Occasional Visitor With Non Xm Problem....

[combwork]

Hi,

I used to be a regular visitor, but my V6 Exclusive is still keeping the sun from the weeds at a Garage. This situation is soon to be remidied, but meanwhile I bought a very cheap 1993 Citroen 1.9 ZX diesel for my daughter (her 1984 Golf is a Buddhist; probably coming back as a beer can). There are a few mechanical issues that I should be able to deal with, but one electrical puzzle that's floored me. The rear RH indicator doesn't work. The bulb is ok, all the conections I can see (bulb mounting plate plus multipin connector) are clean and the front and middle RH indicators work (very fast). What baffles me is that checking the pins on the connector with everything turned off, using a fairly old meter all but one pin shows continuety to earth. The car has an odd towbar; a pin going through a bracket for `eye' hitches with a ball on top of the pin for conventional towing. No socket for trailer lights; I was wondering if it maybe had a socket at one time which got dislodged and broke a wire. This is kind of clutching at straws, but I cannot figure out why the front and middle indicator would work without voltage getting to the rear indicator. I'll check again tomorrow to see if it in fact has voltage, but has an earth fault on this one bulb socket, but any hints anyone can give me would be very welcome. I was going to give her the car this Thursday. General mechanical rattles can wait, but it's kind of important that the indicators work properly.......................... Jim.

This post has been edited by combwork on November 28, 2006 10:08 pm

[noz]

Hi Jim,

Just a few questions first before diagnosis:

Do the rest of the lights in that cluster work OK ie brake light, side light, reversing light, fog light? All at the same time?

Was the indicator bulb tested with a continuity meter rather than just visual inspection of filament?

Any evidence of a fluctuating 12v ( to a good known earth) at one of the pins on the disconnected connector plug whilst the flashers are working?

Is the already identified earth on the connector definitely an earth and not just earthing backwards through one of the other lighting circuits?

Is there corrosion present on the bulb holder either at the centre pin or where the body of the bulb is gripped in the fitting?

Can you put your meter between the earth of the indicator bulb (the body of the bulb) and a known good earth (eg metal boot lid catch). You should see nothing if the bulb earth is good. If the bulb earth is bad then you will see something between 1 and 12v.

Have a go and let us know the results.

Cheers

noz