Classic Mini turn signals won't work
 

For a while, my turn signals have been working on and off. Now they are just gone. I can't seem to find any information on how to track down the problem.

Any ideas?

did ya check the blinker fluid? ....(sorry, had to..:lol: )

i'll try to find the article someone wrote up about it a while ago....there is a flasher fuse.....sometimes its in different locations (underdash or under bonnet against firewall)...but i would look for that to start with

My '73 had a similar problem. When I was gutting the wiring I found that the insulation on the wires had been chafed off so there was wire-on-wire contact. I seem to recall it was were the wiring harness entered the A-pillar on the LHS of the cabin.

You could also disconnect and remove the turn signal switch and make sure it's not shorted out internally. It's pretty easy to do with an ohm meter and a little time.

Good luck!
Jeff

Can someone post a picture of the engine bay with the appropriate parts highlighted in some way?

Thanks!

Those little flashers fail too, and they're cheap - I'd try one of those first.........

Perhaps you just need some of this:

http://home.swbell.net/daweasel/lucas_smoke.jpg

see
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...n-signals.html

Check the connections at the fuse box for corrosion and firm connections.

Check the grounds for corrosion

Make sure your bulb filaments are not burned out. Sometimes one bad filament wipes out use of the F & R on that side.

Check the relay - replace if necessary - 2 pole 12V 552 (?) I think

I've usually found lighting problems to be a poor connection in one or more of the many bullet connectors in the wiring harness, more-so than bad bulbs, relays, or other components. Basically you just need to start at the turn signal end of the wire and trace it back as far as you can, pulling apart and re-seating all of the bullet connectors you find. The female single and double barrel connectors are especially prone to deterioration. There are several right behind the upper rail on the front panel that are pretty exposed to weather and vibration that seem to cause lots of problems. You should be able to bend the tabs that hold the harness under that piece and pull the harness out enough to get at all of the connectors.

The lever switch on the steering column also gets worn out and doesn't make contact when you move the lever. You will know this by the lever being real loose and probably doesn't want to stay in place.

I'm pretty sure it's not the lever switch. It's tight and stays in place just fine.

Thanks for the input everyone.

might wanna try using a test light, and maybe follow the wires around and see if there is a short somewhere

New classic owner here...

I have the same issue. Thanks for the info in this thread...now I want to run home and check the mini at lunch to see if it's a fuse! :)

I had one bulb that was out, but when I took off the front globe and wiggled it, the light came on. I took out the bulb and swapped it with the other side -worked fine. I blew into the light socket and some dirt came out...wiped the contacts and both bulbs now work. After that, no turn signal on either side...maybe I should have turned the lights off before I played with the bulbs!

I'm such a newbie.

Also check if your hazards are working. The hazard switch is one of the finest devised portions of the Lucas electrical web that flows throughout the Classic Mini. It is somehow wired into everything from the turn signals to the left front suspension. I always advise keeping a spare as it does it seems to be a quick fix to a number odd electrical ailments.

For future lurkers...the above thread (and comments here) really helped.

Something "new" to add, the socket on mine is really touchy and the bulb lights up just fine, but the blinker filament does not. Touching it just a little bit made it start blinking. So I cleaned off the bulb and tried to clean the socket out a little and it seems to work fine now.

Also, a few people mentioned replacing the flasher unit -or at least checking the wires. There is a separate unit for the 4-ways and your Right/Left (there is on mine - '77). Hopefully these threads help whoever has this problem next :lol: