Nb8B indicator issues

angusis2fast4u · Postby **angusis2fast4u** » Sat Nov 08, 2014 2:28 pm

So today my NB8B' Indicators decided to start playing up.. So the indicators don't work at all (don't flash or light up when engaged)

When tail lights are on (when braking and while driving lights are on) the left indicator stays on constant (no flashing, constant light)

Right indicator will not turn on by any means

Hazards don't work at all (nothing happens when engaged)

Locking the car or unlocking produces no actions from the indicators either

I have just found the hazard fuse has blown.. Will look on finding a replacement fuse today
(That explains why the hazards don't work but would that also cause the other issues?)

Background info: car was left out in the rain 2 nights ago but where I live we only got medium heavy rain.. Indicators worked fine that night and the next day)

Found a little leak that night coming from the top right latch on the softop ( although very small, 1 little drop every ~ 5 mins)

Car for the last two days has had the diff back muffler taken off as it was given to a shop to fix a leak in the piping)

Issue started while doing a mountain run this morning ( but there wasn't too much heat in the boo where the loom is, rear bumper was hot, but not extremely hot)

Thanks guys hopefully I've given you enough info to help out as much as possible

angusis2fast4u · Postby **angusis2fast4u** » Sat Nov 08, 2014 2:31 pm

I also have an aftermarket alarm/immobilizer which has its own fob to unlock/lock the car when using that fob and not the factory Mazda one the right indicators flash as usual but not the left

angusis2fast4u · Postby **angusis2fast4u** » Sat Nov 08, 2014 4:55 pm

The hazard fuse keeps blowing when the hazards are used

Please guys any knowledge would help! I put the headlight relay onto the TNS connector and still had the same issue

Magpie · Postby **Magpie** » Sat Nov 08, 2014 5:59 pm

angusis2fast4u wrote:The hazard fuse keeps blowing when the hazards are used

This would indicate a short. Check the wiring.

angusis2fast4u · Postby **angusis2fast4u** » Sat Nov 08, 2014 6:46 pm

Magpie wrote:
angusis2fast4u wrote:The hazard fuse keeps blowing when the hazards are used

This would indicate a short. Check the wiring.

Could a short happen due to a faulty relay ( I am in suspicion of the flasher module being dead)?

Or

The left hand indicator had melted to the brake lights since the muffler is off?

Magpie · Postby **Magpie** » Sat Nov 08, 2014 7:33 pm

The melted plastic is a sign of a short. I would check in that area.

angusis2fast4u · Postby **angusis2fast4u** » Sat Nov 08, 2014 7:59 pm

Magpie wrote:The melted plastic is a sign of a short. I would check in that area.

Sorry I meant " or it could be melted due to the exhaust being off, but all the wires are in the boot so I doubt the heat would have any effect on it

Vat · Postby **Vat** » Sat Nov 08, 2014 8:12 pm

So if a good fuse is fitted, do the indicators work normally?

angusis2fast4u · Postby **angusis2fast4u** » Sat Nov 08, 2014 9:38 pm

Vat wrote:So if a good fuse is fitted, do the indicators work normally?

I fitted a new fuse and checked the indicators.. They seemed to work fine for the 2 seconds which I tested each side for and then attempted to use the hazards, then the hazard fuse blew.. If that helps

Vat · Postby **Vat** » Sat Nov 08, 2014 10:35 pm

So it blows immediately on pressing the Harzards? I don't have the electrical circuitry in front of me, but I'd be looking between the Hazard switch and where it hooks into the indicator circuits.

angusis2fast4u · Postby **angusis2fast4u** » Sun Nov 09, 2014 3:22 am

So I had to drive home from work tonight so I kept the headlights on. As usual the left indicator came on with the tail lights but then after 4 or so minutes the left turned off, they still seem to always come on with the brake lights

Tomorrow I will be checking the flasher module (hopefully stores have these on a Sunday) and I will look into the rear of the car to make sure no melting has occurred due to heat

Electrical issues are the absolute worst..

Vat · Postby **Vat** » Sun Nov 09, 2014 8:58 am

Okay, to summarise...
Initial conditions:
- indicators don't work at all
- left indicator will come on solid (not flashing) when brake and/or tail lights are on
- no right indicator
- no hazards
- lok/unlock does not work

We also know:
- the hazards fuse was blown. This explains no hazard lights, and no flash on lock/unlock
- if the hazards fuse is replaced, the indicators will work correctly, but if the hazard button is pressed, the fuse will immediately blow

Okay, so I think we can surmise that there is a short in the left indicator circuitry to the tail/brake light circuitry somewhere south of the flasher can (i.e. most likely in the tail light assembly). This would explain the indicator coming on solid when the tail/brake lights come on. It's likely the short is causing the excess current which is blowing the hazard fuse - I'm guessing two paths to the chassis is lowing resistance enough to ramp current up past the fuse's rating.

I'm a little unclear on the right indicator - is it working at the moment, or only when there is a good hazard fuse in?

angusis2fast4u · Postby **angusis2fast4u** » Sun Nov 09, 2014 12:34 pm

Right indicator would not work as a turn signal but would flash as the car locked/unlocked

angusis2fast4u · Postby **angusis2fast4u** » Sun Nov 09, 2014 12:38 pm

Issue found: due to the muffler being removed the heat melted the brake light and the left rear indicator lights together, I just fixed all the wires, replaced the hazard fuse and everything worked perfectly

So to summarize

Do not do a Nebo run at full bore without a muffler on the car.

Thank you genuinely for the help everyone, I am hopeless at electrical issues haha

Magpie · Postby **Magpie** » Sun Nov 09, 2014 12:45 pm

Good news then, in a way I'm happy that it was a short in the lights as that was my guess.

It is hard to diagnose electrical issues at the best of times even harder over the net