Broken indicators

MindMyThumb · Post by **MindMyThumb** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 4:00 pm

Ok all, here's my first question....I fear it will be one of many now that I've found you

I have a year 2000 Renault Laguna Estate, 1.6 petrol. A few weeks ago, I was driving in town, and indicated as I was about to pull away, and the indicator didn't work - neither did the indicator light on the dash. I tried the other one, and that didn't work either. There is no clicking or any noises when I operate the indicators. They didn't stop working gradually, as I had been using them just before I parked up. Oddly, the hazards DO still work.

I've checked the indicator fuse and it's fine, and the fuse connection looks clean.

I've had many suggestions including the stalk, relay, flasher unit, but I'm not willing to start pulling things apart unless I know exactly what the cause is. Hence it is going to the garage tomorrow - BUT does anyone on here have any ideas, or has it happened to you too?

Hitch · Post by **Hitch** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 6:11 pm

Probably the stalk...had it happen on an escort van i had ages ago.
Id expect the flasher unit is one, whether hazzards switched on, or as individual indicators....
Plenty of em in most yards to get a new one off of....or probably ebay.

You could test the old one if you have a multimeter and a bit of basic electrical knowledge.

MindMyThumb · Post by **MindMyThumb** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 6:49 pm

Hi Hitch, how basic is BASIC? I have the meter and can follow instructions (as long as they're in plain English lol).

Mind you, not a good start, can't even find the flasher unit

Hitch · Post by **Hitch** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 6:55 pm

If you sussed out which wire did what, you could check the operation of the switch by removing, unplugging and using the tester.....probably a small torx screwdriver required t15/t20 or similar at a guess.

Better still, have a read here....

http://www.renaultforums.co.uk/showthre ... 198&page=2

MindMyThumb · Post by **MindMyThumb** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 12:33 pm

Haha, you'll never guess what the problem was........

.........the brake light fuse! (Although it might have been the reversing light fuse, the guy at the garage didn't have the job sheet to hand).

So although I'd checked the indicator fuse, I didn't even dream it would be anything to do with the rest of the lights

Anyway, it's good to have indicators again!

Thanks for your suggestions guys.

Raf · Post by **Raf** » Wed Dec 09, 2009 3:41 pm

we spent ages on an MR2 that wouldn't charge the battery. alternator earth strap regulators everything was okay.

the problem was a reverse switch on the gearbox; for some funky reason every time you put the car in reverse it blows a fuse and stops charging the battery!!!

thats why i hate car elecs....

Hitch · Post by **Hitch** » Wed Dec 09, 2009 6:17 pm

Thats a result then

Laird · Post by **Laird** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 6:09 pm

Call me a franco-phobe, but I had a Renault once and it was nothing but trouble. I swore i would never again buy a French car. The engineering is Gallic, meaning peculiar, and I swear that the access under the bonnet is specifically designed to take the skin off knuckles.
Never, ever again...

MindMyThumb · Post by **MindMyThumb** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 10:37 pm

Sometimes can't be that choosey Laird

But I know what you mean, got a few issues with central locking, leccy windows, zorst, ABS, boot lock, headlights.....but it's a car!

Laird · Post by **Laird** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 10:30 am

Thumb - I can see what you mean, but I wouldn't have chosen a French car. Look at the Citreon. I have never owned one, but I just look at the 'rising' suspension and I start to feel queasy.
I bought an Audi last year, based on my respect for German engineering and standards. Even if I identify with the Fawlty Towers group - "Don't mention the war" - their engineering is tops.

MindMyThumb · Post by **MindMyThumb** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 11:57 am

Aye, we used to have one of those Citreons....never again!

MindMyThumb · Post by **MindMyThumb** » Thu Dec 17, 2009 4:36 pm

Well that didn't last long

Got the indicators fixed (as above) but haven't driven the car since then (apart from a couple of miles home from the garage, and they worked then), as my work means I'm out and about on the roads after dark a lot, and the headlights on the Laguna are absolute rubbish (plastic, what can I say

) so I've been driving the van instead.

Then today, the van clutch started playing up in the middle of collecting some hay, so we switched to the car, and lo and behold, no indicators or brake lights.

Stopped at the garage on the way back from getting some hay, mechanic had a poke around in the wiring, cleaned a few connections, applied a goodly amount of contact spray stuff, and everything worked fine.

So I'm thinking maybe it's a bad connection, or a poor earth that keeps blowing the brake light fuse (resulting in no brake lights or indicators).

What does the panel think?

Hitch · Post by **Hitch** » Thu Dec 17, 2009 8:06 pm

Hmm, if wiggling wires solved it, check for corroded connections, or loose pins in multipugs... be systematic, right from inside the lights to the fuse box and switches