17TZD failed indicators/heater blower a few more observtions

[simonbx17]

thank terry well that's shed some light (pardon the pun) on things i will take a closer look at my barrel if need a hand getting a barrel i will let you know. although mine doesn't suffer with dimming lights etc. just that the indicators would stop working last i saw this in a bx it was my dads which was a 17tgd his was the starter motor kept cutting in without warning we would have stop and bang it with a hammer he ahd the Rapido alarm sytem.

i had a barrel go on my 19 rd but that went the difficult to turn process and then wouldn't turn at all...........

thanks terry i will keep you posted

[Terry]

Good on yer,

[Terry]

I went on to say...best of luck...but something cut me off!!

[DLM]

Pleased to hear you got it fixed, Terry.

I suspect my current car's ignition switch is heading the same way: sometimes when it starts the alternator circuit is plainly not switching, and indicators fail to work. Restarting cures this - most of the time.

In cases like this, I suspect it's wear in the electrical internals at the base of the switch that are the culprit, rather than key/lock wear.

[Terry]

Hi

And my thanks for the help. I worked through it step by step, writing down the result of each test, and the more I figured it after the tests the more it had to be that wretched ignition barrel.

I didn't pick up your PM until 48 hours ago because I just couldn't get on the forum, so I couldn't post my thanks until then.

What you're describing sounds very much like the same problem. Funny how there's so many going at once, and I had another on my Landrover a couple of weeks ago. Left the wife stranded 30 odd miles away.

[DLM]

The electrical parts of the switch have to take a lot of use and hence wear - and the components aren't that sturdy.

The mechanical parts of the barrel could be responsible, but until recently I've only ever had ignition lock problems when a key has broken off in the lock.

[nstarmore]

I had exactly the same problem with my BX when I bought it but the previous owner showed me that if you turn the key back slightly in the barrel after starting everything works as normal, which may help as a temporary measure as it did for me, something to do with the return spring in the barrel wearing out.