Tonight when driving home I got a faster than normal noise when indicating, which I thought would be a blown bulb. When I locked the car the indicator lights flashed though. A bit more investigation showed the indicators work with the headlights off, but not when they are on.

I recently had a towbar with electrics fitted, could this have caused it if it was done wrong? It supposedly had a vehicle specific kit fitted, which I’m told just plugs in.

If anyone has got any ideas for something to check before phoning garages in the morning that would be great! It’s a Hyundai i30.

John

The fitters could have created a bad earth when they fitted the towbar, if it is plug and play then find the plug (often behind the trim near one of the rear light clusters) unplug it and see if that cures it. If so back to the fitters to clear up their own mess.

Yes, also check for water near the wiring or in the new electronic bits.

Sometimes (im looking at you citroen) even plug and play towbars need the ecu told it has a towbar kit fitted. Edit misread that – thought the towbar had just been fitted.

The fitters could have created a bad earth when they fitted the towbar

My first thought also. Though in the days of cars with intelligent “bus” electronics, who only knows.

It is raining tonight so I wondered if water was an issue too, I can’t remember the last time I drove in the dark though so I don’t know if this just started today or not.

Just had a look and the wire from the towbar socket disappears up behind the bumper and then I can’t see where it goes, must be plugged in somewhere behind the lights, don’t want to start dismantling in the dark. I’ll have to see who I can get hold of tomorrow. I was very specific with the towbar people when getting it that I wanted the correct kit for the car to maintain the warranty.

Thanks for the tips

Water in the trailer electronics box in my car caused all sorts of issues with the lights.

Does that sort of thing go away when it dries out?

Maybe. But in my case the little electronics box had been installed facing upwards, and had filled with water. The circuit board was dangling in water long enough to end up like this before it started messing with the lights. Possibly for about 12 months.

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Trailer control module by molgrips, on Flickr[/img]

Could well be a dodgy earth. When h/lights are off, the indicators can earth through those (being a much lower wattage) but when h/lights are on, that earth paths becomes a much higher impedance (because the bulb filament increases it’s series resistance by a huge margin when red hot)

Get the fitters to take it back and do it properly! 😉

I had the same symptoms on a van, it was a bad earth connection.

I’ve taken it back to the tow bar place this morning and it’s fixed. The problem was the ‘fuse pickups’. It’s a vehicle specific kit but the blocks that go into the fuse holders to piggyback the power didn’t fit properly, so they’d shaken lose over time. They’ve trimmed them to fit.

Thanks for all the advice!