Dodgy Earth on Indicator ?

[swindon_gt6]

hi all,
Spent yesterday out fiddlig with the car and changed the tewo rear lights/brake light bulbs to led ones in an effort to make me more visible (brighter). For whatever reason they didn't really help matters and when the lights were on, the brake light wasn't really to visible.
so I've switched back to the old bulbs. that all works fine, but now i've found that my indicators have started playing up. If I indicated left (from the drivers position), no problems - everything flashes as it should. If I indicate right then they come up, but no flash.

so has my bulb changing caused this or is it something else ?
am I right to think it's an earth issue ?

[Richard B]

2589 wrote:

If I indicate right then they come up, but no flash.

Have you checked your front bulb?  :-/

[swindon_gt6]

yep they both light up (front and back), and then stay on.

[shadowbane]

Mine have done that a few times while redoing the electrics of the car....was always a dodgy earth. I'd start there

[Hugh]

shadowbane wrote:

Mine have done that a few times while redoing the electrics of the car....was always a dodgy. I'd start there

I had the same problem so I ran new earth wires to every light unit. I also  unplugged the relay cleaned the contacts and reconnected it again. Seemed to solve the problem I now have really bright lights all round.

[swindon_gt6]

just out of interest .. how easy is it to find the earth wires.
and in fact the realy ... I'm still waiting for my haynes via ebay ,...

[Dicky Blighter]

2589 wrote:

just out of interest .. how easy is it to find the earth wires.
and in fact the realy ... I'm still waiting for my haynes via ebay ,...

They are the black ones, however the bulb holders don't have an eearth wire but rely on contact with the llight fitting which is earthed. Thats why a few of us on here have soldered an extra wire to the body of the bulb holder which is directly connected to metal body of the car. I've actually run an earth wire from the battery negative where its bolted to the tub to the back of the car and rear lights are all earthed to this.

[shadowbane]

I bought on of those tester screw drivers but the ones with an attached crocodile clip....attached to the bumper as an earth to find best place for earth on each light. Best thing i bought in ages :) was on £2

[swindon_gt6]

So would the work i did on the rear stop / brake lights have affected this, or is it just coincidence ?

[shadowbane]

could have done....i'd just get some wire and earth the indicator...quickest way if it's stuck on...will probably solve it, then you'll have to fix it for real :)

[jonnyk5614]

I always had a dodgey left indicator at the back. Couldn't be bothered wiring in an earth properly so twisted a bit of wire onto the earth contact, pushed the holder back in (clamping the wire between the bulb-holder and ligh-fitting) and then attached the other end of the wire to the brake-light holder earth contact in the same manner - works a treat!

Will get round to doing it properly one of these days but if it is just one dodgey connection...

[don cook1]

My mate Colin (Scrapman) gave me some late bulb holders from a 2000 and these have their own separate earths. Now, no problems. When it comes to indicators "It's the earth. it's always the earth"; haven't typed that for some time!