Indicator blinking faster when brake pedal pressed

[rtz62]

Hi guys

A bit of help required please;

I have a 53 reg Octavia vRS estate and as stated above when the left indicator is depressed it works fine until I press the brake pedal, then it speeds up to approx twice normal speed.

This is only when using the left indicator and when the brake pedal is depressed at the same time

At any other time both left and right indicators work fine

Just a quick thought, I wonder if it makes a difference but the high level brake light is completely missing ?

Any help gratefully received

Thanks

[russell wheeler]

My guess would be an earthing fault, have a look at what lights are operating  when you press the brake pedal and indicator.

[mbames]

I would suggest likewise, some sort of wiring fault in the rear left light cluster.  Suspect that when the brake lights come on, it is stopping the indicator from working, and thus the indicator speed increases to as part of the "bulb failure" system.

 

Has your car got a towbar fitted?

[rtz62]

Cheers guys, no, no tow bar

I'll check the light cluster when it stops blowing a gale up here in t'frozen North, and the sleet abates...!

[KenONeill]

As others, I'd suspect an earthing fault, probably in the LH cluster.

 

Do you get the same effect if the sidelightes are on?

 

Also, suspect the stop/tail bulb may be reversed in the holder.

[pikpilot]

Earth wires are brown and there is a connection to the body shell somewhere in the boot. 

[kentphil1]

The earth point is a nut/stud by the bottom right of the rear lamp looking from inside the boot to the back of the lamp, which the earth cable attaches to by a ring terminal.

 

You will see it when you peel the felt liner back that covers the left side of the boot..

 

Is the lamp lens sound, as if it has any small cracks that let in water, you could find you have corrosion around the bulb holder.

 

If I can find a piccie I will post later.

 

Hope it helps.

 

Phil.

Edited 28 January, 2015 by kentphil1

[rtz62]

Thanks guys

T'internet has been down here in Rural Ruralshire, and we have been snow / ice bound, so I'll have a look when the ambient air temperature rises above 'bbbrrrrr' !!!

[littleade]

As above its likely to be a faulty earth, but might be worth changing the buld first if you have a spare. Its unlikely to be this, but if it is its an easy fix. If you get someone to press tne brake pedal for you as see which bulb doesn't operate or goes dim that should give you a good idea where to start, but it could be a poor earth elsewhere in the indicator feed.if it isn't the back light cluster you could try using a wire connected straight to the earth terminal on the battery and tap that on the earth side of each bulb in turn.

[Ray Luxury-Yacht]

As has already been said, it looks like an earth fault to me too...probably in the light cluster.

 

However.....from my own experience, it might be worth checking just ONE other thing

 

I had a Volvo S40 T4 about 10 years ago. It also started to do some weird electrical things when the brake pedal was depressed. Then after a few days of that, it started popping the fuse for the tail-lights and all the dash lights when I pressed the brake pedal!

 

After a bit of faffing about and head-scratching....it turned out that there was a stray bit of wiring loom that had come adrift from under the dashboard, behind the brake pedal. It couldn't be seen at first, until I removed the tray panel under the dash and looked up to the very top of the brake pedal itself. It had obviously been rubbing on the brake pedal every time I braked for some time, and eventually the insulation had worn away, and the cables inside had started to short to earth through the metal of the brake pedal itself. Random!