Daihatsu Skywing - Indicators cross-flashing

Honest John Back Room » Technical matters
View Threaded
Fri 3 Mar 2023 04:47
Daihatsu Skywing - Indicators cross-flashing - edlithgow

Fault has changed several times (including temporary recovery) but has been stable (on two column switch units and two fuse panels) for a while, perhaps in the same way that a house is "stable" once it has finished burning down.

When indicating to turn left, Front, Side and Wing indicators on the LHS dont flash, but both Red and White tail lights on the LHS flash, as does the Red tail light on the RHS

A test light flashes in both wires to the Front indicator. This seems possibly consistent with a short to Earth

A "live" earth might perhaps also explain the cross-flashing to the RHS rear.

However, if I remove the (non-flashing) wing bulb, a test light now only flashes in ONE of the wires to the front indicator.

I'm unclear how removing a load could prevent/inhibit a short to Earth. Any suggestions? Crossed wires?

Assuming its something Earthy, I jumpered the Front light Earth terminal to bat -ve, and it started working, as did the wing bulb.

The cross-flashing also went away.

The leads to the sidelight are now dead (were OK before) so I'll have to piggy-back it off the front light.

Of course the wiring loom is probably knackered (though I don't understand exactly how) and it may well develop new symptoms,'but I'm overdue for inspection, so I'll try for another lashup and hope it holds together for the requisite few hours

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 3 Mar 2023 09:23
Daihatsu Skywing - Indicators cross-flashing - bathtub tom

In my experience when indicators have flashing in unexpected places (other bulbs), it's because of loss of earth connections, not short circuits. The current finds a path to earth through the filaments of the other bulbs.

Because of the intermittent fault, I'm wondering if the humidity of your environment could affect the conductivity of connections?

I'd put temporary earth connections into where the failures are occuring.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 3 Mar 2023 10:26
Daihatsu Skywing - Indicators cross-flashing - edlithgow

Thanks for your reply.

Its the dry season at the moment so probably less humid than usual, but humidity would likely be a factor in the long term breakdown of the wiring loom..

As above, jumpering to bat -ve seemed to restore function, which is consistent with a bad earth.

(I don't fully understand exactly how it gets an earth via the lights on the other side, but I suppose I might if I had a circuit diagram)

I lashed up direct earths for the front and side indicators to a new screw in a new hole in the front crossmember, and they are so far working and seem brighter than before. The wing light is harder to get to so Ive left it alone for now, but Its working OK so I suppose using the other earths

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Cold-snap snow-how: Advice on coping with the freezing weather, including videos, facts and winter driving advice.

Honest John's Guide To Winter Tyres