Renault Clio, no indicators help!

pulliptears

I figured I may have a problem when I just turned right, only to get blasted by the car behind....

Got the car home and I have no indicators flashing front or rear. I'm waiting for pet teenager to get his bum out of bed to check if I have brake lights, although I have a feeling its affecting all my electrics As OH won't be in until tonight does anyone have any suggestions as to what my problem may be? Obviously I can't use the car today now :mad:

For info, its a Renault Clio 1.4 1999

pulliptears

Right, I have raised the teenager, and the brake lights seem to be working (all except for one, which strangely was working on Tuesday because I checked them then). I'm pretty sure I have blown a single rear brake light then, but none of my indicators are working. As I'm also fairly certain I haven't blown all 6 indicators in one go I think I have an electrical problem.....

Edited to add, in my non mechanical brain I'm assuming its a fuse blown?

technium

Im no car expert but maybe youve blown a fuse which controls the indicators, have a look and see if thats the problem.

pulliptears

technium wrote: »

Im no car expert but maybe youve blown a fuse which controls the indicators, have a look and see if thats the problem.

Yep, thats what I was thinking. Just done a few more checks, Hazards are not working and the indicator lights on the dash are not flashing, but the indicators are still making an audible clicking sound....

goldspanners

why dont you check the fuses?
if you have a blown fuse replace it,if this blows then check every indicator bulb incase one of your bulbs is shorting out and blowing the fuse.

anewman

After fuse the next thing to check would possibly be the indicator relay, although it is still clicking I guess it could still possibly be faulty? Is it clicking faster than usual? (Cars are designed to flash the indicators faster in the event of a blown bulb - i.e. voltage draw drop on the system).

pulliptears

Its not looking good...

Checked fuses, all fine, bulbs all fine. replaced the relay, again fine.

The indicators are clicking at a normal rate rather than faster that tells you when a bulb is out.

Having done some research and asked a few auto electricians we are all coming to the conclusion its the "Multi Timer" that the electrics go into. This could also explain the intermittent problem I have been having with the electrics staying on after the ignition is turned off, i.e lights on the stereo, heaters still running etc

Multi timer = main dealer only and costing somewhere in the region of £300

anewman

pulliptears wrote: »

Multi timer = main dealer only and costing somewhere in the region of £300

Try Renault owners forums and the phone book and look around for a good independent who knows about it and can give you a cheaper quote. This "multi-timer" thing sounds very mystical and futuristic compared to my car's electrics

May also be worth looking in phone book under auto-electrician and mentioning the multi-timer and renault and if it sounds like they haven't a clue call the next one.

pulliptears

anewman wrote: »

Try Renault owners forums and the phone book and look around for a good independent who knows about it and can give you a cheaper quote. This "multi-timer" thing sounds very mystical and futuristic compared to my car's electrics

May also be worth looking in phone book under auto-electrician and mentioning the multi-timer and renault and if it sounds like they haven't a clue call the next one.

Even the Renault forums are saying its something a main dealer only can do due to the reprogramming involved :mad: I believe its also referred to as a UCH. Spoke to a few auto electricians, most of whom have come across this problem in clio's and they all said Main dealer, sorry!!

Wish I still had my Morris Minor, all this computers and ECU rubbish, at least I could fix the mog myself, usually within the hour

goldspanners

i would try these guys,http://www.gsfcarparts.com/
they may also know of someone who could replace and reprogramme it for you.
worth a try .

pulliptears

Small update, spoke to the garage where the car originally came from this morning (they used to be the main renault dealers but aren't anymore). Anyway, the service manager said he would be amazed if it was the multi timer at fault because in all his years there it's not a problem he has ever come across before. He seems to think it may be a dry connection somewhere, but asked me to get it up to him for a look.

If it is a dry connection he can do it today, if it is the multi timer then its a couple of days wait for the part, but labour is half the cast of the main renault dealer and he can do the reprogramming.

Car is with him now, so cross everything for me that its the cheaper option!!