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Hi guys this is probably a bit basic for what I've seen around here but I was hoping someone could help... I have an old Hyundai Excel '95 and the front and side left indicators are out and rapid signalling on the dash board and the back left light is rapid signalling. The first thing I tried was swapping left to right the connectors and bulbs but still the same fault. I also checked the indicator switch and got .3 ohms resistance when closed. I've cleaned the left indicator earth and checked for resistance against the battery earth and got .2 ohms. It's very intermittent, like it will be fine for days then fail for a couple... I looked for a 'flasher' that I thought maybe the problem but couldnt find any thing like that in the fuse boxes under the hood or under the dash inside the car. I have a ECU under the hood but that is just for spark plugs is it not ?
Sorry this is probably a bit basic for you guys but any help would be much appreciated...
Matt...
 
classic case of a poor connection on the front . could even be a broken wire that's making intermittent contact. check resistance from lamp -ve to battery -ve. borrow an analogue meter, set to the nearest above 12V range D.C. measure across the + of the lamp and the battery - terminal. meter needle should flick up and down.
 
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Thanks very much Mr Telectrix, I checked for resistance between -ve on the battery and (I assume -ve green and black) on the side lamp it was about 300 ohms the front was 1.9 ohms, the right side and front were both 1.9 ohms...
I suppose I have a problem with the left side wiring or connections ? Could it just be the connector ? It seems sort of hard wired into the connector, do you know how to change those connectors if it's that ?
Thanks for the advice, very much appreciated...
Matt...
 
i'd be looking for corrosion at or close to the metal connection on the lamp holder. try a temp. lead from batterey neg. to metal lamp socket.
 
You may find one of those bullet connectors somewhere close to the indicator as well, they usually give the same symptoms with corrosion etc , if there is one just remove it and replace with a new connector thats watertight..
 
Thanks RG and Telectrix, just one more question if you dont mind.... I had another look with my multi meter ( I dont have an analog sorry Telectrix, so cant check for voltage on the connector when it's flashing) and the resistance is really intermittent eg some times both front and side on the green and yellow wire (thats -ve right?) are showing infinite resistance some times just one of the front or side left... Does this spread any light on where I should start running a temp wire from the battery -ve???
Thanks for the advice ... much appreciated.
Matt.
 
if your resistance from lamp holder to batt - is > a couple of ohms, then that's when you stick a jumper in. if it cures the problem, then that's where the fault is.
 
Hi guys thanks for the above advice, I'm trying to run a temp wire but am unsure which wire is negative, I have green and black wire going to both connectors (front and side) that are giving me problems...
I thought if I did a resistance between -ve on the battery and each wire on the connector that's working well one reading would give me about .5 ohms and that would be the earth ??? But I got the same reading from both ( about 2-3 ohms )
Sorry if it's a silly question but just thought there may be an easy way if you had a multi meter on how to find the earth on a connector... Thanks guys ... Matt.
 
You have a few options as I see it, 1/ search online (or a Haynes workshop manual) for an electrical drawing and follow the cct. 2/ Test the other side using a volt meter/test lamp. 3/Take it to an auto electrician for repair.

If anyone does have an idea what the fault is then please let us know as my indicators too have gone on the blink, they keep coming on and going off every time they're used! Could be an intermittent fault methinks! :)
 
thanks stantheman, do you think in your case it could be the flasher unit? If all your indicators were going out together, do you think maybe it could be the flasher unit ...? With mine it's only the front and left side ... so I thought it couldn't be the flasher ... well that was my thoughts ... does any one know any thing about flasher units??
 
first, measure ohms from the lamp case to battery -ve. this should be close to 0V. then measure from the lamp +ve to the same colour wires on the flasher unit. 1 should be close to 0V. ( the other one will be the other side).
 
There should be zero resistance between the negative terminal on the bulb holder and the chassis of the vehicle, and infinite resistance between the positive terminal and the chassis (with the bulb removed).
Mechanical Flasher Relays work by the current heating up a bi-metal strip which when the correct temperature is reached will lift off of a contact opening the circuit.
Once cooled, the strip will re-connect closing the circuit untill it again reaches temperature and lifts off.
If there is an increase in the resistance of the circuit, less current will flow along the strip, which will entail a longer time is taken for the bi-metal strip to heat up.
Lower resistance will entail a shorter time.
You should also be aware that the bulbs are wired in a spider configuration, not a daisy chain. All bulbs are required to be present and operating for the correct speed to be achieved.
If an incorrect wattage bulb is installed, the speed will be affected.
Higher = slower, lower = faster.
 
Thanks very much Spinlondon, just one question, which part of the bulb holder is +ve and -ve ??

Also considering only the left side indicators is out with the left rear rapid signalling and the front left and side not going at all, would this indicate the flasher relay is OK??

Also the first thing I did was change left bulbs and connectors to the right and vise versa and still had the same problem, I suppose this tells me I dont have a problem with wattage on the bulbs?

Any help much appreciated...

Matt.
 
-ve is usually the body of the bulb holder, with +ve being the center terminal.
Sounds like the flasher rely is working fine, simply because the right side works.
The fact that the rear left is flashing quickly, and the front and side repeater not at all, indicates (pun intended) that you have a broken wire.
The break will most likely be somewhere between the relay and the side repeater.
 
Thanks Spinlondon ... can you tell me where the relay and the side repeater is. I know what a relay is I think ... just a switch right, not sure what a side repeater is though?
Any help much appreciated...
Matt
 
sorry, don't know where the relay would be, most likely places are under the bonnet in a fuse box , or under either the driver's side or passenger side dash.
The side repeater is what you called the side indicator.
 

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