faulty indicators / dipped beam

[Flimbo]

hiya guys

how good are you lot with electrics as mine are doing my head in!

its on my series three i've got the problem. the left indicators do flash at all (although the warning light for them flashes on the dash but at the fast rate)
the right indicators are fine.

dipped beam sometimes works if you hold/push the indicator stalk in the right position. however, let go and the lights go out.

the indicator stalk is 2 years old and was a brand new, original land rover replacement part. although its been fitted for two years, it has had VERY little use. its not a main car, and is mainly only used short distances every other week or so.

do you think it could be the stalk that has had it? or could there be an earthing problem somewhere along the circuit?

thanks, matt

[Bob Ajob]

Hi Flimbo,

I'd go for an earth fault, have had similar with left hand headlight in the past, worked dipped though dim, went out on full beam.
The dipped left headlight was basically earthing back through the indicator switch, or somehow through the full beam circuit, so when I touched the indicator stalk, the left hand went out, sometimes both lights went out, scary on unlit backroads  :shock:

Get yourself a 12v electrical probe tester, it looks like a sharp screwdriver that has a 12v bulb in the handle, and has a crocodile clip on the end of the cable. Cost around £3 from a car place, or car boot sale tool stall.

Or you could run a separate wire from the earth on the indicator to the -ve on the battery and see if the circuit works correctly.

It could be a fault on the front, or rear, or possibly both (black cables), it may also be worth checking the joint earth on the indicator warning lamps (black&red), though I suspect this will have a good earth as it's in the dash.

If you're unable to locate it as an indicator fault, don't rule out a faulty earth on your headlights.

Regards,
Rob.

[Flimbo]

thanks mate.

i'll give it a go with the wire to the battery method. fingers crossed i'll get to the bottom of it. MOT coming up in a few weeks