Great indicators relay fix

E21noob · Post by **E21noob** » Tue Sep 09, 2014 10:43 am

Every morning now, my indicators are going like crazy! Seriouly fast, almost continuous..

From what I know this is normally a sign of a blown bulb right? However, no bulbs are blown, all the fuses are ok, and funnily enough after driving about 15 mins the blinkers are back to normal frequency - and every afternoon when I drive home, after the car has been sitting still for 8 hours, it is as if it never happened!

Other ideas?

Microang · Post by **Microang** » Tue Sep 09, 2014 11:58 am

Sounds like it may be your indicator relay, my brother had a similar problem. Or it could be the pesky hazard light switch, although it sounds like it's ok.

E21noob · Post by **E21noob** » Tue Sep 09, 2014 12:56 pm

Hope it's not the indicator relay - new one is 178 euros!

Nothing seems wrong with hazard light switch - works like it should, with the same symptoms as the indicators.

Could it be related to water coming in? May be imagination, but seems worse when its wet/damp or raining...

Jeroen · Post by **Jeroen** » Tue Sep 09, 2014 1:01 pm

Are the fuses making solid and uncorroded connections? Especially of course nos 15 (indicators) and 16 (hazard sw)

E21noob · Post by **E21noob** » Tue Sep 09, 2014 1:19 pm

Jeroen wrote:Are the fuses making solid and uncorroded connections? Especially of course nos 15 (indicators) and 16 (hazard sw)

I'll give em another look, but did wiggle them all to no avail.

E21noob · Post by **E21noob** » Thu Sep 11, 2014 8:30 am

Had a good look at all the fuses which all look ok to me.

The funny thing is that it is bat shit crazy every morning, and totally normal every afternoon!

Jeroen · Post by **Jeroen** » Thu Sep 11, 2014 8:51 am

Weird. Really wondering if temperature or humidity could play a role. Is the car garaged at night? As that rules that theory out I guess. Perhaps try a different indicator relay. Not at the usual rediculous rate from the dealer, but a used example. Can't think of much else even though I haven't run into a broken indicator relay in all 25 years I'm working on E21's!

nas80 · Post by **nas80** » Thu Sep 11, 2014 11:25 am

do all the indcators flash when its going crazy?

E21noob · Post by **E21noob** » Thu Sep 11, 2014 11:40 am

Yepp, just double checked.

Both L, both R, all four with hazards - bat shit.

nas80 · Post by **nas80** » Thu Sep 11, 2014 3:24 pm

get a dremel with a wirebrush fitting and clean all your fuse box terminals and your fuses too,

e21-Mark · Post by **e21-Mark** » Thu Sep 11, 2014 7:26 pm

Clean the bulbs and bulb holders too. I seem to recall someone's E30 having the same issue down to corroded bulbs and weird connections.

Jeroen · Post by **Jeroen** » Thu Sep 11, 2014 7:34 pm

Well yeah that's how I started off with this topic, corroded electrical contacts in the E21 fusebox is a known issue, same for fuel pumps not working for example. But apparently this was checked/cleaned?

BertjeConti · Post by **BertjeConti** » Mon Sep 15, 2014 8:20 pm

For shure it is the indicator relay.
You could try with a universal indicator relay.
Only then the dash indicator won't work.

Had exacly the same problem a year ago. Swapped the relay for a cheap universal one and wired the dash indicator later in with 2 diodes.

I can provide a diagram if you're interested.

Jeroen · Post by **Jeroen** » Mon Sep 15, 2014 11:47 pm

E21noob · Post by **E21noob** » Tue Sep 16, 2014 9:28 am

BertjeConti wrote:For shurre it is the indicator relay.
You could try with a universal indicator relay.
Only then the dash indicator won't work.

Had exacly the same problem a year ago. Swapped the relay for a cheap universal one and wired the dash indicator later in with 2 diodes.

I can provide a diagram if you're interested.

Great! Thanks! Yes please - that would be very helpful.

Do by chance you know if I could wire in a relay from a newer model? It doesn't fit, but looks very similar..

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