Xantia hazards switch - connected to indicator stalk or not?

[Xaccers]

I'm wondering if Cassy is suffering from gunked up indicator stalk contacts or if it is actually the flasher unit.
She seems to be indicating faster than usual some of the time, and not at all now and again.
This happens when the hazard light switch is pressed too, so does it go through the stalk?

[RichardW]

Flippin' heck!! I've just spent 20 minutes studying the wiring diagrams - they must have been dreamed up after a particularly long liquid lunch - why else would there be eight wires on the hazard switch, including THREE live feeds; and four sets of internal contacts????? French, you've got to love them

In short, the primary actor is the hazard switch - the column switch is wired in parallel. When either switch is activated it allows current to flow through the flasher relay via the various bulbs to earth. I guess if there is a fault on the column switch, then it could be providing a parallel earth path that is confusing the flasher relay. Given that the column switch is a well known bad actor, and is used several thousand times for each operation of the hazard switch, I know where I'd be looking.... You can disconnect the column switch and try the hazard switch to see if the problem goes away - it won't work the other way around though!

[Xantidote]

Richard, I must congratulate you on what you worked out from the wiring diagrams after 20 minutes. I had a look at the diagrams when my indicators started to play up - what I nightmare! I gave up trying to work it out.

Was (occassionally) getting rapid ticking noise when the the column indicator switch operated, though the indicator lamps themsleves still worked OK at normal flash rates. Initially I stripped the column switch and cleaned up the contacts which sorted it temporarily, but it played up again, so replaced the column switch, and problem dissappeared. Nothing is simple nowadays

Martin

[Xaccers]

Was it also playing up when you just had your hazards going?
See, if it was just the stalk switch causing it I'd think time for strip down of the switch, but with the stalk not touched and the hazards on it has the same problem of erratic flashing.

[DickieG]

Not wishing to state the obvious but are all of the indicator lights working when the problem occurs as it could be something simple such as a dirty bulb contact.

[Xaccers]

Not wishing to state the obvious but are all of the indicator lights working when the problem occurs as it could be something simple such as a dirty bulb contact.

Nothing wrong with stating the obvious
Yes, they're all working.

What seems to be happening at the moment is it will flash a bit faster than normal, then after 3 or 4 flashes start getting a bit faster.
As someone who actually likes letting others know which way I'm turning, I want to get this sorted as soon as possible.
I was going to swap over the flasher unit with Jenny's tonight and see if that makes a difference.
Otherwise it will be Saturday when I can take the stalk apart.

[citroenxm]

I think ALL manufactures wire the hazard switch through the indicators or vice versa..

I know Proxhall do.. because when the hazard switch goes west, the idicators stop working..

I think it has to be for the whole cuircuit - thats direction flashers and 4 way to work in the way they do.

[Xaccers]

It was the flasher unit, pulled it out, reseated it and all is well

[Xantidote]

Only just picked up the thread again - been away at daughter's-

It was the flasher unit

Not too sure where that's located (near the relays?) but hopefully was the simplest/easiest (and cheapest) solution

Martin

[DickieG]

It was the flasher unit

Not too sure where that's located (near the relays?) but hopefully was the simplest/easiest (and cheapest) solution

IIRC it's on the underside of the steering column.

[myglaren]

Can't remember where I read it but someone found that the hazard light switch had developed a defect that caused this sort of behaviour.