Indicator issues.... Please shed some light

[Russ Kellermann]

Hizit boys,

So after 5 years of Zero Issues with my Patrol my left indicator started flicking double time yesterday.... I thought it was just a globe but then all of a sudden its back to normal,...and this keeps happening.

Any ideas?

[ricster]

Russ, after a few years and especially being near the coast, it is probably the globe holder that has corroded slightly over the years. On my rear tail lights, the ones in the plastic at the bottom, the metal has corroded to the point of it being very difficult to get the globe out without a little vigorous wiggling and Q20.

I cleaned the holders wit a little fine sand paper to ensure a good contact between the globe and the holder and a thin film of Q20 to help prevent further corrosion. I think too much Q20 or similar will cause a short, so I used an earbud and just wiped a layer on.

I'm not sure how the rear tail lights look on the pick up, but assume that they are similar to the station wagons. The spray from under the vehicle when driving on a rainy road can seep into any nook and cranny.... So start at the first one and work your way around them all.

Let us know how it goes

[SCUBA Patrol]

Russ, I agree with Rick, check all the connections, remove each bulb check the holder and the bulb, spray with switch cleaner then replace and test. A good idea is to change all the bulbs as the solder have corroded to an point where the bulb is still fine but the connection points bad. After testing spray with Q20 as it is a water repellent. It should not cause a short but it will inhibit the corrosion effect.

[Russ Kellermann]

Thanks guys,... seems to be a connection thing rather than a globe thing cause i made sure connections were all tight and secure, seems to have disappeared, however, i am going to disconnect all of them, spray, replace globes, and refit with spray,and should be good for another 7 years or more.

[ricster]

Yip ....That's the Patrol way brother

[Tinus lotz]

Russ
I would start to strip open the covers then shake the globe holders globe etc....once you lose connection the resistance will change and the flicker will work double time .....some older models cant work on led globes ....just get the problem first and then fix and maintain it then .....had a problem similar on my hilux and it was the wire that had broken off internally just before it meets the globe holder ....it can be like mine because the wire wasn't supported when front steel bumper was fitted....just my

[SJC]

Let me piggy back on this thread with my issue:

After returning from river trip I noticed my indicator lights stopped working.

Before doing much troubleshooting I checked the fuse - yip the fuse for indicator circuit is burned.
Changed the fuse, problem solved... for now.

Drive to work, indicators work fine, but after a few turns they are dead again - fuse gone.

The problem seems to be on the right hand side, possible at the back. rear right globe lights up very dim, front seems fine. cabin light slightly dims in tune with the indicator lights (only when indicating to the right).

So obviously a short somewhere?

Now three things that happen in the river that could compromise the electrical system:
1. the tow bar electrical plug point got totally destroyed against a rock.
2. both my rear lights cover's got damaged due to driving over big boulders which knocked the rear bumper into the rear lights (on both sides on different occasions).
3. tip of my exhaust broke of (welded previously) - exhaust is now a bit shorter creating extreme heat on bumper underneath left hand side rear light. Hot enough to probably melt wires - but problem seem to be on the other side...

I disconnected the wiring from the towbar plug point and isolated each wire.
Swapped left and right globes - still problem at right.
Disconnected right light fitting, still noticed the cabin light dimming with the indicator light.

What else can I check?

[Peter Connan]

The trailer wiring normally comes from the right (mostly).
Parhaps the cable between the right-band lights and the trailer plug got smashed too?

[ra_01]

As Peter said the trailer wiring always causes problems.
Once rear right stopped working after 500km of gravel and I started noticing the right ind blinked fast.

Car was for service at Nissan they found out it was trailer wiring that was causing the problem...

[SJC]

my trailer cables is feeding from the left.
since a piece of my exhaust broke off, I was wondring if the excessive heat maybe burned some of the cables.
So I removed the left rear light. Could not see any burned cables although the light fitting is slightly melted at the bottom.
I also loosened the tow bar cable to better inspect it. (cut all the cable ties and fed the cable into the space behind the light fitting - was considering to totally remove the cable as I never use my tow bar).

Tested the hazard and indicator lights - and now it is working..
So I am not sure if the problem was with the tow bar cable or the light fitting's connection - but it is working for now....