front left indicator problem

rxboy · Post by **rxboy** » Fri Apr 23, 2004 2:35 pm

Just today I noticed that the left blinking arrow on the dash has sped up considerably. I checked outside and noticed that the front left indicator is no longer working. But the rear and side left indicators are still working, although they're blinking at a correspondingly quick rate.

I don't think it's a bulb problem but an electric one. And maybe it has something to do with my front bumper getting reattached the day before.

Any ideas/suggestions???

Boris · Post by **Boris** » Fri Apr 23, 2004 3:00 pm

I had a problem similar to your one, but in a nissan pulsar.

What you will find is that, it is actually the bulb. The electronics speed the blinkers up if a bulb goes. So check the bulb, and replace it if need be.

I hope i'm correct.

rxboy · Post by **rxboy** » Fri Apr 23, 2004 3:09 pm

Thanks Boris, I'll try that. I also thought that maybe the electronics were overcompensating for the faulty bulb and speeding up the rest.

Anyone know how to get to the indicator bulb on a facelift bumper?

Post by **smorison** » Fri Apr 23, 2004 3:47 pm

rxboy wrote:Thanks Boris, I'll try that. I also thought that maybe the electronics were overcompensating for the faulty bulb and speeding up the rest.

Anyone know how to get to the indicator bulb on a facelift bumper?

jack the car up????

i dunno....

ruchi · Post by **ruchi** » Fri Apr 23, 2004 7:59 pm

With one of the bulbs blown the resistance is lower and this causes the flasher-can to go faster.

If you ever replace your indicators with LEDs, you also need to use quite large inline resistors for this very same reason.

rxboy · Post by **rxboy** » Fri Apr 23, 2004 10:45 pm

I've checked all my lights and the situation is quite different:

1) front left indicator not working
2) left spotlight/foglight not working
3) right parking light not working
4) left arrow blinks very quickly and both rear & side indicators correspond
5) all other lights (including the high-beams in the same cluster as the parkers) are working perfectly

This leads me to believe that it is definitely not a blown bulb problem as the chances of this happening to all 3 at the same time are miniscule.

It has been suggested that the problem is the electrical relay

Any thoughts?

ruchi · Post by **ruchi** » Sat Apr 24, 2004 1:01 am

I agree this is more than a blown globe, but more than likely the reason for the flasher-can going too fast is the lower resistance due to the front left indicator not drawing any power.

the spotlight would be on a seperate relay to the indicator, so it is more likely to be wiring. double check the connections and perhaps do a wiggle test.

Also, what happened just before this all occured? anything like a long bumpy road that could have wiggled some of these things loose?

rxboy · Post by **rxboy** » Sat Apr 24, 2004 8:32 pm

Mystery solved!!!!

At the panel beater where my plastic bumper was being fixed and resprayed, the amateur who was removing the bumper took it off without unplugging the wiring for the indicator/fog lamps. As a result, he has ripped these plugs and tried to cover his mistake by using sticky tape (which I found holding the wires). He didn't repeat the mistake on the RHS.

I'm going to confront him on monday and possibly threaten him with consumer affairs. Collins Mitsubishi has told me that I have to get the plugs, wiring and lights as a whole from Japan, and that I can't get the plugs separately. This will cost me $600

Can anyone give me the number for Mitsubishi in NZ or does anyone have one of these plugs for facelift indicator/fog lamp lying around?

Boris · Post by **Boris** » Sat Apr 24, 2004 8:40 pm

wow....

Makes me feel like watching all the work that gets done to my baby with a baseball bat in my hands...

Stupid Amateurs... that's why i try and take my car to places where there is as less apprentaces as possible! Feel heaps sorry for ya, hope they pay!

ruchi · Post by **ruchi** » Sat Apr 24, 2004 11:34 pm

if this was done under insurance then you should take it up with your insurance agency first.