Indicator trouble

[Gavin h]

Hi , hope someone can help with this, sorry if the question is worded badly but im a builder by trade not a motor mechanic. The rear drivers side indicator has stopped working on my Terrano. All the other indicators are working fine both front and back, just the rear drivers side not working. I,ve changed the bulb, no joy, checked the replacement bulb, definitely nothing wrong with the bulb. Checked that there is power coming to the bulb holder using a multimeter, there is. The voltage reading is varying which i would imagine is supposed to happen on an indicator ( see told you i,m not a mechanic). Checked the passenger side bulb holder which is working and the reading was the same, varying voltage. What do i check next? I,ve read stuff about relays but if the relay was faulty, would i still be getting a reading on the multimeter? Does each indicator have a seperate relay unit or are they controlled by a single unit? Could it be a fuse?
Any help much appreciated. Thanks.

 

[emjaybee]

Ok, this one's in my wheelhouse.

When you say you checked power to the lampholder, do you mean right INSIDE where the bulb fits, or do you mean at the plug/socket connector for the whole light cluster?

The lampholders at the rear have a habit of going faulty. What happens is that the wire moulded INSIDE the plastic of the holder fails. So power doesn't pass from the main connector into the lampholder. The solution is to replace the lampholder.

If you checked power INSIDE the lampholder then it would be either a poorly fitting lamp, or a corroded or damaged lampholder. Has the metal contact at the base of the lampholder got damaged or broken?

:thumbs

 

[Monaro Pete]

Also you say you've checked the replacement bulb. Did you place it in the nearside cluster or just look at it. Sometimes even new bulbs can be faulty, but look fine.

 

[macabethiel]

I would suspect the bulb holder earth connection.

 

[terranosaurusdoug]

Ok, this one's in my wheelhouse.

When you say you checked power to the lampholder, do you mean right INSIDE where the bulb fits, or do you mean at the plug/socket connector for the whole light cluster?

The lampholders at the rear have a habit of going faulty. What happens is that the wire moulded INSIDE the plastic of the holder fails. So power doesn't pass from the main connector into the lampholder. The solution is to replace the lampholder.

If you checked power INSIDE the lampholder then it would be either a poorly fitting lamp, or a corroded or damaged lampholder. Has the metal contact at the base of the lampholder got damaged or broken?

:thumbs

Nice one, I'll check my sidelight and reverse light holders, I spat my dummy out trying to sort them :lol

 

[emjaybee]

Nice one, I'll check my sidelight and reverse light holders, I spat my dummy out trying to sort them :lol

I had a rear marker lamp fail last year. When I looked at the lampholder someone had put two screws into the casing to catch the failed wires and connect to the holder itself, so, 'bin there dun that!

This is what it looked like...

http://www.nissan4x4ownersclub.com/forum/showpost.php?p=326766&postcount=1

For temporary fix I drilled through the lampholder passed wires through and soldered them to a bulb. Zippy sourced me some replacement lampholder, which thinking about it I really should fit!

As was often said in the railway works, "There's nothing more permanent than a temporary job".

:augie

 

[terranosaurusdoug]

Yup, that is one very rusty old screw

 

[emjaybee]

Yup, that is one very rusty old screw

But I reckon that "fix" had been working for a good few years.

:lol

 

[terranosaurusdoug]

But I reckon that "fix" had been working for a good few years.

:lol

Looks like it, I have some spare holders somewhere so I'll forego the screwing

 

[Gavin h]

Thanks lads, will check the bulb holder in the morning again. I did check that there was voltage going to the contacts inside the bulb holder and there was and also put the bulb in the lamp holder on the passengerside holder so it,s not the bulb. Will check the holder agian and let you know how i get on. Thanks again.