Clicking Relay

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Jon

Clicking Relay

Post by Jon »

My car, ZX TD Aura 1993.
Standard electrically apart from Nokia handsfree kit.
Theres a clicking noise from the fusebox area (where the relays are!) that sounds like a relay switching on and off rapidly. It can occur at random, sometimes I go over a bump and it starts clicking, sometimes if I turn the lights on, and sometimes after I use the indicators.Everything electrical still works fine.
I tried to find the cause with the car stationary,engine running and the fusebox cover off, then turning on and off various electrical items, without sucess. I'm worried that the relay may be flashing my lights or indicators without me knowing it, the clicking sounds quite angry?
I know its a long shot but has anyone alse ever come across this problem, if so whats the cause? I'm baffled.
Jon Wood
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GSF t/as Andyspares
alan s
RIP 2010
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Post by alan s »

My guess is that you have got a moisture problem or a dodgy connection that is activating the solenoid in a relay.
If it is something associated with the lights, it could be that the light "flasher" on the indicator stalk could have loose internals which as you suspect may be causing intermittent flashing of the lights. You'll probably have this confirmed the first time a traffic cop pulls you up & accuses you of warning oncoming cars about the radar trap up ahead.<img src=icon_smile_shock.gif border=0 align=middle>
The reason I may seem to be speaking with such authority is that I have a F@*d that does exactly the same thing only slightly different; it switches from low to high beam when it feels like it. I have however seen the problem with the light flasher on Toyotas in times gone by.
Alan S
Jon

Post by Jon »

Thanks Alan,
I'll check the light switch out.
I did take out all the relays, shake them, and put them back in, could not find anything wrong!
I'll report back again soon.
Jon Wood
IT Supervisor
GSF t/as Andyspares
NiSk
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Post by NiSk »

Next time you take the relays out, give the terminal a go over with a good electrical lubricant, push them into their sockets and pull them out again a few times. If this doesn't cure your buzzing, then its down to either an internal fault (they corrode inside the plastic cover as well, you know)or some external error causing the control voltage to fluctuate (as alans has already suggested).
//NiSk
Rich
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Post by Rich »

Hi all,
My dad has had exactly the same problem with his '94 Xantia SX/TD. I found out that it was the headlamp/indicator stalk switch getting a little worn/sloppy, as the problem seems to go away when i "tweak" the stalk. I just have not got around to replacing the stalk yet!! Hope this may give you some other avenues to explore......
Regards, Rich. P.S. KEEP IT CITROEN!!!!!
Jon

Post by Jon »

Fixed it.
After "exhaustive" testing (OK, removing the relays one by one and driving round the works car park!)I traced fault to the flasher unit relay. Fitting a new one has stopped the clicking. Its odd that the indicators/hazards were still working fine even though the old relay sounded like it was going to self distruct.
Another lesson learned.
Jon Wood
IT Supervisor
GSF t/as Andyspares
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