earths, I've put a couple of pictures up of how I did it, just soldered a fly lead from the holder to a ring terminal to a bolt. I'll have a quick hunt through

Edit: Second page of this thread
http://www.volvo300mania.com/forum-uk/v ... 419-15.htm

(And no Steve, I still havn't fixed my reversing light earths...)

Post by **Lonewolf** » 29 Aug 2005 12:35 am

Yeah that looks close enough to what i did on mine with one of the globes, the others weren't making enough contact, so a tiny bit of solder went onto the globeholder bit to make it stick out a bit more, and they work properly again

Your reverse lights not working?
I'm still fixing mine up, the switch on the gearstick seems to be a bit of a problem area, on my 1st 360 the lever part of the switch broke, a cause for a lot of problems as the material was delrum or some crap which is impossible to repair simply, but it wasnt so bad that some ingenuity couldnt get it working again.

On EVO the switch assy has simply slid across a little, the 2 bolts (secured with allen key) simply need loosening and then slide the unit back across and tighten up, but when doing this, check that you havent slid it so far across that you lose access to 1st and 2nd gears, thats way too far. then tighten the bolts back up (they need to be very tight though, i thought they were but after a few gearchanges its moved again), and providing no other problems (i had the usual earth problem in the rear cluster again here) it should be working again... one of my brake lights has the same earth problem too... going to enjoy being rid of that earth strap.

Post by **Chris_C** » 29 Aug 2005 12:43 am

I think mines just the earth faults, Steve said it was flashing, and it stopped when he hit it

Ah well... really hoping that I don't have to re align that switch

Post by **Lonewolf** » 29 Aug 2005 01:01 am

It's not hard to do, probably easier than fixing up dicky earths, just need to hope your allen key doesnt twist when ur trying to undo or redo the bolts

but in your case it sounds like the earths