Countryboy1

Advice please.
Yesterday, one side of my car indicators starting blinking at twice the usual rate which I guessed was telling me of a bulb failure. Sure enough, when I checked the front indicators I found that one of the two bulbs in the cluster was not lighting. I've now discovered that it's not a bulb failure, but for some reason the positive to one side is not getting through to that particular bulb. After much messing, pushing and cleaning, I was getting nowhere, so what I've done is take a feed from the positive connection of one side of the cluster to the other. Now both bulbs work fine.
My triumph was muted somewhat however as the lights on one side still flash at almost double the correct rate, so my car clearly knows something's not right with the supply to one bulb despite them now both illuminating.
Now here's my question. On the ITV test, as all the bulbs illuminate correctly when operated, will this speed increase however be judged as a fault?

Fred James

It ultimately depends on the actual guy doing the test but I would expect it to fail as it is not working as it was intended.

Countryboy1

Thanks for that Fred. Perhaps too much of a gamble?
Think I'll investigate further as the easy 'solution' didn't turn to be one!

Fredbargate

What car is it?

Fred James

If you want to gamble at least you don't have to pay for the retest and I doubt that they would class it as a serious fault which means you can't drive it.

All you would lose is the inconvenience of a retest but if you don't fix it it gives the Guardia a good excuse to stop you.

snikpoh

... aren't you still charged for a retest but at a reduced rate?

Fred James

It's free within 2 months.

I had to replace a tyre and it was free.

That said it wouldn't surprise me if some stations get away with charging.

jamiest

The problem is almost certainly a bad connection, quite possibly in the fuse box or to an earth connection to the bodywork. Try running a feed from the negative side of your battery to the bulb directly (carefully) if it works correctly then it's a bad earth somewhere. You can do the same with a positive lead (even more carefully) Once you have seen it working properly the just move the feed back along the loom wire until you isolate the section causing the problem. A probe to carry the feed is only a few quids.

BAT7311

normally say a minor fault,you go away and fix it ,come back to the station and park near the exit of the test catch the eye of an inspector show him the paperwork he checks the tyre/indicator/washer that you failed on ..and then passes the paperwork thru..a lot of garages take the cars in knowing they will fail but only fix what it fails on not anything else ...