Ah... at least the old gal's consistent...

One week after fixing my fuel leak issue, my turn signals have crapped out. Is that generally, in peoples' experience, a bad switch or simply a short between the tree and the lamp(s)"? Or is it possible that the circuit is built such that if a bulb burns out that the entire circuit goes dark?

Thanks in advance!

-Matt

 

If neither side lights up, I'd look for a fuse and/or a bad flasher. However, usually when the flasher fails they still light up, they just don't flash. I'd look for a fuse first.....

One burnt out bulb will not disable the whole system, it should blink more quickly on the side with the dead bulb, or light up and not blink at all.

 

Well, there are only 4 fuses on the whole car - this is a CLASSIC, hence the classic forum posting.

The flashers are not, to my knowledge on an individual fuse (IIRC - I don't have the Hayne's Book o' Lies here at work). I don't believe classics do the "fast flash" thing if a bulb goes out - I think you're thinking of your new MINI (but again I maybe wrong - don't think so though).

FYI - My headlights and dash lights still work.

NOTE: For people checking "All New Posts/Threads" instead of browsing by forum: Please do check which forum the post is in - I see well-meaning responses all the time from people thinking the issue is with a MINI and not a classic Mini, which only muddies the water. Thanks!!

 

im not sure about the fast flash thing but if the flasher goes bad the lights will just turn on and not flash.

maybe theres a loose wire leading from the switch?

 

The switch stalk on mine wore out. It was so loose that that part that moves to signal right or left no longer touched the stationary part of the switch. It actually arced on me and caught fire. You can use a multimeter and wiring diagram to see which wires on the switch make it go and then jump them with a piece of wire to see if the switch is dead.

On a side note I was not sure if I should use the hand turn signals out the window backwards or what since you can't put you left hand straight out the right window on a right hand drive.

 

LOL... good point on hand signals. That's a toughie.

Looks like I'm disassembling the tree this weekend. Good thing wiring doesn't scare me. Oh, well - I wanted to check the wing-mounted side marker anyway for months - the right one has never worked.

 

The fast flash thing depends on the flasher bulb that you have installed. The fixed load ones (fixed number of bulbs) have the fast flash. Variable load ones which can accept any number of bulbs don't have this function. The are interchangable so you could have either one.

Also, they can break so that they get stuck off or stuck on so it may be worth the $1.50 for a new flasher which you can get anywhere before you go crazy troubleshooting wiring.

 

When you say a "new flasher" are you talking about the bulb(s)? I plan to start by inspecting all the bulbs for broken filaments, then moving to the switch itself and finally hooking a multimeter up to it if a visual inspection turns up nothing. I just figured I'd ask here first since generally most of my issues have had solutions prefaced with "this happens to Minis all the time - here's generally the culprit".

 

I'm quite aware that we're talking about a classic - I owned a 62 Cooper S as I've posted before. We're talking about the flasher unit itself, not the bulbs.
It looks like this......and as stratman says, about $2 everywhere........

 

his is a later year....the flasher probably looks like a black plastic cube.

Do your 4 ways work?

See PM pls....

 

If you don't have one of the little metal flasher unit (or as I call it a bulb) and have the square box flasher that probably isn't your problem cause the box ones are electronic and rarely go bad. The flasher unit was right in the engine bay on the firewall on mine.

 

Sorry - just checking... the "fast flash" thing threw me...

Weirdly, my 4-ways DO work. SO I guess that rules out the physical wiring btween the fuses and the lamps - has to be the blinker unit or the switch. I'm leaning towards the blinkers - I didn't know they could go out actually...

 

Feh. Now the turn signals work. (Shrug)

When I switched on the 4-ways, the first blink was a bit longer than normal, then afterwards everything worked. Maybe the blinker device got stuck? I assume it's just a reed switch or something inside the unit?

 

That's probably right, the flasher contact was just stuck open. Some of this era cars have a separate flasher for the signals and 4 ways, some use the same one.....glad she's going again, sounds like you don't use her enough to keep her limber......

 

She's my daily driver! Other than when she was down for a few weeks needing tires and another two weeks while my fuel pump was leaking, Fiona's been my main transport since April. I saved a LOT of money on gas this summer, lemme tell ya.

 

My flasher will get 'lazy' if the car sits for a while...I think it has to do with a combination of the alternator output and the state of the battery charge.

When it happens it is usually at the beginning of a drive and I can kick start the flasher by simply goosing the throttle to make the rpm bump up thereby sending a little jolt to the flasher and off it goes. One of these days I'll replace the flasher - as stated only a couple of bucks - cuz I already have a new alternator and an OPTIMA battery....

 

They do sell the electronic replacements for the old mechanical type of flasher. They are like $6 bucks instead of $2. I think they call them "long life flashers" instead of saying electronic.

 

I'm sold...

 

MiniMania prices ignored...here are part descriptions anyway
http://www.minimania.com/web/SUBTYPE..._Inventory.cfm

Just for confusion my 79 - heavily rewired - has plastic cube flasher relays....two of them.....one for TS and one for 4 ways....so go figure. Just ANOTHER thing not 'stock' for me I suppose.

But bottom line is the metal can be replaced by plastic. What counts is the FUNCTION not the shape so long as we're not plugging into a socket as is the case for newer cars. It helps to understand a wiring diagram b4 you tackle this tho......

Which yesssssss I do believe you said was a strong point for you. So determine how you r wired, buy replacement flasher relay(s) and clean the beeGeeBers out of all contact points

 

Excellent!

I'm glad she gets driven often. I have an XK-E that spends way too much time sitting in the garage..........

I'm looking at buying a nice little Traveler that belongs to a friend of mine - for the same reason - he just doesn't drive it enough. I'd have to sell my Jag tho, and I don't know if I can do that or not.........

 

Ooooohhhh... tough decision. But... as far as problems go, that's not a bad one to have I suppose.

 

Matt,I heard rumours that there WAS another person besides myself that actually used their turnsignals in Columbus.I just didn't realize I know that person.

 

Rex told me they were indicators... Most people fail to use them, good on ya guys for indicating.

 

Haaaa....that so sounds like him. How many times did you here him respond to the "What year is it" question by giving the current year.

 

My '73 had the same problem. Replaced both flashers and the 4 ways worked, but the turn signals did not. Traced the problem to a break in a green with a light green stripe (if I remember correctly) wire. Ran from the stalk to the flasher. The winki-winkis work fine now!