Indicators

Post Thu Mar 05, 2020 7:52 pm

Hi again. Today I took my car for its MOT and all went well. However it was absolutely bucketing down on the way home and the indicators suddenly stopped working - no lights no clicking sound. The hazard warning lights still work fine. I can see Fuse no4 has tripped. I'm sure this is related to the heavy rain. Any ideas where to start? Thanks

Post Thu Mar 05, 2020 9:48 pm

I think I've figured this one out. The heavy rain was a read herring. The glovebox light seems to have come apart and shorted the fuse.

Thanks again to the wiki!

Post Thu Mar 05, 2020 9:49 pm

Most common cause of fuse 4 blowing on a post '88 RH drive E30 is the glovebox light falling apart or being left without a lamp fitted. Post '88 because before that the light was run from fuse 21, and RH drive because the LH drive E30 uses a different design of light.
Most common cause of indicators not working after a MOT test, but without any blown fuse, is that the MOT tester switched on the hazard lights for the first time in a year, which has left the indicators without power as a result of corrosion in the hazard switch.

Post Thu Mar 05, 2020 9:50 pm

You appear to have beaten me to it by one minute!

Post Thu Mar 05, 2020 9:58 pm

Thanks again Brian the glovebox switch has fallen apart. I've found a spring but I think there's another piece missing which I guess goes between the button and the spring to touch the contact?

Post Fri Mar 06, 2020 3:13 pm

All sorted now thanks again

Post Tue Jul 06, 2021 9:04 am

viz007 wrote: ↑
Thu Mar 05, 2020 9:58 pm
Thanks again Brian the glovebox switch has fallen apart. I've found a spring but I think there's another piece missing which I guess goes between the button and the spring to touch the contact?

Hi Viz, I'm having the same indicator stalk issue and suspect the glove box light is the culprit. Is there meant to be something between the button and the spring? Did the glove box light fix solve your indicator issue?
Thanks for Sydney, Australia.

Post Wed Jul 07, 2021 6:38 am

Hi. There is a tiny round washer. You can see it in the video below (not mine). I couldn't find it as it had fallen somewhere so I just disconnected the glovebox light temporarily and changed the fuse and all worked, so you could do that as a test. Luckily I managed to find the washer after a few days.