Flashing Brake Light

[David_from_Ashby]

Hi

My parents have a 1998 Elddis Hurricanme GTX which they bought recently. The van is pretty much immaculate throughout but on its first test run today, they noticed that when the left hand indicator is on and the brake light is on, the brake light flashes. With the brakes off, the indicator is fine and when the indicators are off, the brake light is fine.

To me this sounds like a suspect earth connection somewhere. They have checked the connections in the light cluster, and at the front of the van and they seem to be good.

The question is, does anyone know if there are likely to be any junction boxes somewhere in between the light cluster and the connections at the front of the van? It is very difficult to see, as the wires enter the plastic moulding at the back of the van through a small hole, and there is no access to the rear of this panel from inside the van to see what happens between here and the cable conduit running underneath the van. Will both rear lights have seperate cabling (including earths) from the main junction box at the front of the van or are there some "hidden" connections that need to be checked elsewhere?

Many thanks for any advice offered.

David

 

[COLIN_5095629]

david.

this used to happen to my old ford escort ,the back lights used to flash on .off like disco lights,water use to get into the light housing and on to the bayonet connections and short the lights,had to replace the connections, hope this is of some help

 

[antrimboy]

David. You state that they checked the lights in the light cluster and "at the front of the 'van", presumably this was the 12S plug, but did they check the 12S socket on the car?

It sounds as though their 'van doesn't have any junction-box fitted, as the cable runs underneath. Both rear lights and indicators have individual feeds, but the return will be just one wire common to all.

 

[David_from_Ashby]

david.

this used to happen to my old ford escort ,the back lights used to flash on .off like disco lights,water use to get into the light housing and on to the bayonet connections and short the lights,had to replace the connections, hope this is of some help

Thanks Colin. My Dad reckons the light cluster is completely dry on the inside though, so we still suspect a poor connection somewhere, it is just a case of knowing where to look.

Cheers

David

 

[David_from_Ashby]

David. You state that they checked the lights in the light cluster and "at the front of the 'van", presumably this was the 12S plug, but did they check the 12S socket on the car?

It sounds as though their 'van doesn't have any junction-box fitted, as the cable runs underneath. Both rear lights and indicators have individual feeds, but the return will be just one wire common to all.

Hi Eddie

The 12S socket works fine when hooked up to a seperate trailerboard as well as to another trailer.

Cheers

David

 

[RonD]

David,

Take the cover off the 12N (black) plug on the van and look at pin 3. This carries the earth for all the road lights and must be clean and bright. As well as the mating socket on the car.

Ron

 

[RonD]

David,

Take the cover off the 12N (black) plug on the van and look at pin 3. This carries the earth for all the road lights and must be clean and bright. As well as the mating socket on the car.

Ron

I've just read that all is OK on a separate trailer board so it can't be the plug or socket. Presumably all the road lighting earth returns connect together somewhere on the van to connect to pin 3...

Ron

 

[David_from_Ashby]

I've just read that all is OK on a separate trailer board so it can't be the plug or socket. Presumably all the road lighting earth returns connect together somewhere on the van to connect to pin 3...

Ron

That is what we are assuming, trouble is, there is no obvious (or accessible) place where this is happening. The right side indicator and brake lights work fine.

What we really want to stumble across is someone who has had the rear panel off of a similar van or worked on the production line and can remember where the witring goes.....but that is a bit of a long shot!

Cheers

David

 

[antrimboy]

David. You state that they checked the lights in the light cluster and "at the front of the 'van", presumably this was the 12S plug, but did they check the 12S socket on the car?

It sounds as though their 'van doesn't have any junction-box fitted, as the cable runs underneath. Both rear lights and indicators have individual feeds, but the return will be just one wire common to all.

Sorry David - I meant 12N, not 12S, but I gather you realised that.

 

[WatsonJohnG]

You need to check the earth connections in the rear lights as well

 

[David_from_Ashby]

Thanks for all the suggestions. After much scratching of heads and searching for dodgy connections, the solution seems to have been in the light cluster itself. Some fiddling about with some emery paper seems to have solved the problem and all works well now.

Cheers

David

 

[jennifer_374227268]

Hello, this is abit like a problem we have, Indicators work, brake lights work the problem is when the car side lights are turned on and you indicate in one direction both indicators flash on the caravan but not on the car. hubby spent saturday trying everything but on change, any ideas would be great.

 

[David_from_Ashby]

Hello, this is abit like a problem we have, Indicators work, brake lights work the problem is when the car side lights are turned on and you indicate in one direction both indicators flash on the caravan but not on the car. hubby spent saturday trying everything but on change, any ideas would be great.

Hi Jennifer

That definately sounds like a poor earth connection somewhere. The problem will be finding it. A good multimeter will help in tracking a broken earht, but will not tell you where to find the break....good luck.

Cheers

David