Peugeot 307 SW - Left rear indicator failure - electrical problem

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Thu 17 Oct 2013 02:56
Peugeot 307 SW - Left rear indicator failure - electrical problem - hal2100

Hi,

My left rear indicator has failed (fast clicks). I checked the bulb and that's good. I wiggled the connector between the light unit and the wiring harness and it seem to intermittantly fix the problem. AHA! a connector problem, says I. I tried to isolate the problem by:

1) switch lights unit from left to right side. All works well, so it's not the lights or any of the connectors in the light housing (unlike the many many posts all over the web on this issue);

2) Try cleaning the wiriing harness-side of the connetor and the female spade pins. Still no luck;

3) The wiggling stopped working. Problem is now permanent;

4) Got out multimeter and tried to debug. On the good side I found voltage (8.7V) on all the pins, except the earth, (vs earth) when the ignition is on. A collegue explained that this is an artifact of a very sensitive multimeter and a high impendane current leak somewhere. When I put a 10k resistor across the multimeter leads the voltage on all the pins dropped to <2V. I'll call that "off". When indicator is on one pin (extreme edge, furthesr from the earth) gives >10V, I'll call that "on". On the bad left side the indicator pin does not give voltage. AHA! it's not the connector, it's wiring harness or a switch.

Where do I look next?

Also, I'm now assuming the wiggle-the-connector was some form of red herring. But, why would the connector have been intermittant and is now open circuit? Did I break something?

Bob

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Thu 17 Oct 2013 05:10
Peugeot 307 SW - Left rear indicator failure - electrical problem - hal2100

OK, now I'm confused. After all the fiddling aorund above. When I went for a drive this afternoon all is good. Does that mean I'm back to connectors?

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Thu 17 Oct 2013 09:17
Peugeot 307 SW - Left rear indicator failure - electrical problem - elekie&a/c doctor

A very common problem on french cars.Take a close look at the connector pins and you will probably find one or more of the pins in the plug has overheated and/or distorted.It is usually the common earth to all the bulbs.Easiest solution is to locate the earth track on the bulbholder assy and run an additional wire from this to the earth wire on the multi plug of the wiring harness.Also make sure the pins on the lamp are in good condition.hth

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Fri 18 Oct 2013 02:22
Peugeot 307 SW - Left rear indicator failure - electrical problem - hal2100

Hi Doc,

You describe the condition exactly. Yes, the earth pin has clearly overheated and even slightly melted the plastic plug around it. I'll try the beefed-up earth solution. Thanks.

Bob

Edited by hal2100 on 18/10/2013 at 02:22

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Mon 7 Mar 2016 21:41
Peugeot 307 SW - Left rear indicator failure - electrical problem - bonmot

Many thanks for this string, which sorted my problem. Rear indicator not working, on Peugeot 307 SW 2005. After reading your exchange, I checked the connector and found that earth pin had burned away almost completely and that the earth cable was singed - the remaining four pins/cables were fine. So i cut the earth cable from the rotten pin and ran a new link directly to the earth plate on the bulb holder. Works a treat, and thanks again...those French!

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Tue 8 Mar 2016 11:10
Peugeot 307 SW - Left rear indicator failure - electrical problem - Steveieb

Once again Elekie Doc to the rescue!

My girlfriend went the Main Dealer route and ended up paying for a replacement wiring harness and complete light unit.

Can you let me know where you are based Elekie doc as your knowledge is invaluable and if local to me would like to use you in the future !

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Tue 8 Mar 2016 13:04
Peugeot 307 SW - Left rear indicator failure - electrical problem - Gibbo_Wirral

For future reference, a guide to fixing the earth:

www.407owners.com/docs/rearlightbulbsold.pdf

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Wed 27 Jan 2021 02:58
Peugeot 307 SW - Left rear indicator failure - electrical problem - TeamPlayersMaskUp

A very common problem on french cars.Take a close look at the connector pins and you will probably find one or more of the pins in the plug has overheated and/or distorted.It is usually the common earth to all the bulbs.Easiest solution is to locate the earth track on the bulbholder assy and run an additional wire from this to the earth wire on the multi plug of the wiring harness.Also make sure the pins on the lamp are in good condition.hth

Well done! Exactly right. Burned out neg pin. i joined the forum specifically to say thanks for the spot on tip that saved an hour or 2 swearing: stuffing around : feeling inadequate etc.etc. - you all know the frustration flow chart.

& thanks to the other bloke in the convo - did the sam i.e. sanded then soldered onto the negative rail on the lamp board then 'T'd off the ground wire prior to the connector with a bit longer wire to allow to stil remove the connectir.

Thanks again dudes..

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Wed 27 Jan 2021 11:27
Peugeot 307 SW - Left rear indicator failure - electrical problem - Steveieb
Forgot to mention that I managed to get Peugeot to pay for most of the repair at the main dealers who cut the wiring harness when it was in the workshop so my partner had to go ahead with a new back light and harness.
Didn't see this post until it was too late.
But another characteristic of these cars is the flooded fuse board as the ingress strangely comes from failed washer pumps feeding water up the supply cables somehow by osmosis from the wheel arch.
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