Why, oh why me??

[redmaestro]

I'm not having the best start to the new year!! Apart from a heater which doesnt work (despite all my efforts to fix it), a heater hose burst on new years eve (which I managed to fix :-)) but now this really takes the biscuit! My indicators are failing!! The left side doesnt work at all, the right side seems ok, and when I use the hazzard lights - a small wisp of smoke rises from the steering wheel column! I'm no mechanic but I know thats a very bad sign!!!!

I'm starting to give up on my Efi - it seems i'm gonna have to spend some serious cash to fix her, and I'm losing the will to do it!!

:banghead:

[H48HPE]

sounds to me like a problem in the indicator switch. if I was you I'd take the steering column cowing off and remove the switch and swap it for another, smoke coming out of there would indicate either a short circuit generating heat possibly caused by a faulty switch (but thats not likely because the fuse would have blown) or else it could be lose/broken contacts arking which also generates heat (my prefered option).

Have a go and see what you find, I doubt its much more serious than a broken switch

[ChrisM]

I would also suggest a broken indicator arm - I have had some interesting faults develop on mine recently, so replaced it with a unit from a scrapyard, all is well now...

[tony]

a small wisp of smoke rises from the steering wheel column! I'm no mechanic but I know thats a very bad sign!!!!

:banghead:


indeed, .it made me smile. but dont give up ,they are not bad car , you just seem to be having bad carma just now .

[G51 NAV]

Hope you get something sorted. Remember that we're all running cars that are now very well past their best-before dates. Mainstream manufacturers just did not build cars in the 1980s with a view to them still being used in 2006. If it's any consolation, owners of other cars have to tolerate these niggly problems too: the classic cars' magazines are full of them.

Keep the faith Mate :)

[MaestroTurbo]

Hope you get something sorted. Remember that we're all running cars that are now very well past their best-before dates. Mainstream manufacturers just did not build cars in the 1980s with a view to them still being used in 2006. If it's any consolation, owners of other cars have to tolerate these niggly problems too: the classic cars' magazines are full of them.



A very important fact that must not be overlooked, well said John. Small niggly problems are all part and parcel of running an older car. I even had to change my oil yesterday. God i hate old cars :toothy:

[Ricky]

Oil? God, you got off lightly, I almost had to wash the car yesterday! :horror:
However, the prospect was so daunting, I thought tackling something a bit easier was within my scope, so I filled up the windscreen washer bottle. :toothy:

[redmaestro]

I would also suggest a broken indicator arm - I have had some interesting faults develop on mine recently, so replaced it with a unit from a scrapyard, all is well now...

Thanks for the help, I took your advise and went to a scrappy and got a replacement indicator arm. I got home and fitted it......., and still no joy! I still cant indicate left!!!!!! I've just booked it into an Auto Electricians on Tuesday morning, so watch this space!

I still ask why, oh why me!!

[H48HPE]

If you've got a multimeter and some spare time you could probably still sort this out yourself...

do the left and right indicators have separate fuses? could have blown one because of the fault?

[redmaestro]

I wouldnt know what to do with one anyways!! But my dad has just had a look and he noticed that something on the steering wheel column was getting warm/hot - at the same time the small wisp of smoke started rising. He said it was a short curcuit - at least I can mention this to the electrician on Tuesday

PS Only one 10amp fuse for the indicators

[evie]

hi i love all the niggles i get with my wifes car. i look under the bonnet on my new car and i think god i hope this never breaks down (i think there are computers to make the other computers work!) anyway when we got my wifes car the heater never worked very well so i emptied all the coolant took some of the pipes off and flushed the radiater, engine block and heater matrix out. filled it with new coolant and its been fine since.

[H48HPE]

fair enough, sometimes if you dont understand something your best off leaving it for someone who does...

A similar problem occured on my car and had been developing before I got it, when I had the lights on there was a burning smell after a few minutes coming from the steering column, when I got round to taking the switch out I found that the multiplugs had been getting really hot and a couple of the pins had melted the surrounding plasic, this is typical of a lose terminal, the sparking causing heat. On the replacemnt switch I made sure of a good tight contact and the problem has not returned...

At work ve seen the rusults of lose terminals when a 50 kW air blower motor set on fire! destroying an expensive piece of kit...seeing the result of that tought me about lose terminals, and now its something i'm very wary of.